TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran's hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called Tuesday for a purge of liberal and secular teachers from the country's universities, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported in another step back to 1980s-style radicalism.
"Today, students should shout at the president and ask why liberal and secular university lecturers are present in the universities," the agency quoted Ahmadinejad as saying during a meeting with a group of students.
Ahmadinejad complained that changes in the country's universities were difficult to accomplish and that the country's educational system had been affected by secularism for the last 150 years, but said "such a change has begun."
Earlier this year, Iran retired dozens of liberal university professors and teachers. And last November, Ahmadinejad's administration for the first time named a cleric to head the country's oldest university in Tehran amid protests by students over the appointment.
The developments followed a campaign promise by Ahmadinejad for a more Islamic-oriented country. He took office last August.
Since then, Ahmadinejad also has been replacing pragmatic veterans in the government with former military commanders and inexperienced religious hardliners.
Ahmadinejad's aim appears to be to install a new generation of rulers who will revive the fundamentalist goals pursued in the 1980s under the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, father of the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran.
In the early 1980s, shortly after the revolution, Iran sacked hundreds of liberal and leftist university teachers and students.
FYI, it's just a "I'm running for president" posture. The city police will be providing escort instead of the city police, and the governor and mayor will each light a new candle for their personal hate altars.
The mayor pointed out: it's a public safety issue. If you go ahead an let the guy in the country and into the state and into the city, it's irresponsible not to give him a police escort. If somebody tries to blow him up, those are registered voters who will be collateral damage. If he brings his own security, which is the other option, well, whom do you want controlling the situation: local cops who speak the local language, or a security team, which might not speak stellar English, which has no ingrained community focus?
Back in the 90s, Giuliani used his position as NY mayor to snub several figures -- Cuban delegations to the UN, etc. etc. -- but it was by not inviting them to city events and by being snotty to their faces, not by putting the public in danger.
Yeah, cause when somebody comes to try and blow him up in downtown Boston, you won't be one of the bystanders!! (I will.)
Also, you actually like pointless showy political maneuvers? I like my showy maneuvers to be pointful, and when people do play politics, I really hope they do it without impugning my personal safety.
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sforzinda
no subject
Date: 2006-09-06 06:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-06 06:55 am (UTC)did you see this news story?
Date: 2006-09-06 08:24 am (UTC)TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran's hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called Tuesday for a purge of liberal and secular teachers from the country's universities, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported in another step back to 1980s-style radicalism.
"Today, students should shout at the president and ask why liberal and secular university lecturers are present in the universities," the agency quoted Ahmadinejad as saying during a meeting with a group of students.
Ahmadinejad complained that changes in the country's universities were difficult to accomplish and that the country's educational system had been affected by secularism for the last 150 years, but said "such a change has begun."
Earlier this year, Iran retired dozens of liberal university professors and teachers. And last November, Ahmadinejad's administration for the first time named a cleric to head the country's oldest university in Tehran amid protests by students over the appointment.
The developments followed a campaign promise by Ahmadinejad for a more Islamic-oriented country. He took office last August.
Since then, Ahmadinejad also has been replacing pragmatic veterans in the government with former military commanders and inexperienced religious hardliners.
Ahmadinejad's aim appears to be to install a new generation of rulers who will revive the fundamentalist goals pursued in the 1980s under the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, father of the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran.
In the early 1980s, shortly after the revolution, Iran sacked hundreds of liberal and leftist university teachers and students.
Re: did you see this news story?
Date: 2006-09-06 08:34 am (UTC)that's gonna end badly.
no subject
Date: 2006-09-06 12:12 pm (UTC)The mayor pointed out: it's a public safety issue. If you go ahead an let the guy in the country and into the state and into the city, it's irresponsible not to give him a police escort. If somebody tries to blow him up, those are registered voters who will be collateral damage. If he brings his own security, which is the other option, well, whom do you want controlling the situation: local cops who speak the local language, or a security team, which might not speak stellar English, which has no ingrained community focus?
Back in the 90s, Giuliani used his position as NY mayor to snub several figures -- Cuban delegations to the UN, etc. etc. -- but it was by not inviting them to city events and by being snotty to their faces, not by putting the public in danger.
no subject
Date: 2006-09-06 12:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-07 02:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-07 04:14 am (UTC)Also, you actually like pointless showy political maneuvers? I like my showy maneuvers to be pointful, and when people do play politics, I really hope they do it without impugning my personal safety.
no subject
Date: 2006-09-07 08:35 am (UTC)