More on the Yale Taliban

Here is an editorial that asks all kinds of right questions: The last time I saw that Cheshire grin was in Michael Moore's otherwise manipulative "Fahrenheit 9/11," which, for all its demagoguery and factual errors, at least captured the Taliban's odiousness. In a clip lasting 30 seconds, an indignant woman confronts Hashemi -- who no less than five years ago was a chief spokesperson for the Islamist theocracy -- at a public event. "You have imprisoned the women -- it's a horror," she shouts, tearing off a burka in protest. "I'm really sorry to your husband," Hashemi answered. "He might have a very difficult time with you." So, he was that Guy. I was wondering about that! In 2000, Hashemi, then 21, became a "roving ambassador" for the Taliban -- Angelina Jolie for the Islamofascist set, if you will. He toured the U.S. defending the "achievements" of the Taliban, even visiting Yale. In the months leading up to Sept. 11, Hashemi had a falling out with the Taliban; he became disillusioned with their banning of neckties, chessboards and the Internet because he "wanted something good for Afghanistan." Presumably, Taliban policy prior to its crackdowns in spring 2001, which included public torture and murder of homosexuals, veiling of women and destruction of ancient Buddhist statues, were all "good for Afghanistan." Attempting to show intellectual growth, Hashemi told the News Monday he "really support[s]" free speech, adding, "I did and do believe in women's rights. Yes, women should be able to vote." Thanks for the permission. Anyway... There is little evidence to show Hashemi's beliefs have changed much; indeed, available information indicates his views on world affairs hardly differ from ignorant conspiracy theories so common today in the Muslim world. In an article posted on the Web site of the organization sponsoring his stay in the U.S., he writes, "Seemingly, like the poor Taliban, common Americans are ignorant of the fact that their franchise state of Israel in the Middle East is serving as an American al-Qaida against the Arab world." Nice. The administration believes Yale is lucky to have Hashemi. According to the New York Times, Yale had "another foreigner of Rahmatullah's caliber apply for special-student status." Said former Dean of Admissions Richard Shaw, "We lost him to Harvard. I don't want that to happen again." Who was the applicant? A member of Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath party? A protege of Robert Mugabe's? Yeah, Harvard. Who was it? We wanna know! I personally want to know whether Hashemi supports the flattening of homosexuals via brick walls, which was one of the ways the Taliban dealt with gay men. Having written a newspaper column for nearly my entire time at Yale, I suspect some of my peers would like to see me flattened by a wall, but I doubt any of them served a regime that carried out such a practice as official policy. Hmmm.... So, like, howcome the DHS hasn't kicked his ass out yet? Do those people do anything right?