apologies to all if the following story is a little bit too long, and the punchline is not punchy enough for the length of the story. I will try to keep it short.

I went to Columbia journalism school and graduated in 2004. Since then I've been on the J. school list serve, a mass e-mail list that anyone can send e-mail to and rant about what ever it is that's on their mind. The listserv is usually pretty quiet and is punctuated every few months with a flurry of e-mails when someone decides to post a controversial topic. When this happens, the same 15 or 20 core group of a loudmouth J. schoolers go nuts and start writing tons of nonsense to the group, spouting their opinions and trying to one up each other with more and more garbage that simply clogs 250 e-mail inboxes. The most recent flurry was about Columbia University's president Bollinger decision to invite the Iranian Prime Minister to speak on campus. Somebody decided to post an article that had a quote by Bullinger discussing his opinion on why he invited the prime minister, or something like that. I have no idea, I didn't read the e-mail since I really don't give a shit. But, judging from the 25 e-mails that I got this morning, a couple of J. schoolers seem to give a shit.

here are a few excerpts:

i was waiting for someone to say something about this proposed visit to SIPA. In general, although I do not support pres. Ahmadinejad's policies or in particular the suppression of women in Iran, I was definitely very eager to see him speak at SIPA, more particularly to see how he would handle all the tough questions, and accusations he was bound to hear from the liberal student body at SIPA and the other schools at Columbia. The statement below by Prez Bo was released today, in response to a SIPA invitation extended to Pres. Ahmadinejad to address the School tomorrow. I am indeed disappinted to know that the visit is not happening now for "logistical reasons."

As president of the Columbia, it's not Bollinger's place to give us his opinion of Ahmadinejad, or any other speaker, regardless of what we think of them. Bollinger has made his opinions known when it comes to matters of the "middle east" (like when divestment from Israel was discussed). This makes people who disagree with Bollinger's opinions (and there are many) feel uneasy about their university having a "position" on things it shouldn't have a position on. If Bollinger wants to make his political opinions known he should run for office and come and live here in Washington.

Journalists and people in academia should be more discriminating than politicians. It is not our position to "judge" it is our position to ask questions and understand why a phenomenon like Ahmedinajad exists, not just in Iran, but all over the third world. Let's leave the name calling to the politicians.

Bollinger was completely in bounds when he gave his position. Correct me if I’m wrong, but he was under no obligation, legal or otherwise, to stifle his opinions. I think it’s reasonably clear that he was stating opinions completelty his own with regard to the decision to allow Ahmadinejad to speak. According to your logic, one isn’t able to proffer personal political positions unless they’re running for office. I’m sorry, but to say that it makes people “uneasy about their university having a ‘position’ on things it shouldn’t have a position on” is just absurd. According to your logic, one isn’t able to proffer personal political positions unless they’re running for office or somehow engaged in politics.

And other crap.

Until one person wrote: "I want to hear from our democratically elected president on the issue."
To which I replied, writing my FIRST EVER email to the group:

"What? What about your elected Movie Coordinators? Have we no say? I think Dr. Epstein and I will schedule a movie night of something controversial to help lubricate the gears for the debate that will follow. Suggestions? Perhaps something with Arnold Schwarzenegger. None of you will show up anyway."

My email is funny for several reasons:

1. I am just a funny writer.
2. the student Council of the journalism school was elected, and consisted of the typical positions of president, secretary, treasurer, etc.. But there was an additional two positions of "movie coordinators" whose jobs were to organize movie nights for the school. My good friend Dave Epstein and myself were nominated and were elected to these positions and took our jobs very seriously.
3. I refer to my friend Dave as "Dr. Epstein" because the guy who wrote the previous e-mail is actually a doctor and was taking a break from medical school when he attended journalism school.
4. the reference to Arnold Schwarzenegger was because one of the gay students of our school suggested the movie "Pumping Iron" for one of our movie nights. If you have not seen this film, it's basically Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 70s running around in Speedo's and flexing for about an hour and a half.the night we showed that movie, the only people who showed up were a few gay men as well as Dave and myself.
5. almost nobody ever showed up for any of the other movie nights anyway.

oh, how I miss journalism school.