Jackson Condemns Iranian President's Visit

Congressman Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. today expressed his disappointment and condemnation of Columbia University for giving Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a forum to spread his dangerous, outrageous and repugnant rhetoric.

Jackson said, "I strongly disagree with Columbia University's decision to provide Iranian President Ahmadinejad a prominent platform at one of the nation's most prestigious universities to promulgate his hideous propaganda."

"Rather than turning the stage over to a man who has denied the Holocaust and said Israel 'must be wiped off the map,' Columbia University should have dropped the curtain on his ugly act. 

"While taking advantage of the privilege of free speech, President Ahmadinejad's regime undermines and endangers the democracies that provide it. He continues to threaten Israel, to pursue nuclear capabilities, to arm Iraqi militants targeting U.S. troops and to deny human rights to all Iranians. This man is a striking example of why we must remain vigilant and embrace the truth," said Jackson.