One More Thing About Columbia University (hint: Somalia, 1993)
Throughout the whole Columbia/Ahmadinejad debacle there had been something bothering me, some elusive but relevant factoid fluttering around the edges of my mind, but remaining just out of reach. And then it hit me.
Remember an incident where a certain radical professor wished for something to befall the United States which he referred to as “a million Mogadishus?” It’s pretty hard to forget such an evocatively alliterative turn of phrase, especially when it comes from an American citizen wishing death upon the soldiers of his own country. It was expressed by Nicholas De Genova, an assistant professor of anthropology and Latino studies, at an anti-Iraq War teach-in and was meant to refer to losses suffered by U.S. troops in Somalia in 1993.
The good professor went on to declare that “the only true heroes are those who find ways that help defeat the U.S. military.” And to top it all off, he accused patriotic citizens of being white supremacists.
Did I happen to mention that the campus from which this professor peddled his twisted longings was none other than Columbia University? He still teaches there today, ensconced in all its ivied splendor.
But wait a minute, don’t get the wrong idea and think that such hate speech got a free pass at Columbia. De Genova was taken to task for those remarks by none other than now famous Columbia President Lee Bollinger, who was “saddened” by the professor’s crossing of “the line” and who stipulated that the professor’s “statement does not in any way represent the views of Columbia University.”
On the other hand, I was treated more harshly back in grammar school for popping my gum in class. And in the meantime, ROTC still isn’t allowed on campus at Columbia, but one of the world’s most despicable despots and an enemy of the United States is.
Again, thanks a lot, Columbia, for your unceasing contributions to higher education and the American experience.
Greg Strange provides conservative commentary with plenty of acerbic wit on the people, politics, events and absurdities of our time. See more at his website: http://www.greg-strange.com/. Also, check out his “Religion of Peace” World News Round-up for all the latest Islamic absurdities and tidbits.
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September 26th, 2007 at 10:33 am
Thank you Mr. Strange for yet another insightful article.
As a graduate of WKU’s ROTC program (Military Science minor) I am infuriated at any university or school that would ban our military from their campus.
I remember in 1979 while attending WKU and when I was a member of the ROTC program there were protests and riots by the Iranian “students” on the campus.
They cursed us ROTC members and cadre called us pigs (and worse), spit on us and so on. They burned our flag every day, often many times a day.
These thugs spray painted “Death to America” anywhere they could.
But you know what, they were eagerly waiting in line to get government student aid checks.
While all this was going on, this thug they now have as a president was in on storming our embassy and holding our people hostage.
I say to Hell with Columbia and any other school like them!
Cut off their tax-funded support NOW!
September 26th, 2007 at 11:00 am
Oddly, I think this little Ahmadinejad speech has opened a lot of liberal eyes. Just him saying “we don’t have a homosexual problem in Iran” sent a real chill throughout the student body.
This was probably the first time many people actually listened to a brutal dictator with an extreme ideological bent. They heard his real words with no spin and they know it. There was no Bush to blame. Haliburton wasn’t even mentioned! It was just a dictator and his hate and our country got to see it first hand.
Free speech. You gotta love it!
September 26th, 2007 at 11:39 am
I wonder where Nicholas De Genova, assistant professor of anthropology and Latino studies comes from?
I wonder where he lives?
I wonder why Somalian enclaves of Muslim immigrants were invited first in Maine, and then New Hampshire, and NOT in HIS backyard?
I wonder the actual percentage of academic buffoons whose deep thoughts can ONLY be tolerated in..well…acadamia?
September 26th, 2007 at 1:16 pm
If this ungrateful piece of trash is still at Columbia he is at least an Associate Professor now. Please forward your article to Fox News, they might be interested in a further characterization of Columb U.
September 26th, 2007 at 4:44 pm
Before the late 30s Columbia already had the reputation of being a socialist nest, but they really didnt shine till Hitler kicked the institute for social research out and they chose to set up camp at Columbia.
and S.Baker
Fox is like “no news” central… tape a show, and then play with a stop watch. record time saying news, time on commercials, time on distracting pieces or advertisements dressed up as news (usually reporting the results of another show on the same channel), and if your up to it, traffic and weather.
do you think that they have time to report that if their news show in the morning ocnsists of “cool or not cool” mini survey of talking heads on some ‘issue’, Curtis and kouby which amounts to a running advertisement for a show on fox radio, advertisements, the fluff piece at some school or such (sometimes done in the weather), and weather and directions inserted every 10 minutes.
where the heck would they insert news in all that entertainemnet? oh perhaps between the stock talking heads that always say the future is bright… they sound exactly like the sports jock who cant answer a real question because he was too busy playing the game to analyse it, so he just says empty platitudinous things. and perhaps plugs a book, or some weird angle on life.
news… yeah right… (their idea of entertainment hits the mark that well too)
September 27th, 2007 at 8:39 am
Artfldgr, I hear you about Fox News. Amen, brother!
However I like it better than anything else out there.
What I can’t stand is “Fox and Friends,” which I call “Fox and Fools” for the reasons you mentioned in your comments.
Just about everyone they have on there as a guest or talking head has a book to plug and the celebrity fluff stories ran over and over makes me sick.
What you left out are those stupid, juvenile cartoon sound effects they play.
For me, Fox News after 0900 is at least bearable, late afternoon and evening is best.
And for me Fox News is light years beyond CNN, MSNBC or anything else I have seen so far.