The U.S. State Department has reversed a decision to deny a visa to Colombian journalist planning to study at Harvard University, the American Civil Liberties Union said today. The ACLU had joined several other groups in calling for his entry into the United States. The journalist, Hollman Morris, is critical of Colombia’s right-wing militias and has been accused by that nation’s departing president, Álvaro Uribe, of aiding terrorists. Mr. Morris was selected to participate in Harvard’s Nieman fellowship program but reportedly was denied a visa by a U.S. consular official who cited language in the USA Patriot Act intended to bar people with terrorism connections. The statement issued by the ACLU today said it hopes the State Department’s decision to grant a visa to Mr. Morris “is a signal that the Obama administration is committed to facilitating, rather than obstructing, the exchange of ideas across international borders” and “will end the practice of ideological exclusion once and for all.”
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8 Responses to State Dept. Reverses Denial of Visa to Colombian Journalist
your_rights - July 27, 2010 at 5:51 pm
1) “accused by that nation’s departing president, Álvaro Uribe, of aiding terrorists.” That is reason enough to keep him out. It is bad enough that the U.S. government is incompetant at identifying terrorists, but when they actually do identify a terrorist, the ACLU petitions to let them in. I suggest a thorough investigation all ACLU personnel and finances.2)”the exchange of ideas across international borders” Ha! I can see their horrifying, blood sheding activities on the news.
princeton67 - July 27, 2010 at 8:42 pm
I agree with #1. Anytime an outgoing politician, especially one as supportive of the US as was Uribe, labels an opposition journalist a terrorist, that journalist should be banned. Think of the $$ saved if the “incompetant” US government lets foreign politicians to identify foreign terrorists!
marpeter - July 27, 2010 at 11:07 pm
I am trying to follow the logic of both of the above comments. The first says the journalist was identified as a terroroist by the outgoing president of Columbia. But in the 3rd sentence, remarks that the incompetent U.S. govenment identified him as such. The second comment gives credence to Uribe’s charge on the grounds that he was supportive of the US. As academics, shouldn’t we be asking for evidence? Aren’t we interested in what is true? And wouldn’t accepting something as true rest on some kind of proof? Mar
gaprofessor - July 28, 2010 at 7:19 am
Rather interesting–same administration that refused admission of this journalist is the same one that put me on the TSA no fly list for 6 years. No due process, no means of finding out why, no explanation. Funny now I am dropped from list with no explanation. Like always, we should be skeptical of motives for tagging someone an undesirable. Having spent time in Colombia, I would say that there are not many white hats on either side.
mbelvadi - July 28, 2010 at 1:55 pm
A bit of optimism from the ACLU: “…. end the practice of ideological exclusion once and for all” – how about, until the next President is elected?
avatar70 - July 29, 2010 at 5:47 pm
“To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people…to leave the world a better place…to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”-Ralph Waldo Emerson
11159995 - July 29, 2010 at 6:03 pm
As I recall, Nelson Mandela was once labelled a terrorist, too, by the South African government whose apartheid policies he opposed as a leader of the African National Congress. So, are we to accept as gospel what any foreign government with which the U.S. has friendly relations, as it did with South Africa at the time, decides about whom to call a terrorist? Yesterday’s terrorist can be tomorrow’s president (a Latin American example is Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua, once leader of the Sandinistas). I am appalled that a fellow Princetonian should express the kind of view that #2 does. Did he learn nothing as an undergraduate?—Sandy Thatcher ’65
slutsk - August 6, 2010 at 8:40 pm
well said