Former Italian president returns honorary doctorate from Columbia
This story has gotten NO media play in the US, and has barely penetrated the blogosphere. The Polish news service had it, and somebody on a list I'm on just found an Italian story. From the Babelfish-y translation I got from the Polish story (cleaned up a bit by me):
In protest against the invitation of the president of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Columbia University the former Italian president Francesco Cossiga gave back the title of the doctor Honoris Causa of this University. Senator Cossiga wrote that he was indignant at the the chancellor of UC for organizing the lecture of the Iranian leader, whom he called "a threatening neonazi and a Islamic terrorist".
The former Italian president reminded in the sharp letter to the rector of Columbia that Ahmadinejad expressed thirst for the destruction of Israel."Regardfully for six million murdered Jews whose you - old-fashioned racists, and today also advocates of Islamic terrorists I - Catholic, return the title of Honoris Causa and I burn the toga which you gave to me" - declared Cossiga.
His letter finished with the words: "without respect, Francesco Cossiga".
Comments
Posted by: Bilovisso
Posted on: September 29, 2007 06:54 PM
The toga and the Doctorate from the American Columbia University returned.
ROME, Thursday 27 September 2007
The former head of state and present lifetime senator Francesco Cossiga has returned his Doctorate honoris causa from Columbia University, as a polemic against the decision by the President of that US University to invite Iranian President Ahmadinezhad.
"Indignant that you let the neo-Nazi and Islamic terrorist pervert Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of Iran, who announces the destruction of Israel, out of a respect for the six million exterminated Jews which you — says Cossiga — old-fashioned racists and now friends of islamic terrorists to boot, demonstrate that you are lacking, and out of friendship, as a Catholic, for the Jewish people and for the state of Israel, I return the Doctorate which you granted me and I burn the toga which you had given me. Without any respect".