Storm That Passed
Weather Underground co-director Sam Green has posted a short statement about William Ayers, his friend, on A.J. Schnack's All These Wonderful Things site. Reading it reminded me how infuriating the sentiments of the Sarah Palin flock about Ayers' radical past have been. Would they condemn the sometimes violent acts that came out of the anti-abortion movement of the '90s with the same outrage, the same certainty? It appears likely, in any event, that McCain will bring up Ayers at Wednesday night's debate, so it's worth reviewing.
No society can or should tolerate terrorism, but political hot-heads determined to strike back at the perceived evils of industrialism, capitalism and corporatism have been popping through since the late 1800s, and the culture of rebellion and turnover and transformation in the '60s and early '70s produced a torrent of this. And then life happened. People got older, eased their attitudes, moved on, calmed down, felt the fatigue, had kids and said "that was then and this is now."
The people who went the way of the Weathermen in the late '60s and '70s -- who veered away from anti-Vietnam War organizing and SDS membership and into domestic terrorism -- jumped off a very high cliff without a chute. An unwise and reckless decision in hindsight, yes, but one that first of all demanded the kind of passion, commitment and courage that most people don't even read or hear about, much less develop a slight or glancing acquaintance with. "To live outside the law you must be honest" (i.e., the Bob Dylan line) isn't the half of it. Read Ayers' Wikipedia page -- it's all there.
Here's Green's statement:
"Like most Obama supporters, I have watched with a mixture of apprehension and revulsion as McCain and his VP-pick have ratcheted up their efforts to smear Obama with his tenuous link to Bill Ayers, one of the founders of the Weather Underground. Me and my pal Bill Siegel made a documentary about the Weather Underground a couple of years ago, and we filmed a number of interviews with Bill Ayers. Since that time, he's become a good friend of ours. We took him and Bernardine Dohrn, his wife, with us to the Academy Awards in 2004 when our film was nominated for an Oscar.
"So it's hard to see this brouhaha and not feel terrible for the person at the center of it. After his long-ago association with the Weather Underground, Bill Ayers has gone to become a widely known and respected education expert. He's a Distinguished Professor (really, that's his title!) at the University of Illinois and has written more than 10 books. To have all of his work, and what he's about, so publicly misrepresented must be extremely painful. Not to mention the fact that he's received such a torrent of death threats that the University has had to provide him with a bodyguard.
"All of this is compounded by the fact that Bill Ayers has had to remain silent. He's made the intelligent decision that there's no way to engage with the media in a case like this and win. Anything he might say publicly will only add fuel to the fire, and give the 'issue' more of a life. There really is nothing, or at least nothing significant, at the heart of the Ayers-Obama connection, so it's gotta run out of steam at some point. There's nothing more to be said about it.
"Bill Siegel and I have taken the same approach. Starting when this'issue' first surfaced in the MSM during one of the Democratic debates, we have been bombarded by media requests (no pun intended), but have felt that for strategic and political reasons, it's been best to stay silent. (It's not been an easy decision -- any filmmaker wants their work out there, and this in some ways would be a great opportunity to promote the movie).
"As depressing as this whole Bill Ayers thing has been, I am hopeful about one thing, and that is that I don't think that it will work. It was pathetic enough when Hillary trotted this shit out, but today, with the financial meltdown and all the other real issues that we're facing, I just can't see how this desperate, bankrupt ploy by McCain and his VP-pick will turn things around.
"The Weather Underground is available for download at iTunes and DVDs can be ordered directly from Green's website. If you order a DVD from the website before the election, Green will include a free 8x10 Bill Ayers mugshot."
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on October 14, 2008 at 8:58 AM
comment #1
deadre
says ...
Can anyone shed some light on why the Annenberg Foundation has not made some sort of statement about this whole issue? To the vast majority of people, this group sounds like some radical group. The Annenberg Foundation, seriously? Maybe just to engage would create a bigger storm but I sure would like to know why they haven't come forward.
Posted by deadre
at October 14, 2008 10:01 AM
comment #2
Mark
says ...
The documentary is also available to view instantly on Netflix.
Posted by Mark
at October 14, 2008 10:05 AM
comment #3
Edward
says ...
