Harvard,Khatami, Killing Gays and Silence
Harvard University invited Khatami, the former President of Iran to speak on the subject of “Ethics of Tolerance in the Age of Violence.” What did Khatami bring up?
Khatami, widely considered a reformer in Iran, was often met with applause from the Kennedy School audience:
In response to another question, Khatami also justified his country’s use of capital punishment for acts of homosexuality, but said that the conditions for execution are so strict that they are “virtually impossible to meet.”
“Homosexuality is a crime in Islam and crimes are punishable,” Khatami said. “And the fact that a crime could be punished by execution is debatable.”
The audience responded with silence to his remark.
Isn’t that quaint how they just sat there and didn’t even defend the gays?
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September 13, 2006 - 03:14 PM on September 13th, 2006
What would you have done?
September 13, 2006 - 03:31 PM on September 13th, 2006
How about standing up and booing the man? How about for standing up on principal? Don’t liberals scream about tolerance? I guess that’s only when it suit their needs. Hypocrits!
September 13, 2006 - 03:48 PM on September 13th, 2006
While I’m sort of surprised no one vocalized their opposition to his points of view, I think the silence given to him as described is better.
A few people booing gives the impression that just those few are opposed while the whole room remaining silent shows that nearly everyone didn’t agree…
It’s classier. But, what would you know about classiness?
September 13, 2006 - 03:58 PM on September 13th, 2006
san fran, I have been trying to figure out where your view of the world came from. I think this article gives me the insight I have been looking for. Not only do I understand the liberal thinking better now, but I can humor the libs the way I humor my 5 year old when he is throwing a tantrum. If the liberal policies werent actually given a grain of salt now and then I would laugh. Unfortunately, enough people in this country are of the liberal mindset that danger is always lurking. Thank god responsible adults are there to clean up the mess.
Read this article with an open mind and try to see yourself how I see you now. The article also has relevance to the topic being discussed.
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=16997
September 13, 2006 - 04:05 PM on September 13th, 2006
One more very insightful article on the liberal mindset.
http://americasrabbi.com/opinion.art.php?pID=340
September 13, 2006 - 04:10 PM on September 13th, 2006
#4…I stopped reading at: “There are many who crave the acceptance of America’s enemies. They are called liberals.”
C’mon, that’s just stupid.
September 13, 2006 - 04:12 PM on September 13th, 2006
Good article. This particular statement from the article:
“Children spoiled by their parents usually end up hating their parents, biting the hands that fed them. And spoiled citizens usually end up hating and turning on the very country that gave them everything.”
I think captures the very core essence of Liberalism. These are spoiled children who operate from a functional basis of rebellion. Rebellion against their parents, and everything that symbolizes them: tradition, authority, the status quo, religion, etc.
I have been proselytizing this as the core basis of Liberalism for 20 years now. It well explains why they take positions that defy common sense and logic.
September 13, 2006 - 04:14 PM on September 13th, 2006
A few people booing gives the impression that just those few are opposed while the whole room remaining silent shows that nearly everyone didn’t agree::lol::lol: Of course it does. So all those that didn’t speak out against the Holocoust were being classy? Yep!
No, what it is, is spineless! Do as I say, not as I do!
September 13, 2006 - 04:18 PM on September 13th, 2006
September 13, 2006 - 04:20 PM on September 13th, 2006
#5…“Our Civil Liberties Are Not at Risk”
Interesting, but I also find that thesis very silly.
Our civil liberties are ALWAYS at risk. We must be constantly vigilant in protecting them…especially when we are “at war”.
We can often be our own worst enemy…
September 13, 2006 - 04:27 PM on September 13th, 2006
I have a goal in life and I pray daily for assistance in it.. it is for tolerance that I strive.. however I do not pray for tolerance towards say serial killers, cruel remarks etc.. tolerance is wonderful.. intolerance is a baliwick of the right..we need not agree with or approve of lies, and an attempt to devalue the american way of life. which is what is going on right now with the Bush regime.
September 13, 2006 - 04:27 PM on September 13th, 2006
#8…no, group silence illustrates perfectly how unpopular the statement was.
Look at it this way…you are giving a speech: Would you rather make a point and then have a small group boo you, or would you rather have the whole room give you cold silence?
I’d rather be booed.
the silence would make me much more uncomfortable…
September 13, 2006 - 04:33 PM on September 13th, 2006
“…intolerance is a baliwick of the right..we need not agree with or approve of lies, and an attempt to devalue the american way of life. which is what is going on right now with the Bush regime.”
