Friday, September 21, 2007

What would FDR say?

Remember him? He was the president that said the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. With that, I have to ask what Republicans are afraid of now. President Ahmadinejad of Iran is coming to visit the U.S. in the coming week. He wants to visit Ground Zero. I know McCain and Rudy hate him, but are they really that immature to stoop to his level? What happened to America acting like grown ups? Some said he wanted to celebrate the hijackers. That's a crock of shit. Ahmadinejad, as most of Iran, is Shia. The hijackers, most of whom came from Saudi Arabia, were Sunni. Despite the fact they all believe in Mohammed, they don't particularly like each other. The other complaint I hear deals with Ahmadinejad claiming the Holocaust never took place. That is a valid complaint. The problem I have with that is we have dealt with a lot of unsavory characters in the history of this country. Are we to preclude him? Isn't it better to talk to, and engage him, then to start a war? Are people afraid to debate him? He's supposed to appear at Columbia University and even take questions and the forum he is attending. Can people go and act like adults and ask him why he believes what he does? Who is hurt by having a dialog? He might change his opinions, and he might not. Besides, I thought this country believed in the First Amendment. All I have to say is that it can't hurt to ask him why he dislikes people of a different faith. If anything, he won't change his views by our bombing Iran. Engaging in dialogue does have a chance.