I almost wish the D's would call out McCain and Palin and bring up all of their dark associations and questionable practices. I'm sure there's enough to keep the democratic machine busy until election day
Posted by Edward
at October 14, 2008 10:08 AM
comment #4
Deathtongue_Groupie
says ...
That's actually a very salient point Jeff has there and a lot more recent history than the Weather Underground: the anti-abortion groups that are literally classified as domestic terrorist outfits by the FBI.
And while the Weathermen never claimed credit for any bombings that took innocent lives (as opposed to their own members), anti abortion groups have killed not only those involved but passerbys as well.
Who's palling around with terrorists now?
Posted by Deathtongue_Groupie
at October 14, 2008 10:44 AM
comment #5
SpinDozer
says ...
'Can anyone shed some light on why the Annenberg Foundation has not made some sort of statement about this whole issue? '
Like what, We're not terrorists?
The Foundation's development director has talked to the media:
"The whole idea of it being radical when it was this tie of blue-chip, white-collar, CEOs and civic leaders is just ridiculous," said the foundation's former development director, Marianne Philbin.
"In short, this was a mainstream foundation funded by a mainstream, Republican business leader and led by an overwhelmingly mainstream, civic-minded group of individuals. Ayers' involvement in its inception and on an advisory committee do not make it radical – nor does the funding of programs involving the United Nations and African-American studies.
This attack is false, but it's more than that – it's malicious. It unfairly tars not just Obama, but all the other prominent, well-respected Chicagoans who also volunteered their time to the foundation. They came from all walks of life and all political backgrounds, and there's ample evidence their mission was nothing more than improving ailing public schools in Chicago. Yet in the heat of a political campaign they have been accused of financing radicalism. That's Pants on Fire wrong."
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/790/
Posted by SpinDozer
at October 14, 2008 10:46 AM
comment #6
nemo
says ...
"Would they condemn the sometimes violent acts that came out of the anti-abortion movement of the '90s with the same outrage, the same certainty?"
Or Tim McVeigh, whose terrorism was clearly inspired by right-wing anti-government rhetoric?
Posted by nemo
at October 14, 2008 10:48 AM
comment #7
nemo
says ...
And don't forget that Joe Vogler, the founder of the secessionist Alaska Independence Party that Sarah Palin courted and Todd Palin belonged to, routinely engaged in borderline terrorist rhetoric against the Federal government and was murdered in a plastics explosives deal gone bad. Tim McVeigh would have gotten along well with Vogler.
Posted by nemo
at October 14, 2008 10:53 AM
comment #8
corey3rd
says ...
wasn't John McCain into bombing a major city? He should be pals with Ayers. And how come nobody is yelling about U of illinois hiring this terrorist?
Posted by corey3rd
at October 14, 2008 11:08 AM
comment #9
D.Z.
says ...
"Would they condemn the sometimes violent acts that came out of the anti-abortion movement of the '90s with the same outrage, the same certainty?"
A better example would be the NRA's endorsement of school shootings.
Posted by D.Z.
at October 14, 2008 11:16 AM
comment #10
Krazy Eyes
says ...
Not to mention the fact that he's received such a torrent of death threats that the University has had to provide him with a bodyguard.
Ayers is probably safe. I've heard so many references to him being black over the past month that I honestly believe the majority of the right-wing loonies who might intend to do him hard would be prowling around the university campus looking for a black guy.
Posted by Krazy Eyes
at October 14, 2008 11:41 AM
comment #11
62Lincoln
says ...
Don't kiss the messenger, here's an article with the flip side of this whole issue: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHg5SJYRHA0
Posted by 62Lincoln
at October 14, 2008 11:45 AM
comment #12
Joshua Mooney
says ...
Krazy Eyes: I can't stop fucking laughing. You are SO right!
Posted by Joshua Mooney
at October 14, 2008 11:49 AM
comment #13
TJ Smoov
says ...
Having lived and worked with various nonprofits in Chicago for 8 years, I can tell you that it's damn near impossible to do nonprofit work without eventually working with Ayers or Dohrn. You just can't.
Posted by TJ Smoov
at October 14, 2008 11:50 AM
comment #14
dinther
says ...
This right-wing cacophony about Ayers and his wife Dohrn neglects the significant accomplishments they - especially Dohrn - have achieved in Chicago. Dohrn's recent work toward reforming the juvenile justice system in Chicago has been very, very beneficial for the city.
