Mocking Ahmadinejad
Whatever street cred Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad earned himself in Tehran for last week’s appearance at Columbia University in New York, he has certainly become an object of mockery in the United States. His denial of the existence of gay people in Iran (later, in a U.N. news conference, he reiterated that he didn’t know ...
Whatever street cred Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad earned himself in Tehran for last week's appearance at Columbia University in New York, he has certainly become an object of mockery in the United States. His denial of the existence of gay people in Iran (later, in a U.N. news conference, he reiterated that he didn't know of any homosexuals in Iran and asked a reporter for their addresses) was a crystallizing moment. It's obvious to anyone that there are gay people in Iran. So even if Ahmadinejad is telling the truth about Iran's nuclear intentions (doubtful), his preposterous statement about homosexuality will serve for many as all the evidence they need that this guy is a big, fat liar. This will prove useful to the Bush administration if it decides to attack Iran down the road (a big if at this point).
Whatever street cred Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad earned himself in Tehran for last week’s appearance at Columbia University in New York, he has certainly become an object of mockery in the United States. His denial of the existence of gay people in Iran (later, in a U.N. news conference, he reiterated that he didn’t know of any homosexuals in Iran and asked a reporter for their addresses) was a crystallizing moment. It’s obvious to anyone that there are gay people in Iran. So even if Ahmadinejad is telling the truth about Iran’s nuclear intentions (doubtful), his preposterous statement about homosexuality will serve for many as all the evidence they need that this guy is a big, fat liar. This will prove useful to the Bush administration if it decides to attack Iran down the road (a big if at this point).
But for now, he’s just an object of ridicule. And nobody does ridicule better than New Yorkers. Exhibit A: This hilarious mock gay love song to Mahmoud performed by Saturday Night Live’s Andy Samberg and Adam Levine of Maroon 5. Check it:
Blake Hounshell is a former managing editor of Foreign Policy.
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