[Bill,
September 24, 2007]
Lee Bollinger, man of the day
The Red State Award for the Biggest, Brassest Balls in the U.S. on this date goes to Columbia President Lee Bollinger. The Columbia prez not only weathered scathing criticism for inviting the Iranian president to speak at Columbia, he gave Mahmoud a personal lesson in exactly what U.S.-style free speech means. Bollinger leveled a scathing indictment, and then dared the Iranian prez to answer, who mumbled something about Bollinger's being rude. Wow. Bollinger made me especially proud to be an American today. It's like, go ahead, talk -- and here's what WE have to say back.
First of all, I would gently suggest that saying, "Americans are rude by nature" is not a very polite thing to say. Yet I wouldn't say "Kuwaitis are rude." I don't know them.
Second, respect has to be earned. People who lie, kill, cheat and brag do not get accorded the same respect that honorable individual would. I'm sure it's the same in your culture.