Wednesday, April 30, 2008

A very personal perspective on UIC Prof. Bill Ayers


Barack Obama pal is an enemy, too: "During the April 16 debate between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, moderator George Stephanopoulos brought up 'a gentleman named William Ayers,' who 'was part of the Weather Underground in the 1970s. They bombed the Pentagon, the Capitol and other buildings. He's never apologized for that.' Stephanopoulos then asked Obama to explain his relationship with Ayers. Obama's answer: 'The notion that somehow as a consequence of me knowing somebody who engaged in detestable acts 40 years ago, when I was 8 years old, somehow reflects on me and my values, doesn't make much sense, George.' Obama was indeed only 8 in early 1970. I was only 9 then, the year Ayers' Weathermen tried to murder me."
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Read it and decide for yourself.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not to assume that anything about this article is untrue, but why is it that all 21 of the comments at the end are expressing the exact same point of view? Some use the same words and the same ideas. Some are just obviously spam, copied and pasted from one account to the next.

I don't know anything about Ayers, like why he doesn't regret setting bombs or what he hoped to accomplish in the first place. I do know that people have been absolutely salivating to find something about Obama to hate him for ever since he started running for president, and now they have it. The article is right that he chooses his own company, but isn't it possible that it's actually a good thing to enjoy the company of people you disagree with, people who challenge you, bring out the best in you, and who will inspire debate within you?

You know who doesn't like to have his opinions challenged? George W. Bush. The Democrats have finally chosen Bush's polar opposite and to many Americans it's absolutely terrifying.

---Chris Hollander.

Evan McKenzie said...

The question seems to be whether Ayers is just a person Obama happens to know, reflecting his ability to "enjoy the company" of people he doesn't agree with, or whether Obama is ideologically sympathetic with Ayers, Dohrn, and Wright. If the former, he is just a cool guy who relates well to a wide range of people. A person like that could get elected. If the latter, he is a leftist, and if the electorate sees him that way probably he can't get elected.
As for Bush, I agree with your characterization of him. But he isn't on the ballot this year, and if the Democrats try to run against a man who isn't running, they will lose.