And some of us think that that Harvard understands exactly what it's doing, and is simply following the increasingly, rabid anti-Israel bias so prevalent on most (almost all?) other campuses across the continent.

Harvard (as well as MIT and BU!) is for sale to the highest bidder these days. It's despicable. The university's purpose is not about saving lives or helping people anymore. It's gone. What a horrible turn of events. I never thought Harvard could be shaken like this. I wish they'd leave Massachusetts now. Their attachments to killer dictators from Cuba to Communist China were bad enough, but this takes the cake! I thought Larry Summers was a ray of hope for Boston and Cambridge. Harvard has really lost its soul and is for sale to the highest bidder. I am so angry about this. Ugh.

Dear Solomon,

I admire your persistent interest in this issue. Khatami must indeed be exposed for what he is, which is a mutated Islamist, and a traitor to his supporters. Mutated to cope with the increasing pressure to revise Islam in such a way that it could survive in the modern era. But he is not a "fascist." He is a fascist collaborator.

Best,
Cyrus Ferdowsi, http://libiran.blogspot.com

This is absolutely ridiculous. I had a LOT of problems with Khatami's speech, and even sometimes the reception he received at the time.

But as a Harvard student, and a Jew, I was suprised and concerned, but not outraged, with having Khatami speak here --just like many other Jews on campus. I completely disagree and am disgusted by many of his deeds. But,like our oh-so-wonderful president Mr. Bush said himself, we were "interested to see what he'd have to say". Don't forget that he's also supposedly supporting open dialogue. I think it's important we challenge him and ask for this open dialogue he supposedly can offer.

And while he's done terrible things, he's still considered one of the few opportunities for reform in Iran. I for one, wanted to know exactly what that meant--and frankly, was disappointed when I heard him speak. But still--it was an opportunity to not only hear what he means about this open dialogue, but to challenge him on the crimes he committed in his regime and question his ideology in general. Which was done, if anyone actually bothered to read about, or watch the event.

Desiring open dialogue--even with ideological opponents--is not a crime. This is no anti-Israel conspiracy. Jewish groups still have twice the power and funding of any Arab group of any kind.

Support for Israel is alive and well on college campuses, especially Harvard. I can't even fathom why or how you draw the conclusion that it isn't--unless of course that's just because some people (including pro Israel Jews! gasp!) are starting to think maybe Palestinians deserve some rights, in which case, by all means, continue sticking your head in the sand and call it rampant Anti-Israeli action if you can't cope with the concept of human decency, not to mention the concept of open--if controversial--dialogue we're dealing with specificall here.

Lastly... please, stop equating Walt's paper to any other decision Harvard or other college campuses make that might not play into the hands of Israel supporters (actually I take that back--fanatical Israel supporters, I mean). I'm really sorry--but there just is no conspiracy.

What did Khatami say that he had to be given a podium at Harvard to say it? He hasn't exactly been living in a hole.