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Syrian Dictator's Aide-Turned-Columbia Grad Student Wears "No Boyfriend, No Problem" T-Shirt
By
Jen Chung
Published Jun 12, 2012
Modified Jun 12, 2012
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By
Jen Chung
Published Jun 12, 2012
Modified Jun 12, 2012
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Finally, the Post has captured what the former communications director to genocidal Syrian leader Bashar Assad is up to, now that she's a Columbia graduate student at the School of International and Public Affairs. Sheherazad Jaafari, also known as "Syria's Kim Kardashian," has traded her fancy evening gowns for t-shirts like "No Boyfriend, No Problem." Life is all right in America!
Now some Syrians are objecting to Columbia's acceptance of the young woman. Jaafari had reached out to Barbara Walters for help with getting an internship at CNN and with her admissions to Columbia. Why Baba Wawa? Because Walters had an exclusive interview with Assad, a sit-down that Jaafari recommended because the "American psyche can be easily manipulated." Walters did contact former ABC News executive—now Columbia Journalism School—Richard Wald about the "brilliant, beautiful" and multi-lingual Jaafari.
Sarab al-Jijakli, a spokesman for the National Alliance for Syria, tells the Post, "We are outraged with what is happening at Columbia University. Columbia and Barbara Walters must ensure that they right the wrong and not accept someone from the inner circle of the al-Assad regime into their university." The SIPA's lone Syrian 2012 grad, Haya Dweidary, says the admissions office ignored her warnings, "I told them they should not let the girl in. She is horrible and supporting the regime. I was sure she wasn’t going to be admitted because of her strong affiliation with the government and all the human-rights violations. It was completely shocking that she was admitted."
FYI: Jaafari travels with a NYPD detail, because of her father's position Syrian ambassador to the United Nations. And the UN just issued a report that Syrian children are being tortured and used as human shields.
Tagged
admissions
barbara walters
Bashar Assad
columbia
genocide
Sheherazad Jaafari
sipa
syria
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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