William Ayers-Political Ally, Neighbor
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Considering what it must take to be considered a "Distinguished Professor" in today's University climate, particularly a place like the University of Illinois at Chicago, I'm hardly impressed by that.
As often seems to happen, pointing out simple facts draws fire to the messenger. Whatever he does today, the fact of the matter is Ayers was a 1960s radical and a leader with the inappropriately named Students for a Democratic Society, as well as co-founder of Weather Underground. He upgraded from blowing up statues to bombings of New York City police headquarters, the Capitol building, and the Pentagon. (So called terrorist?) At one point, his roommate and girlfriend were killed when a nail bomb they were assembling went off accidently. What a shame. Pointing all this out is the problem?
As for his association with Obama, they sat on a board together, lived in the same neighborhood, and Ayers contributed to Obama's senate re-election campaign. That by itself isn't much, but they did run in the same circles and it was no secret who Ayers was and what he had done in the past. And for anyone wanting to paint Ayers as a changed man because of his "Distinguished Professor" standing, he told the New York Times that he didn't regret anything he had done and that he felt they "didn't do enough". That was in September of 2001, mind you. AND, Frank, members of the Weather Underground were given pardons by Bill Clinton, allowing them to walk around using their names and write books.
I don't know exactly how close Obama was to the man, but it seems to me someone with Obama's aspirations should have put himself miles away from someone like Ayers. I won't even mention the fact that if a Republican walks through the same room as someone with a foggy past there are people frothing at the mouth to make a connection to them, no matter how weak. Oops. Guess I mentioned it anyway.
