It’s a truth universally acknowledged that, with the exception of, like, Bob Jones University, institutions of higher education are generally more progressive than the world outside their gates. But all the idealistic hippie students who came of age in the ’60s and later became idealistic hippie professors are now retiring. The younger professors replacing them still disproportionately vote Democratic, but they are “less ideologically polarized and more politically moderate”: 17.2% of the 50-64 age group define themselves as “liberal activists,” versus 1.3% of professors 35 and younger. Sara Goldrick-Rab, a 31-year-old professor, told the New York Times, “My generation is not so ideologically driven” and the article credits the rise of civil discourse over fractious infighting. Read the rest of this entry »

Back on the island of Manhattan, Ahmadinejad-gate rolls on.  Columbia president Lee Bollinger sat down with 50-odd student leaders yesterday to discuss his decision to allow Iran’s resident bad boy, Holocaust-denier, alleged international kidnapper and suspected terrorist-enabler President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on hallowed university grounds.  Present at Bollinger’s heart-to-heart were representatives from the College Republicans, Hillel, Iranian Students Association, Sikh Association, the Law school, B-school, J-school, and the Spectator (which, despite presence at said event, still managed to have suckier coverage than the Bwog). Apparently some Iranian chick cried, and two politicians have joined the anti-A-Jad fray:

Presidential candidate and U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., whose daughter graduated from Columbia last year, denounced the University for inviting Ahmadinejad. “A man who is directing the maiming and killing of Americans troops should not be given an invitation to speak at an American university,” he said in a statement.

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn issued a similar denunciation. “The idea of Ahmadinejad as an honored guest anywhere in our city is offensive to all New Yorkers,” she said in a statement. “He can say whatever he wants on any street corner, but should not be given center stage at one of New York’s most prestigious centers of higher education.”

Today’s New York Post features a column by neo-con John Podhohertz entitled “A Terrorist For Tea” in which J-Pod imagines a conversation between Bollinger and Ahmadinejad. PrezBo talks about hurt Jewish feelings and A-Jad talks about how much he loves American liberals because they are actually terrorists, just like him. J-Pod is extra-qualified to comment on the dangers of mass murder, genocide, and racism because his dad, Norman Podhohertz, wants to nuke Iran and penned a clever little ditty called “My Negro Problem” in Commentary magazine in 1963. Always ahead of the curve, those Podhohertzes.

As IvyGate’s Resident Jew, it’s fallen upon me to write about President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s–Iran’s Resident Anti-Semite–planned September 24 visit to Columbia.

The cameras, the protesters (this time right wing!), and the Iranian nutjob are all descending on Columbia like it’s May 1968. The Spec’s site is so deluged with traffic that it’s not even working anymore (granted, this happens every few days). Read the Bwog’s intense coverage here. 

After the jump: various reactions to the beige-suited madman’s upcoming visit.

Read the rest of this entry »

If you want to feed the former president of Iran a good ol’ knuckle sandwich when he comes to speak at Harvard next week, Mitt Romney ain’t gonna stop you.

Romney, the Republican governor who wants to be president when he grows up, won’t be providing state security to protect Mohammad Khatami during his visit on Monday, Sept. 11. Romney doesn’t want tax dollars being spent on protecting a “terrorist,” he said. Wise man. Not only is he not letting the terrorists win, he’s letting our terrorists win instead! With knuckle sandwiches!

Never mind that Khatami ran as a reform candidate and fought, albeit unsuccessfully, to curb the power of Iran’s Gaurdian Council and expand press freedoms. Is it possible Romney was thinking of someone else? Mohammad, Mahmoud — what’s the difference, right Mitt?

Afterthought: Why a lecture? If Harvard knew its audience, they’d stage a steel cage match between Prof. Samuel P. “Clash of Civilizations” Huntington and Mohammad “Dialogue Among Civilizations” Khatami. We’re betting on the guy with the centrifuges.