So let’s break it down. Pope Benedict has canceled his visit to a Rome university following protests by secular professors and students, the Vatican said Tuesday.

Iran’s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was embraced and applauded at Columbia University.

The Vatican said succinctly that it was considered opportune to skip the event at La Sapienza, a public university. Instead, the pope will send his speech to the university.

When news of the cancellation reached the campus, students in a political sciences hall broke into applause. About 60 of the 4,500 professors at the university had signed a letter to the university rector, opposing the visit. Banners reading “Science is secular” and “No pope” have been strung from university buildings and posters plastered on walls objected to the visit. Students had announced several days of demonstrations this week. The university has 145,000 students.

So a bunch of atheist punks stopped the pope from coming to speak. And Ivy League colleges embrace Islamic terrorists.

I know I’m in a bad mood today but I today am pronouncing Western Civilization officially flushed down the toilet. We exist in the gurgle.