What can we Asians say? Typical white NYPD cops.

As I like to say, "when a NYPD cop gets hurt/killed, I ain't shedding no tears".

Wow.

The purpose of racial justice is not so that we can continue holding on to an us-versus-them mentality - the type of mentality that perpetuates racial hatred all over the globe, generation after generation. Solidarity does not make everyone else enemies.

So for this, "Anonymous", you currently hold the Worst Comment title in our APA Hall of Shame... Congratulations.

Finally published today in the Spec...

[1:03 pm update]

According to the Spec:

Responding to a question about homosexuality in Iran, Ahmanidejad said, In Iran, we don’t have homosexuals like in your country,” a statement which drew laughter followed by boos.

Aries Dela Cruz, GS ’08 and communications chair of the Columbia Queer Alliance, said after the speech that the question to Ahmadinejad had been poorly phrased.

“The Western category of gay or lesbian doesn’t translate well into Farsi,” he said. “That doesn’t mean that Ahmadinejad didn’t understand the question.”

As a linguistics/anthro major, it infuriates me that such a controversial issue was further complicated due to translation problems. My coworker commented that SIPA should have done a better job of finding a more competent translator (from the UN, maybe?). However, this delves into cultural issues, which are beyond languages in isolated form.

Rumor has it that the translator for yesterday's Ahmadinejad forum incorrectly translated the Iranian President's quote as follows:

AHMADINEJAD (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): In Iran, we don't have homosexuals, like in your country.

We don't have that in our country.

In Iran, we do not have this phenomenon. I don't know who's told you that we have it.

After speaking to a friend in the work office, I found that some of the Persian (American?) students who listened to the speech think that rather than just "We don't have that," Ahmadinejad directly stated a difference between Iranian and American culture.

This still has yet to be verified, but if it's true, it makes a very big difference. Who knows if Fox News has the intellectual capacity to make such a distinction.

Admittedly, playing on rumors and stereotypes is pretty bad. Unforgivable, even. But while David may have had the best time of his life at Pike, I distinctly remember some not so pleasant experiences during my first (and last) frat visit. Some experiences that involved, say, a floormate getting led up the stairs to a place where she didn't want to be?

No rumors or stereotypes there. I'll leave it at that.

Now that we've been told accordingly, apologies about the Pike post. You're totally right - opposition to rumor and stereotype should be carried out on all fronts. Point graciously taken.

David: Speaking of which, a Pike party last year was probably one of the best I went to fall semester my freshman year - is it happening again? Or was that AEP...

Marilla: ALLEGATIONS AND ASSUMPTIONS MY ASS.

David: lol. Apparently so.

I hear helicopters overhead; Claremont is strangely peaceful.



Here is an accurate transcript of what went down yesterday.

---

My inaccurate snippets of quotes are as follows:

2:28 pm. (Discussing the Holocaust, freedom, and democracy "as an academic")

"Why don't we encourage more research on a historical event (the Holocaust) that has been the cause of many heavy catastrophes in this day and age?"

2:32 pm. Yeah, you knock that podium, Mahmoud.

"One minute, one minute, one more minute." (Clapping ensues)

2:34 pm. (Discussing Iran) "We want to be independent, don't interfere with us."

"We haven't gotten anything."

"We love all nations."

(Clapping and booing)

2:35 pm. (Coatsworth asks questions posed by students and faculty)

"One by one, please."

"We love all nations; we are friends with the Jewish people. There are many Jews in Iran living peacefully with security... our proposal to the Palestinian plight is a humanitarian and democratic proposal."

2:37 pm. (Q: Does Iran seek the destruction of Israel?)

Coatsworth: "I think you can answer that question with a 'yes' or 'no'... the answer to this question is 'yes'."

2:39 pm. "My dear friends, the Iranian nation is a victim of terrorism."

"We were the first nation to reject terrorism and the first to see the need to fight terrorism."

"We need to address the root causes of terrorism and eradicate those causes."

2:42 pm. (Responding to why the Holocaust calls for more research)

"I'm an academic and you are as well. Can you argue that researching a phenomenon is forever done? Can we close the books for good on a historical event? There are different perspectives that come to life after research is done. Why should we stop research at all? You shouldn't ask me why I'm asking questions; you should ask me why I think that is questionable."

2:45 pm. "There's been more research on physics than there has on the Holocaust."

2:46 pm. "The Iranian people are free."

2:48 pm. (Coatsworth poses a question about executing homosexuals; Ahmadinejad strays towards drug trafficking and corruption of Iran)

"Doesn't your country have capital punishment too?"

"In Iran, we don't have homosexuals like we do in your country."

(Booing)

"In Iran, we do not have this phenomenon. I don't know who told you we have it. Maybe you think that being a woman is a crime. It's not a crime to be a woman. Women are the best creatures created by God. They represent the kindness that God instills. Women are respected in Iran."

