This is just plain old fucking stupid.
Everyone, including Ahmadenijad, has a right to speak his mind in this country, but nobody has a right to a specific platform at a major university. I, after all, haven't been granted such an invitation and there's no particular reason he should have gotten one either.Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Now why would Columbia invite the president of a foreign nation we're currently being prodded towards going to war with, who is also a figure of much controversy in his own right, to speak? Tough question, I know. It's almost as if they want to expose their students to controversial views and provoke critical thinking on their part. And, since Columbia has a long standing policy of not accepting Jews, Ahmadenijad was clearly agreeing to speak where he'd only be cheered and supported.
And while he may not have meant it as egotistically as it sounds, wtf is going on with the personal comparison? Matt, you aren't as important as Ahmadenijad. You are not going to be cited as a reason for going to war. And no, Ahmadenijad isn't really in charge of Iran, but is more of a rabble rouser and salesman for the Clerical Council's decisions. How is that different from what Bush does for Cheney?
Ban Bush from public speaking engagements!
Update:
Ah duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh.
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12 comments:
I'll let Matt field this one:
Though unlike some here I kind of understood that line to be a self-mocking joke.
Thank God for that -- the humorlessness of some of the commenters here gets insufferable at times.
Ah yes, the first rule of comedy.
When a joke bombs, it's because the audience sucks.
You needn't laugh at the joke, brad (I didn't) but you should recognize it as a joke and respond accordingly (i.e. toning down the hyperbole a bit). By the way, here is some FMM style hyperbole:
Ahmadenijad isn't really in charge of Iraq
OH MY FUCKING GOD!!! BRAD REALLY THINKS AHMADENIJAD IS PRESIDENT OF IRAQ!!! LOL!! HE IS SO PATHETIC BEYOND BELIEF!!!!
now THAT's sarcasm
Not one of Yglesias's finer moments. I'm surprised that McArdle didn't jump on the notion that witholding public funds from Columbia restricts free-speech. I know she's a booster of using vouchers to shift public school students to private schools, but I'd have expected her to say something arch about the government providing funds to a massively endowed private institution.
Maybe she didn't read that far.
I'm really puzzled by what the Atlantic's doing. Fallows is superb at what he does, and Yglesias is generally OK. But Sullivan's been an embarrassment pretty much his entire professional life, and this McArdle person seems to be an intellectual cipher.
If the Atlantic wanted interesting self-described conservatives on the masthead, there's no shortage of talent out there. Just off the top of my head, Daniel Larison, Andrew Bacevich, and the guy at the "Cunning Realist" site are all vastly more informed and wise than darling Andy will ever be. For the libertarian slot, Jim Henley's got the maturity and self-awareness to steer well clear of the MBA girl's Randoid gaffes, and he's a better mind and voice to boot. And these are just the writers I know about; there've got to be others out there in webland. So what gives?
-- sglover
sglover-
reflect on the fact that your list does not include any women and you may have your first clue.
Deleted the repetition of anonymous's comment.
N jasonc, uhhhhh, what?
I kinda did allow that Matt might have been facetious there. Doesn't change the fact that it's a bad joke in a horrible argument.
And your counter-example lacks a basic element of coherency. Maybe you're trying to call me incoherent, but, still, what?
It was just my way of pointing out that you might want to change Iraq to Iran in your post.
Ok.
*removes egg from face, changes underwear as well to be sure*
Monday through Wed are class days for me. My posts will be even shoddier than usual on those days.
This is why I'm not getting paid for this.
reflect on the fact that your list does not include any women and you may have your first clue.
Ooooo. Pardon moi.
Laura Rozen. Jessica Matthews. Just please, please, please let me know that I haven't stepped on any sanctimonious toes.
-- sglover
Just please, please, please let me know that I haven't stepped on any sanctimonious toes.
You would have to ask the Atlantic that. I personally don't care. Lauren Rozen would go against your "if the Atlantic wanted conservatives" line, which I believe was one of the reasons behind the hiring. I don't know the other person.
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