On Monday, September 24, in a moment when all the eyes of the world were watching, the president of Columbia University , Lee Bollinger, embarrassed himself, the college, and our country, by introducing an invited speaker and guest as ridiculous and a petty and cruel dictator.
That speaker was the president of Iran , Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and although what Mr. Bollinger said may be true, it shouldn't have been said. Again, he was an invited speaker, a guest, not someone forcing their way in. By inviting President Ahmadinejad to speak, Mr. Bollinger committed himself to an unwritten contract of courtesy and respect, a contract to which he did not keep. Besides, President Ahmadinejad provided enough information, both on and between the lines, for any halfway intelligent person to draw their own conclusions about himself and his government. But more people will remember Mr. Bollinger publicly vilifying the President of Iran than Ahmadinejad's own incriminating words.
What's worse, several politicians and other public figures have followed President Bollingers lead by issuing publicly slanderous statements about President Ahmadinejad and his character. Americans already have a reputation of being rude; Mr. Bollinger and Companys help is not appreciated, especially among those of us who actually care how the rest of the world views us.
Why harp on about simple rudeness? Manners are the glue holding society together. Manners are the unspoken way of telling someone we acknowledge and respect their place in society. Not necessarily their social status, but their place, their social importance, whether they be a bum on the street or the President of Iran. When someone flips you off on the highway or cuts you off, why does it make you angry, really? Is it perhaps because, in a roundabout way, that person is denying your importance, your right as a living, breathing human to occupy the patch of highway youre driving on?
All we can accomplish by continuously slashing at President Ahmadinejad is our growing global reputation as a bully, and the creation of more ill-will between the U.S. and the Middle East . As unpopular as our current president is, how would we as a nation react if he were treated as indecorously as we have treated Iran s president? How would we view a nation whose highest officials were incapable of upholding even the simplest fundamentals of civility?
President Ahmadinejad will most likely go home angry and embarrassed, home to his budding nuclear program, and home to a nation of likewise angry and embarrassed countrymen. There is significant proof that Iranians are building the weapons killing our American soldiers. President Bollingers words may only have fanned the fire. One can't help but think that a courteous, not welcoming, but courteous reception might have given a few embittered Iranians pause.
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Article added to SearchWarp.com on Tuesday, September 25, 2007 View other articles written by Jacquelyn Sylvan(112)
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