Bill Ayers made a visit to the Chelsea neighborhood of NYC to talk about radical education reform, and New York Times Metro reporter Colin Moynihan portrayed the domestic terrorist as a mild-mannered liberal in the misleadingly headlined Monday story "Ex-Radical Talks of Education and Justice, Not Obama."
When did Ayers become an "ex-radical"? He hasn't repudiated any of his views or acts of violence from the period in which he led the Weather Underground in bombing the Pentagon and other government buildings.
Over the last several months, as pundits and partisans have debated the significance of his relationship with Senator Barack Obama, William Ayers has avoided the limelight, steering clear of political commentary and public pronouncements.
But on Sunday afternoon, Mr. Ayers, 63, a founder of the 1960s-era radical group the Weather Underground, a former fugitive, former Chicago Citizen of the Year and current professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, appeared without fanfare at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting, in Chelsea, to participate in a symposium on educational justice.
In 1995, Mr. Ayers held a fund-raiser for Mr. Obama, who was running for a seat in the Illinois State Senate. The two men later served together on the boards of two Chicago philanthropic groups as well as on the board of an education reform organization. The two men have been described as friendly, but not close.
Moynihan came away wondering what the big deal was:
While describing his views on education and social justice, Mr. Ayers hardly resembled the unrepentant terrorist that his critics have sought to paint him as while attacking the Obama campaign.
Did Ayers repent of his violent actions at the Chelsea event? He never has before. If not, then Ayers in fact remains the "unrepentant terrorist" people say he is.
The Times also did its best to fog the air on Ayers in a Sunday Week in Review cover story, with David Kirkpatrick writing of McCain:
His campaign has pelted his rival with attacks that make some of his old advisers wince, like questioning Mr. Obama's patriotism or tying him to 'a domestic terrorist.'
Why is "domestic terrorist" in quotation marks? Surely Kirkpatrick isn't challenging the historical record.
—Clay Waters is the director of Times Watch, an MRC project tracking the New York Times.
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"When did Ayers become an
October 27, 2008 - 14:40 ET by SickofLibs"When did Ayers become an "ex-radical"?
I think it was after when OJ became an ex-murderer.
Ex Traitor
October 27, 2008 - 18:04 ET by allanfWhy don't we call Ayers an "ex-traitor"?
Charles Manson is an ex-radical too.
October 27, 2008 - 14:40 ET by kgCharles Manson is an ex-radical too.
"Forget change, I want improvement!"
Ayers Past doesn't worry me as much as his Present
October 27, 2008 - 14:45 ET by Anchor89As much as Ayers' terrorist past concerns me, I am actually more concerned about his current "views on education and social justice." I doubt very seriously that Ayers is going to convince anyone in an Obama administration that blowing up federal buildings is a good idea. However, I am concerned that his radical ideas on education would become the policy of the Dept. Of Education. In fact, I don't doubt that Ayers wouldn't be Obama's pick for Secretary of Education.
Of course, the liberal reporter in this story does not even recognize this issue since he is swimming in the same left-wing ocean as Ayers and doesn't even notice the water that they share.
Mike Klonsky
October 27, 2008 - 14:55 ET by Nortoand the Small School Workshop. O got them 800k from CAC when he was chairman.Klonsky is a communist and why is it I think Educare Chicago(search it) might be tied to this outfit. Chicago keeps popping up?!
the sooner the better
October 27, 2008 - 14:55 ET by boozythis communist rag is on the way out....with this kind of reporting is there any question why their following is going away....of course they can put together somekind of weekly rag to put into the gay bars and porno shops as a freebee....this is where they are headed...you can thank our current university system, with their left wing professors training these people for their demise...I am a firm believer, AMERICA will someday wake from the credit hangover and over indulgence and do a little 12 step credit rehab to return to the values that built this nation....boys doin boys, girls doin girls, is not what this country is all about.. it is 100 percent FAMILY....YES ON PROP 8
If those anti-American
October 27, 2008 - 16:18 ET by mattmIf those anti-American socialist bastards gain the Whitehouse, I wonder how they'd tolerate the same kind of dissent Ayers and his violent peacenik hippie dopeheads were engaged in back when the government was not in their hands.
Talk about the lunatics running the asylum...
Colin,
October 27, 2008 - 16:55 ET by NorthCoasterYou got to get out in the world son. There's some real people that you need to meet. The first is this unrepentant radical terrorist Bill Ayers, the next is his wife Bernadine Doehrn. They felt that they didn't go far enough in their campaign to off the pigs in the 60s.
You do know what is meant by their radical rhetoric don't you?
"Why is "domestic
October 27, 2008 - 18:24 ET by chessplayer"Why is "domestic terrorist" in quotation marks? Surely Kirkpatrick isn't challenging the historical record."
Thats exactly what he`s doing. Revisionist history.
For Pete's sake, Ayers
October 28, 2008 - 08:22 ET by HockeyKidFor Pete's sake, Ayers himself said that when the WU's bombing approach didn't get the results they wanted, he decided on a more Alinsky-like subversive approach to overthrowing the government. This is what caused the splintering of the WU in smaller factions. Ayers decided that if he could influence the education establishment, he could turn the children to the cause of overthrowing the government. This takes a lot longer than setting off bombs, but apparently Ayers sees the downfall of democracy as a prize worth the wait.
There is no "ex" in Ayers' radicalism.