NEW YORK (Reuters) - Columbia University was urged on Thursday to withdraw a speaking invitation to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who will be in New York next week for the United Nations General Assembly.

New York City Council speaker Christine Quinn wrote to the university urging them to cancel Ahmadinejad's planned speech

on Monday, which is part of a forum of world leaders.

"Ahmadinejad is a Holocaust denier," she wrote.

New York police said on Wednesday that Ahmadinejad, who has called for Israel to be wiped off the map, had been denied his request to visit the World Trade Center site of the September 11 attacks.

Ahmadinejad said on Thursday he was "amazed" by the reaction to his proposed visit to Ground Zero and he would try to go "if we have the time and the conditions are conducive."

Asked in an interview with CBS's 60 Minutes if he would press his request, he said that if local officials could not make the necessary arrangements, "I won't insist."

CBS released extracts of the interview in advance of Sunday when it will be broadcast in full.

Quinn said universities should be a forum for a healthy exchange of differing ideas, but that there were limits.

"An exchange of ideas should not include state sponsored terrorism and hate speech. 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."
NY university urged to cancel Ahmadinejad speech - Yahoo! News

Why any university would invite this assclown to speak is beyond me!

Have a good one!:s4:
Psycho4Bud Reviewed by Psycho4Bud on . NY university urged to cancel Ahmadinejad speech NEW YORK (Reuters) - Columbia University was urged on Thursday to withdraw a speaking invitation to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who will be in New York next week for the United Nations General Assembly. New York City Council speaker Christine Quinn wrote to the university urging them to cancel Ahmadinejad's planned speech on Monday, which is part of a forum of world leaders. "Ahmadinejad is a Holocaust denier," she wrote. New York police said on Wednesday that Rating: 5