Yes, yes! Why, just this week, the Right tried to censor the “Path to 9/11″ series for purely political reasons! They even threatened to shut down the network that made that series! Can you believe this intolerant, fascistic display! Except….that…it was done by the Left!
Ooops…so much for your fundamental analysis.
September 13, 2006 - 04:37 PM on September 13th, 2006
Group silence illustrates absolutely nothing. This is grasping for straws.
September 13, 2006 - 04:37 PM on September 13th, 2006
12- Let’s see here…we are talking about a speaker that had protestors arrested and tortured…how do I think he viewed the silence?????? HMMMM let me think about that:roll:
September 13, 2006 - 04:40 PM on September 13th, 2006
Oh, no doubt he was crushed, emotionally broken! I can just imagine him fighting back the tears! He probably had to get counseling, therapy!
September 13, 2006 - 04:43 PM on September 13th, 2006
#13…oops! The republicans did the same thing with the Reagan series!
Watch that splinter in your eye, there Bob…:wink:
(Matthew 7:3)
September 13, 2006 - 04:47 PM on September 13th, 2006
#16: of course not, but it was probably unsettling I’m sure.
It’s like telling a joke, expecting laughter or some reaction and getting silence instead.
Being a speaker in front of a group, I think silence is the worst that can happen after giving a statement. Very uncomfortable.
September 13, 2006 - 04:51 PM on September 13th, 2006
18- Well the guy isn’t a comedian and he doesn’t condone opposition from students. Silence is golden to him!
September 13, 2006 - 04:54 PM on September 13th, 2006
17- The Reagan Family and the Republicans put an end to Streisands sham of a movie. Blame Reagan for her son’s AIDS! Reagan was dying from a horrible disease and not in a position to defend himself. As was noted then, there was no historical relevance to the movie.
September 13, 2006 - 04:56 PM on September 13th, 2006
Besides, I think we missing the most important thing here…people attending the speech want to learn about the man and what his beliefs are from listening to him speak; as it’s a very rare chance to actually be there, see him, and listen to him.
How would booing and obnoxious behavior help that learning process?
September 13, 2006 - 05:00 PM on September 13th, 2006
#20, that’s all your opinion, of course. But the facts remain that both parties have BOTH tried their hardest to stop a film that portrays their leaders in poor light.
Simple as that. BOTH sides are guilty of the same damn thing.
September 13, 2006 - 05:01 PM on September 13th, 2006
21- What did they learn? That it is okay to kill homosexuals? That he never called for the elimination of anyone, but Palestine lost their home? and from what they can tell..he is a reformer? So, if the kids at Harvard were to protest under his leadership, they should expect to be arrested and tortured. Yep..good plan..sit silent while your gay friend dies yet another death by your hypocricy!
September 13, 2006 - 05:04 PM on September 13th, 2006
“What did they learn?”
See, that’s why you’re not very smart IMO.
You learn by listening to what they have to say. Doesn’t mean you accept it…
LOL…I could see you at a lecture on Marxism making an ass of yourself. Actually, I can’t see you in college at all.
September 13, 2006 - 05:19 PM on September 13th, 2006
24- Listen and learn…okay, so this little visit was the talk of the town and when the students have the chance to discuss it amonst themselves and then write it up in the student paper, after the ass leaves..they say nothing. Not a peep such as “well we clearly disagree with their policy of murdering homosexuals, but agreed with him on X,Y and Z” Nope, not even that! Go along hypocrits!:roll:
September 13, 2006 - 05:56 PM on September 13th, 2006
“intolerance is a baliwick of the right..we need not agree with or approve of lies, and an attempt to devalue the american way of life. which is what is going on right now with the Bush regime.”
My post #13 was responding to the above.
#17: You have disproved nothing.
September 13, 2006 - 06:01 PM on September 13th, 2006
Peejz, if the speaker had been a Republican, and made even one little comment that didn’t precisely conform to the parameters of political correctness, there would have been a near riot.
September 13, 2006 - 07:04 PM on September 13th, 2006
“You have disproved nothing”
Uhhh…I wasn’t trying to disprove anything. Not sure what you mean here.
What I am saying is that you shouldn’t be thinking that your shit don’t stink either. BOTH sides have tried to “censor” a TV show that was critical of their team.