A Follow-up: Ahmadinejad & the '08 Hopefuls

I’ve been reading up on what the various 2008 Presidential candidates have had to say regarding the Ahmadinejad ordeal, and I think a follow-up to my original post is necessary.

Here are some of the statements made by the frontrunners giving their opinions of Ahmadinejad’s visit:

-Rudy Giuliani: "I know he seems somewhat silly to us but he's not silly to himself…He leaves that appearance at Columbia saying I got half the audience to applaud for me. It was a terrible mistake to allow him to speak."

-Mitt Romney: "We should be tightening our sanctions against Iran, not welcoming him to the world stage, and I've called on the Secretary-General of the United Nations to withdraw that invitation…What we should be doing is indicting Ahmadinejad under the Genocide Convention."

-John McCain: "A man who is directing the maiming and killing of Americans troops should not be given an invitation to speak at an American university…"

-Hillary Clinton: "If I were the president of a university, I would not have invited him, but I did not express an opinion about the decision made by Columbia... I was very much against his desire to go to ground zero. I thought that was absolutely out of bounds and unacceptable and thankfully it was not permitted."

-Barack Obama: Would not have invited Ahmadinejad to speak, but says that "One of the values we believe in is the value of academic freedom. He has a right to speak." He also has declared that he will speak with Ahmadinejad if elected—opening diplomatic relations with Iran.

-Also, Current President George Bush said: “[if Columbia] thinks it’s a good idea to have the leader from Iran come and talk to the students as an educational experience, I guess it’s OK with me."

Most of the ’08 candidates have voiced their opposition to Ahmadinejad’s proposed visit to Ground Zero (his permission was denied by the U.S. government), except for one—former Senator Mike Gravel. Gravel establishes that he is very against the Iranian regime, but that the U.S. should not be “snubbing” the Iranian government—calling it “dangerous” for the future. He also points out that while the United States was giving economic aid to the Taliban regime in Afghanistan (before 9/11 of course), Iran was funding the Taliban’s “bitterest enemies”—Iran had nothing to do with the orchestration of 9/11, and was in fact against those who carried out the attack.

Gravel brings up several issues dealing with the disingenuous behavior of the U.S. in Iran over the past 50 years (overthrowing its democratically elected government, supporting a corrupt dictator, etc.), but his main point is that our leaders must stop separating the world into parties of “good” and “evil.” This mode of thinking has never helped us, and will lead to the unthinkable—a war against a united Middle East. In Gravel’s words: “It's time to step away from the brink and begin finding common ground. Let Ahmadinejad go to Ground Zero and honor our dead. And together, let's all acknowledge that neither war nor terrorism will solve our problems.”

Please read Senator Gravel’s article in full for more insight.

Ahmadinejad and America's Test

Today President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of the Islamic Republic of Iran spoke to students and faculty at Columbia University in New York. His arrival was marked by heavy criticism and fierce protests, but he was nonetheless permitted to speak. Today this country passed a small but important test.

Let me first establish that I believe President Ahmadinejad is a terribly misled man who does not represent a positive force in the global community. He is the leader of a radical theocracy, which maintains brutal rule over its country—though this rule is in fact crumbling due to a very pro-western youth majority (60% of the population is younger than 30). The Islamic Republic is a known supporter of the radical organization known as Hezbollah and has been accused by Washington of supplying heavy weapons to the insurgency in Iraq. Ahmadinejad has been quoted calling for the “destruction of Israel” and has been accused of denying the Holocaust. In his recent talk at Columbia, he went as far as to denying the existence of homosexuals in Iran.

The debate occurring in the past few days has been one that I feel we have truly needed. Ever since the days of Woodrow Wilson, it has been this country’s supposed “duty” to spread freedom and democracy—criticizing and even invading nations in the name of this “freedom.” But now we have been faced with the question: “To what extent do we offer freedom?” Would it be justified for us to tell President Ahmadinejad, who is considered a “terrorist” by many, that he has no right to engage in conversation with America’s youth? I watched the event online, so let me be clear: serious questions were asked—questions that strove to get to the bottom of this terribly complex man. Instead of relying on the media, real students were given the opportunity to directly engage with a world leader who has been the focus of so much uproar. His answers, though ambiguous at many times, brought to light many issues that must be discussed. What caused this radical Islamic regime to come to power in the first place? What was the role of the United States? Why is Israel so hated? Why are we so hated?

Though I am greatly pleased that the President was able to speak, I remain disconcerted over the overwhelming opposition that I have seen in the nation’s leaders, in the citizenry, and in my peers. The “we don’t agree with you, so we won’t hear from you” mentality is what led to 9/11, and not much has changed. Our government interferes with the affairs of others, manipulates nations for our country’s economic interests, it bombs cities, stages coup d’états and assassinations, all to keep our oil prices down. We have made everlasting enemies who attack mercilessly and with brutal strength. Unfortunately, 9/11 didn’t wake us up like it should have. Shame on Hillary Clinton, Mitt Romney, and all of our potential leaders who have denied the significance of learning from this experience—we need a leader willing to engage, not to ignore as we have for so long. To stop the bloodshed we must understand why people hate—and to do this, we must hear the voices of the haters. We don’t have to agree, but we must listen.

