While Ben Keil makes many good points about President Ahmadinejad’s visit to Columbia University, I deeply feel he missed the key reason why Ahmadinejad was on U.S. soil (“A view on bigotry, from the Columbia green,” Sept. 25, p. 1). Keil focuses on bigotry, indoctrination and terrorism, and not on the learning experience in Ahmadinejad’s visit.

Keil laments the fact that all questions had to be provided beforehand and censored. Sadly, in our modern political landscape, regardless of nationality or political affiliation, questions to the men in charge are routinely pre-examined and censored. The fact that Ahmadinejad even heard questions slanted against his national policies, such as women’s equality and his treatment of Israel, proves that at least an attempt was made to provide a two-sided discussion. And yes, Keil is correct to say it was not “direct,” but the Iranian president was certainly engaged.

However, what irritates me most is that Keil missed the point of Columbia’s inviting Ahmadinejad: the educated method of forming opinions requires hearing all sides. An international stereotype of Americans is that we are insular and uneducated about global affairs. And by only listening to orators who agree with the majority, our level of understanding remains stagnantly low. I highly doubt anyone who attended was “indoctrinated” by Ahmadinejad’s words. Keil admits the campus laughed when the president stated that Iran has no homosexuals. Laughter does not equate indoctrination, but the opposite: Few took the Iranian president seriously. I feel that unprompted, highly biased backlash like Keil’s creates sympathy where there should be none.

While I do not agree with everything Ahmadinejad stated, I strongly support Columbia’s decision to offer him a platform. It is not our place to prevent publicly disliked figures such as Ahmadinejad from speaking, but to decipher the message and gain a better understanding of American-Iranian relations through Ahmadinejad’s often-veiled answers. Remember that which is not said speaks as loudly, if not louder, than what is said.

Sara Polefka

CAS ’09