万花筒 Kaleidoscope2007-10-01&10-02, 哥伦比亚大学“迎接”伊朗总统

We are here in Columbia University where hundreds of students have gathered, most of them to protest the appearance and speech of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the president of Iran, uh, who is speaking at the Columbia University World Leaders Forum¹ today. For about six hours, a program of students that includes groups ranging from the College Democrats² to the Campus Republicans, the Columbia Queer Alliance to the Columbia Chapters of the ACLU(American Civil Liberties Union) and Hallel are speaking and the majority of the groups are opposed to Mr. Ahmadinejad's appearance. Many of them have criticized the University's administration for allowing Mr. Ahmadinejad to speak and for inviting³ him to speak here today.

I don't think this is a matter of free speech, this is hate speech. And if someone if some one from the like the KKK wanted to come speak at Columbia. I'm not sure we would open up the doors and create a forum for him or her to speak.

Student groups have gathered in the main campus of Columbia outside Low Library for a series of speeches and they have planned to interrupt the speeches for about an hour and a half, to actually listen to an audio cast of Mr. Ahmadinejad which will be broadcast right here outdoors in the campus.

I'm really curious to see what's gonna go on and I support him coming here because you know what. He is a president of a nation, he is allowed to talk, you know we are not endorsed⁴ seeing him. Free speech is, is obvious supreme⁵ as since, and therefore he should be allowed to speak as long as he's.. as long as we can engage him in dialogue. So I’m not convinced that it will actually be all too engagement dialogue because again there are just questions that he will be able to prescreen and respond to at that time.

Mr. Ahmadinejad is scheduled to speak on Tuesday before the United Nations General Assembly where many many world leaders obviously are speaking this week. He is expected to face considerable, um, protest out the UN as well. In fact, today at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza⁶, um, a large, a contingent⁷ of protestors, many of them organized by pro-Israeli organizations, have gathered to protest Mr. Ahmadinejad’s visit and they planned to do so again on Tuesday when Mr. Ahmadinejad will actually be speaking before the UN.

1 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

2 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 inviting   

adj.诱人的，引人注目的

参考例句：

• An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。
• The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人，使人感到亲切温馨。

4 endorsed   

vt.& vi.endorse的过去式或过去分词形式v.赞同( endorse的过去式和过去分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• The committee endorsed an initiative by the chairman to enter discussion about a possible merger. 委员会通过了主席提出的新方案，开始就可能进行的并购进行讨论。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The government has broadly endorsed a research paper proposing new educational targets for 14-year-olds. 政府基本上支持建议对14 岁少年实行新教育目标的研究报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

6 plaza   

n.广场，市场

参考例句：

• They designated the new shopping centre York Plaza.他们给这个新购物中心定名为约克购物中心。
• The plaza is teeming with undercover policemen.这个广场上布满了便衣警察。

7 contingent   

adj.视条件而定的；n.一组，代表团，分遣队

参考例句：

• The contingent marched in the direction of the Western Hills.队伍朝西山的方向前进。
• Whether or not we arrive on time is contingent on the weather.我们是否按时到达要视天气情况而定。