Posted by dinther
at October 14, 2008 11:53 AM
comment #15
Chapman Carruthers
says ...
I love how the right see everyone in such black and white terms. Ayers isn't a long standing college professor, educational reformer, and former anti war protestor. Nope. He's a terrorist.
What definition of terrorist are they using, anyway? Some vague, over-inclusive standard like the FBIs? Assuming the Vietnamese government uses the same one, you're right corey3rd, McCain and Ayers have a lot more in common than the right wing scream machines would have us believe.
FBI's definition: The unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a Government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.
Posted by Chapman Carruthers
at October 14, 2008 12:33 PM
comment #16
SaveFarris
says ...
Gee, if you can find where John McCane got his start in politics in the home of Tim McVay or Eric Rudolph, took their money, and/or worked with them personally on a board, the comparison might be valid. Otherwise, you're grasping at cocks to find some way to obfuscate the FACT that Obama doesn't owe a thing to a man that, to this day, wishes he had "done more" with my mom.
If Ayers had truly "moved on", he could come out and say so. He could paint a picture of how he reformed and learned from his mistakes. But he can't because he's still chewing tobacco like he was 40 years ago, only with not as much nitroglycerin.
Posted by SaveFarris
at October 14, 2008 12:42 PM
comment #17
Jay T.
says ...
Meanwhile, in terms of guilt by association, McCain is going to have a tough time explaining this one: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/14/mccain-transition-chief-a_n_134595.html
Posted by Jay T.
at October 14, 2008 1:13 PM
comment #18
Majorian99
says ...
The lack of intelligence, decency and competence in the McCain-Palin team is so stunning that it's ripe for a "Kubrick-Strangelove-satire"-movie...
Talking about sitting in a glass-house throwing stones like automatic fire...
The great republican Abe Lincoln, the man who freed the slaves, is spinning in his grave like electric whisk out of whack...
Posted by Majorian99
at October 14, 2008 1:36 PM
comment #19
Deathtongue_Groupie
says ...
SaveFarris - because he has the intelligence to realize that any statement from him will not help the situation one iota. He also knows that if the brain-dead morons screaming about him aren't going to take the time to vouch that he has done nothing but help people in the Chicago are for the last couple of decades, they sure as shit aren't going to accept ANYTHING he has to say.
His actions for the Annenberg program & others does all the talking that needs to be done. If you can't listen to it, you simply aren't interested in listening to anything at all.
Posted by Deathtongue_Groupie
at October 14, 2008 2:09 PM
comment #20
Majorian99
says ...
Well spoken Deathtongue_Groupie...
Posted by Majorian99
at October 14, 2008 2:14 PM
comment #21
Josh Massey
says ...
"A better example would be the NRA's endorsement of school shootings."
Good lord, DZ, did I actually just witness the dumbest thing you've ever said here? That might be a record breaker.
By the way, I didn't know McCain personally knew abortion bombers or Tim McVeigh.
Posted by Josh Massey
at October 14, 2008 4:13 PM
comment #22
hcat
says ...
I think the McCain campaigns Ayers strategy it two pronged. It reinforces their misinformed bases belief that Obama is a muslim and a danger to our nation. Two I think the McCain campaign is not calling out Obama on this but calling out the left. They are hoping some old civil rights and anti-war lefties take to the air with "how dare you call this man a terrorist, would you call Paul Revere a terrorist" kind of rant to turn off middle of the road voters. Somehow, almost magically, the left has kept it in their pants and not rushed to Ayers defense and made this an actual issue in the campaign.
The only real defense given to Ayers was given in a round about way by John Lewis who reminded us who the real domestic terrorists were in the sixties.
Posted by hcat
at October 15, 2008 8:10 AM
comment #23
Cadavra
says ...
Annenberg was a staunch conservative and one of Reagan's closest personal friends; indeed, he spent many nights in the Lincoln Bedroom.
You wanna put an end to the Ayers crap? Simply ask, "Are you implying that one of Ronald Reagan's closest friends was palling around with a domestic terrorist?"
Posted by Cadavra
at October 15, 2008 3:22 PM
comment #24
janee
says ...
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Posted by janee
at May 18, 2011 5:42 AM