McManus Calls Out Lee Bollinger

Following our train of thought this morning is the NY Post's Bob McManus-and he calls out Columbia's President Lee Bollinger for the outrage perpetrated against a CU freshmen who is a decorated veteran: "But this doesn't relieve university President Lee Bollinger of his own debt of honor regarding former Staff Sgt. Anthony Maschek. The young man's sacrifices on behalf of the United States of America are undeniable, and his treatment at the hands of his fellow students was shameful. For the moment, that shame resides solely with the students. But if Bollinger lets the matter stand unresolved -- without a measure of disapprobation for the students and without a public apology to Maschek -- then very soon the shame becomes Columbia's. And Bollinger's.

To us, the Bollinger apology is the first step-the next one being the full reinstatement of ROTC on campus. After all, shouldn't Columbia be Pro Choice? In addition, however, we believe that the mayor should wade right into this dispute on the side of ROTC. After all, he was quick to chime in on the GZ mosque (a decision that's looking somewhat shaky nowadays), and the defense of the right of students to go to school and pursue a commitment to serve our country is as important as the freedom of religion issue that Bloomberg championed with the mosque.

It could be argued, and we will do so, that those precious freedoms the mayor championed are rendered nulll and void without the ability of our country to protect them-something that the student miscreants at Columbia should be taught to understand. One final point. If the city is going to go out of its way to literally pave the way for the university's expansion by supporting the condemnation of local properties on its behalf, than the mayor should be prepared to publicly chide  Bollinger on the treatment of Staff Sgt. Maschek.