Controversy at Columbia

Over the past week here in New York the buzz has been that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was planning a visit to the WTC site during his stay in New York for the United Nations General Assembly next week. Mayor Bloomberg, city officials, and the NYPD decided that the Iranian President will not be invited to see or even put a wreath at the site.
Good, I thought, as having this man who sponsors terrorism go to the site where one of the worst terror attacks in world history happened would be nothing more than a slap in the face to all the 9/11 victims and families. Problem solved, Right? Not so much.
President Lee Bollinger of Columbia University has invited Mr. Ahmadinejad to come and speak at the University's World Leaders Forum held every year during the UN General Assembly Session. What?! A known sponsor of terrorism and a man who calls the Holocaust a myth wanting to annihilate Isreal will be a block away from me Monday afternoon. The entire university will be a crazy place to be at that afternoon.
Faculty and students alike will have the opportunity to pose questions at the President of Iran during the forum. In some instances, the man has no where to run and will probably have to answer some tough questions asked by the audience.
Needless to say there is a alot of controversy surrounding the University. There were news vans an reporters all over main campus trying to get the pulse of the student body. The reactions have been mixed. Some don't want him here while others do.
I'm mixed on the issue. While I definitely think this crazy and I would never support an event like this, my curiosity wants to see the answers this man will give as well see him squirm amist what will definitely be an audience ready to pounce on his ideals and statements.