<p>Wounded</a> Iraq veteran jeered for speaking in Columbia University ROTC debate - NYPOST.com</p>
<p>I didn't post this to offend anyone. I just find this completely unacceptable. Say what you want about the war and whether it's justified, that's up for debate. But I for one just think that it is completely classless to treat a veteran who did nothing but fight for the country with such disrespect.</p>
<p>a) someone already posted it.</p>
<p>b) i think folks ought to be aware that there is an anti-military stance out there that is aggressive and indeed very much against what they would call ‘wars of oppression.’ in many ways when we reduce or forget about this stance as having a legitimate claim, we end up 1) forgetting what happened in the 60s as being at all relevant, 2) doing the same thing that we accuse the jeerers of doing, of shutting down protest. i don’t take this position, but i have friends that do, and are activists. i’d like to hope that some of them wouldn’t jeer in public, but sometimes our emotions get the best of us - “you lie” anyone?</p>
<p>c) read the transcript and listen to what he says and the reactions, also realizing that there were a lot of people condemning the jeerers.</p>
<p>[Columbia’s</a> farce - Los Angeles Times](<a href=“http://articles.latimes.com/2007/sep/28/opinion/oe-brooks28]Columbia’s”>Columbia's farce)</p>
<p>Not that any of these instances would give potential applicants and prospective students a second thought–nor should they, really.</p>
<p>I think it is downright shameful for these knuckleheads to jeer anyone during an open mic, and especially a vet holding a purple heart. What a disgrace…</p>
<p>Yesterday I added this reply to the other thread about this incident. I hope it illuminates the situation:</p>
<p>Maschek today offered the following comment in the Columbia newspaper:</p>
<p>" To all who have expressed concern or outrage over the reported events at the Columbia University ROTC Town Hall meeting:</p>
<p>Comments by a small number of individuals at the town hall meeting have not changed my positive experiences at Columbia. Thus far, my fellow students have been very interested in hearing about my past life and military experiences. Columbia has been attempting to get more veterans to share their experiences here, and the atmosphere here has been supportive despite the actions of a very small minority of the town hall participants."</p>
<p>Put away the pitchforks and torches, people and don’t label an entire university due to the actions of a few. Knee jerk reactions of “I"m glad I don’t have to be around that ignorant liberal school like Columbia” is akin to the noisome comments Mr. Maschek faced from his jeerers, no?</p>
<p>I am glad to read Maschek’s statement. He sounds like someone to be very proud of. Students run high with their emotions, hopefully they grow up and realize freedom is not free. If you don’t stand behind the soldier then you can stand in front and be shot. We must respect each other without hate. There is a place and time for debate not screaming.Columbia is a great university.</p>
<p>@adgeek
Don’t just read the transcript; listen to the audio: <a href=“http://bwog.com/2011/02/20/listen-to-controversial-comments-from-rotc-hearing/[/url]”>http://bwog.com/2011/02/20/listen-to-controversial-comments-from-rotc-hearing/</a>
The “heckling” has been sensationalized to a ridiculous degree; this is not a repeat of the Minutemen incident.</p>
<p>I know what you mean regarding the groups with strong anti-military stances. I sympathize strongly with both CQA and the Dems, who are concenred about the military’s anti-transgender stance, and groups like Lucha and Columbians Against ROTC that are more concerned with the military’s role in wars of aggression and imperialism.</p>
<p>Both arguments have merit, but I’m not sure if they really justify barring ROTC. The transgender issue is serious, but the military can’t change until attitudes in the government change. Similarly, I’m not sure it’s fair to blame ROTC for our current wars when it’s the civilian-led government that declared and continues to wage war. In some ways, ROTC is just a scapegoat; it’s the federal government’s policies that are the real problem, but no one is suggesting we not allow government agencies to recruit on campus. Of course, ROTC is a bit different since it involves academic credit, but I don’t think the distinction matters as much as some believe. There are a lot of people at Columbia now who support Columbia recognizing ROTC, even though they remain highly critical (and rightly so) of the military.</p>