Columbia won't cancel Ahmadinejad speech

I don't think it is so outrageous that the Iran Pres is going to speak at Columbia. While he has said some disturbing things, I think that dialogue in a civil forum is always good. Many professors and politicians both here and abroad have said disturbing, antigay, racist, anti-Semitic things and they get to speak and some are even in Congress. To completely blackball a leader of a large enormously important nation would only fuel tensions. I don't think he deserves an honorary Columbia degree and sweatshirt but if our government won't talk with them let academics talk with him.