Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: “I am not saying the Holocaust did not happen but…”
Columbia University (New York), September 24. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (Photo Daniella Zalcman) did not move. He just smiled and smirked when Leo Bollinger, the president of Columbia University, said in his introduction of the Iranian president, that his denial of the Holocaust made him appear “ridiculous”. When it was his turn to speak, Mr Ahmadinejad complained about the “unfriendly” treatment, quoted the Quran and defended his policies and beliefs. The Iranian president, who used his own translator instead of the two State Department interpreters hired by the University, questioned the Holocaust. “I am not saying it did not happen, he said. But can you close the book on a historical event? Why should we stop research at all?” The Iranian president claimed he wanted historians to take a closer look at the “root causes” of the Holocaust. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who tried to portray himself at Columbia University as a scholar and a moderate, defended the right of his country to pursue a civilian program. He claimed he could not expect big powers to give his country nuclear capability. He drew applause from the crowd, when he started speaking the plight of the Palestinian people. “For 60 years, people have been displaced and killed”, he said. “Why is it that the Palestinian people are paying the price for an event they had nothing to do with?”, he asked. He did not answer directly a question about his intent to seek the destruction of Israel. He simply said he had put forward a democratic proposal to allow Palestinian people to decide for themselves in a referendum. When asked about the execution of homosexuals in Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad answered : “In Iran we don’t have homosexuals like in your country . I don’t know who told you that we have this.” He also claimed that women in Iran enjoyed the highest level of freedom. Outside the Alfred Lerner Hall, where Mr Ahmadinejad was speaking, a large crowd of students watched the live telecast the speech, applauding and booing the Iranian president occasionally. Earlier in the day, protesters and media had swarmed the Columbia University campus. Rabbi Neil Kurshan, 59, came from Huntington, NY, to denounce Mr Ahmadinejad’s presence at the University. “He denied the Holocaust and I have Holocaust survivors in my congregation, he said. Every time he does that, he stabs them in the heart. The University dignifies Ahmadinejad by giving him such a forum”. He claimed that Mr Ahmadinejad had more to gain than to lose by being challenged by tough questions. Paulette Press, 71, stood a major part of the day in front of the university gates, holding a small American flag and a sign with Mr Ahmadinejad’s face and the headline “evil” on it. She said she came because, “as a proud American, I think he should be arrested”. Hundreds of protesters from different groups joined forces to oppose Mr Ahmadinejad’s presence. Avram Diuger, a Jewish Iranian, who left Iran ten years ago, said Columbia University gave Mr Ahmadinejad a platform for his propaganda. J.S., a 34-year old firefighter, who did not want to see the Iranian president anywhere near Ground Zero, said he supported freedom of speech. “Mr Ahmadinejad should keep his ridiculous ideas for himself though, he added. Let him go back to his country”. Neil Schachter, Jewish professor of clinical medicine, walked up to journalist to tell them that Columbia should not have given Mr Ahmadinejad “respectability” by inviting him. As Mr Schachter spoke, a young bearded man wearing a Yankees hat, listened. “Was he against Mr Ahmadinejad?”, the young man asked when Mr. Schachter was done. Gauhar Malek, a 23-year old Pakistani student, said he supported Columbia’s decision to invite the Iranian leader. “America is all about free speech and debate, he said. You have ton engage to understand.” Mr Malek added that the Iranian president was the only Islamic leader, who was not the “White House’s puppet”. Tess Rankin, a 19-year old student at Columbia, attended the speech. “It is specifically important to hear people with dangerous ideas and Columbia University is a unique setting, she said before Mr Ahmadinejad spoke. It is important to question and to challenge. Learning is about listening”. Jean-Cosme Delaloye / New York A French version of this story appeared on September 25 in 24heures and Tribune de Genève in Switzerland. CommentsYou must be logged in to post a comment. |
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