In the Agora: A Tale of Two Faces

« PostSecret | Main | Let the horse race begin! »

September 20, 2006

A Tale of Two Faces

From the Guardian, September 6, 2006:

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran's outspoken president, fired an ominous warning at the country's educated elites yesterday by calling for a purge of "liberal and secular" academics in the universities.

In what some analysts interpreted as the start of a clampdown, Mr Ahmadinejad derided secular lecturers as a fifth column of western colonialism which he said was seeking to expand into Iran.

From US News, September 20, 2006:

In what might be construed as a charm offensive - at least an effort to lay out a less confrontational tone before Americans - Ahmadinejad asked, "Can't we just be friends?" He added, "We are in favor of dialogue ... but under fair conditions."

The Iranian president called as well for more society-to-society exchanges, including by scientists and policy specialists.

So which is it, Mr. Ahmadinejad?

Posted by Joshua Claybourn at September 20, 2006 06:21 PM

Comments

"...calling for a purge of "liberal and secular" academics in the universities."

Didn't David Horowitz call for the same thing?

Posted by: JohnS at September 21, 2006 10:21 AM | permalink

As I understand Horowitz's position, he believes conservatives are shut out of academia and seeks for hiring - under the banner of an "Academic Bill of Rights" - that is irrespective of political views. I am neither a supporter or critic of Horowitz and have not followed him in a few years, but his position seems to be vastly different from a government leader forcing out non-radical Islamic professors. Am I wrong?

Posted by: Joshua Claybourn at September 21, 2006 10:52 AM | permalink

Not to mention that as he puts it, Horowitz has no problem with liberal (or secular, or conservative, or Muslim, etc) professors - he just has a problem with them bringing their biases into the classroom.

And, of course, if he'd just stick to a simple argument like that, he might not be considered a crackpot.

Posted by: Nick Blesch at September 21, 2006 12:31 PM | permalink

The point in the second half of Nick's post does reveal Horowitz's disingenuousness when he says the things like in the first half of Nick's post.

Posted by: philosopher at September 21, 2006 04:33 PM | permalink

September 20, 2006

A Tale of Two Faces

Comments

Post a comment