Recently, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited the United States and went to New York to address the United Nations General Assembly. He visited the site of the September 11 attacks and "paid his respects," so to speak. He then spoke at Columbia University, after being invited by Columbia president Lee Bollinger, who criticized Ahmadinejad, saying he "exhibit[s] all the signs of a petty and cruel dictator."

The Iranian president denied the existence of homosexuality in Iran and reiterated his country's right to question whether or not the Holocaust occurred. He also continues to claim that Israel should be "wiped off the map." It is unsurprising that the current administration claims that Iran has nuclear capabilities and President Bush referred to Iran as part of the "axis of evil" in his State of the Union address in 2002, the United States government considers Ahmadinejad to be a dictator and an opponent of human rights in his own country, and the Canadian government lists Iran as one of the 13 worst abusers of human rights in 2006.

This leads one to wonder: should the U.S. allow freedom of speech to individuals who are declared enemies of the state? If the U.S. is anti-Ahmadinejad, why was he permitted to come to the United States and be given a public forum? Also, should Columbia University have invited him to speak at an institution of higher learning, where people are generally taught to become independent thinkers and informed citizens?

While many have protested the invitation that Bollinger extended to Ahmadinejad, I believe that in a democratic society, all individuals should be permitted to express their opinions. In a country where groups such as neo-Nazis, Luddites and the Ku Klux Klan have the opportunity to express their opinions, Ahmadinejad should also be permitted to speak. In fact, anyone who wishes to express their opinion, so long as they do not present a threat to national security, should be allowed to speak freely. Open the doors for Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. If Kim Jong-Il wants a public forum in the United States, give him the green light.

In a society where people make informed decisions based on the information at hand, no one should be prevented from expressing their opinion. How far would the United States have developed politically if everyone was not given the opportunity to express their ideas? This is the fundamental precept that serves as the foundation for political growth.

While most people disagree with the radical sentiments of speakers such as Ahmadinejad, such speakers should not be denied access to a public forum. It allows members of a democratic society to formulate their own opinions of such speakers rather than being told that the speaker is a part of an "axis of evil." I do not in any way condone what people such as Ahmadinejad say, but everyone should have an opportunity to convey their beliefs. To quote Voltaire: "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."