I encourage everyone to watch Ahmadinejad speak at Columbia--it is long but worth it.

America and the Crisis of Religion: #1 in the Series

Today I’ve decided to begin a series called “America and the Crisis of Religion” which will be an ongoing discussion of the threat many religious groups pose to the United States and the world. This first entry, however, is dedicated to providing a background on my own religious experiences. This will give a better view on my personal stances and will provide a solid foundation for future entries.

I was raised a Methodist, but my family was never very devout; when I was growing up, we were the ones who went to church twice a year…it was a chore to us. Eventually we just stopped going altogether. I’m not even sure if my parents believe in God, but I suppose it’s just what families are expected to do. Beyond our infrequent pilgrimages to the local megachurch, I never really thought too deeply about God, his purpose, the meaning of life, etc. In fact, until I was around 14, I didn’t even know that other religions even existed—much less even questioned the validity of my own. When I entered high school, however, my spiritual life changed drastically.

I became increasingly involved with an organization known as “Student Venture”—an Evangelical youth group devoted to sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Essentially, the organization seeks to introduce young people to the word of God, and send them out to convert the world. Their official mission is:

… to give every teenager the opportunity to hear the truth and love of Jesus Christ, to grow in their faith relationship with Him, and to reach others with the message of Christ. We call it Win – Build – Send.

Weekly Bible Study meetings became a regular part of my schedule; I went on the enticing Christian ski trip—aptly titled “Fast Break!”—and even to the Myrtle Beach conference in the summer. I considered myself a messenger for Christ, though I never felt comfortable propagating on the beach and in local communities (door-to-door), and I never relented in my faith in science and reason (i.e., I constantly debated in favor of the theory of Evolution). I made great friends and I felt really good about myself—I was high on the Holy Spirit!

But something happened during my senior year, and I don’t really know what it was. I think that in that last year, I really challenged myself intellectually—my faith, my political views, and my general outlook on life made a complete u-turn. I suppose it wasn’t one specific event, but it was the influence of my teachers and my closest friends. I went from being one of the most adamant supporters of the War in Iraq, to an outspoken critic of it. I went from Conservative to Liberal, and from Evangelical to Agnostic. I realized that faith is just another way of saying “belief in that which has absolutely no evidence.”

More later.

The Next Generation

So this is my Blog. I just deleted my first version; it was about 9/11 and it sounded sappy and repetitive. That’s not the impression I want to make. I guess I just want to start posting my views and leaving my mark in cyberspace. It’s my Freshman Year in college, it’s 9/11, and I think it’s a good time to try new things.

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about my role in the next generation. People call us “Generation Y”—the tech-savvy, independent, and self-important youths who are out to “challenge the status quo” and who thrive off of creative innovation. Our parents (Generation X) were similar to us, but USA Today says that we are “Generation X on steroids.” To us, social equality is a norm, not a privilege. In our world, the Internet has always existed, and if we need something we can pull it up with high speed. As we assume leadership roles, we will demand change with that same high speed. The Y’s are the ones who will determine what happens next. The storm is here, and our parents are almost done ruling. We are next in line. This is not a rebellious rant, but rather a declaration: We are charged with the fate of the world. This is serious.

My two greatest fears are fanaticism and apathy. I’m afraid of the fanatics because of their blind devotion to extreme views that are, more often than not, dangerous. I’m afraid of the apathetics because they don’t worry about the fanatics. My experiences with many of my peers, and fellow members of the Y Generation, have ranged from inspiring to despairing. Growing up, I was lucky to make friends with some of the most intellectually active people—these were people who challenged my thinking and made me who I am today. I’m also lucky to have had family members and teachers who forced serious reflection and questioning—tools that are now a part of my very being. However, I have encountered countless who refuse to question…refuse to think…refuse to learn…refuse to care. These are the Paris Hiltons. These are the Entertainment Channel addicts. These are the ones who have never watched the news or read the paper. These are the ones who don’t know the capital of Iraq. These are the self-indulgent mallrats. These are the ones who continue living without regard to the world. These are the overly-patriotic citizens who vote Republican or Democrat without any knowledge on the issues at hand. These are the blind, propaganda-devouring, ethnocentric masses. These are Americans.

Well, I like T.V. and I have an iPod—the difference is that I’m also writing a Blog. I have BBC.com open on my computer and a NY Times on my desk. My point is that you can care and act on your beliefs while still enjoying the perks of life. I do. The problem arises when people push out all of the stuff that matters just to fit in another show or another visit to the mall. Don’t sacrifice democracy just so you can fill your life entirely with meaningless extras. We can maintain a balance.