2:51 pm. (Q: What were you hoping to achieve by speaking here today and what would you have said if you were at the Sept. 11 site?)

"I was invited here... In Iran, when you invite a guest, you respect them."

"Last year, I wanted to go to the site of the Sept. 11 tragedy... to show my respect, to show my tragedy."

"I wanted to speak with the President... (Sept. 11) It led to a lot of other events. If the root causes of Sept. 11 are examined properly... Why did it happen? What caused it? What were the conditions that led to it? Who truly was involved? Who was really involved? Let's put it all together... to fix the crisis in Afghanistan and Iraq combined."

2:55 pm. (Regarding Iran's nuclear plan)

"There is no indication that Iran has deviated from the peaceful program."

"If you have generated the fifth generation of atomic bombs and tested them already, what right do you have to question other nations' nuclear energy?"

2:57 pm. (Regarding Iran's preparation to discuss with the U.S.)

"From the start we announced that we are ready to negotiate with all countries."

"We are ready to have friendly relations and talks with all nations... the Iranian nation is a cultured nation. It is a civilized nation. It wants talks and negotiations... We don't need to plant bombs or guns... we question the way the world is being run and managed today... we have solutions based on humane values... with the U.S. gov't too, we will negotiate."

(Cheers echo and spread to Claremont; helicopters whir overhead)

3:02 pm.

"Will you allow me to thank the audience a moment?"

(Ahmadinejad invites Columbia's students and faculty to Iranian universities; clapping ensues)

"In the end, I'd like to thank Columbia University. I have heard that many politicians in the U.S. are trained in Columbia University... I extend my deepest gratitude to the faculty members and students here."

"To establish peace and a future filled with friendship and brotherhood. Best of luck to all of you."

(Coatsworth reiterates Columbia's deep commitment to "expression and debate")

---

I'll respond to this after a shower and a meal.

Perhaps I spoke too soon about our near-total apathy regarding tomorrow's events. But any changes in our position could only be based upon subjective observation - so would we yet have an ideological stance concerning the attitudes being played and vitriol being spewed around us? Not really.

Still, while speaking about the stress of this whole deal with another member and friend on the Political Committee, she brought up something interesting: the politics surrounding the coming of the Iranian president are all based on various feelings about terrorism, Zionism, the Middle East, war-mongering, etc. Feelings that perhaps people become more attached to than is healthy or necessary. For us, this is a bit of a problem.

In the past few days, student of color groups have been struggling to meet the unspoken demands for relevancy in the events of the 24th. Thus, it's hard not to say with some cynicism that these debates occurring right now would never have happened if student of color groups brought up the events of mode. If you think our apathy is something awful, let us tell you how we see things every day other than when an Iranian president arrives at Columbia.

Hence, what we see happening is that these groups marginalized by this debate are bringing their issues into context of the only debate some people are willing to listen to: LUCHA brings up distinctions to the Minutemen protests last year. CQA cautions against media usage of certain terms as political identity. As possibly the most relevant voice in this debate, the MSA expresses concern about the fair representation of Islam in this debate around Ahmadinejad. All of these points are exceedingly relevant, but none are being actively listened to. We're all waiting for cues from other, more "mainstream" groups.

This is the case as well for the Asian American Alliance. We do not let this inundation of political opinion drown our voices surrounding other issues that we care about - issues that don't ordinarily receive the light of day. In our statement, we make a point of highlighting the disconnect between the administration and the students. This is a problem that manifests itself in countless ways other than through the invitation of Ahmadinejad.

In any case, all of this is a bit dense if you don't understand the politics of student groups. But the heart of the issue is more than this - we hope that issues of race, power, and identity can receive equal airtime when this campus is not hijacked by news media. Some things deserve to be discussed as much as, if not more than, the arrival of Ahmadinejad.

Let us ponder this deep, insightful question as I go punch someone.

We're not sure what's more strange about the AAA poster: [not shown above, click link below...] that they promote their event with a picture of Calvin Sun et al., or that they're touting Tokyo Pop as "Columbia's premier nightclub/lounge."

Wow.

Oh Bwog, we ask you to answer to call of our oppression as Asian Americans under someone who breakdances for cool points. (And cool points he shall get...) Please stand in solidarity as we continue our tireless campaigns against racism, apathy, raging Facebook popularity, and spikey hair. Help us end our fight under the unbearable heat of the Sun.

Maybe come to some of our events? Get to know some arguably cooler people? ... A good thing to do before you make out our entire group to be the Gundam suit of just one man. (That's right - you know the reference.)

Sometimes, though, (maybe this isn't the right time) we like to point out the irony of infamy... You rail against someone's popularity, but can't quite help yourself, can you?

And lastly: you're very welcome.

EDIT: All in good fun, Bwog! We hope that you feel the love from wherever you are.