Fittingly enough, I was in a dentist’s chair today when President Ahmadinejad delivered his speech at Columbia University. If someone is going to have to jab around your mouth with a sharp metal instrument, then it might as well be to the drone of a dictator’s voice in the background instead of Muzak.

Actually, it seemed like Ahmadinejad was on laughing gas. When asked about his pledge to eradicate the state of Israel, he said, “We are friends with the Jewish people.” When asked to comment about the reported execution of homosexuals in Iran, he replied, “In Iran we don’t have homosexuals like in your country.” When the subject turned to 9/11, he wondered what caused it and why it happened (guess he hadn’t seen Bin Laden’s videotaped admissions and explanations).

I am not sure why Columbia University gave President Ahmadinejad its prestigious podium. For the record, Saint Vincent College would not have given its podium to Hitler. And we would not give it to a man who enslaves his people, suppresses women, sponsors terrorism and kills an untold number of American soldiers by bankrolling and arming our enemies.

Columbia University let itself be used today. It didn’t get a debate. It should have known better.