Biography / History
William Ayers 2006
William Ayers, Distinguished Professor of Education and Senior University Scholar at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), and founder of both the Small Schools Workshop and the Center for Youth and Society, teaches courses in interpretive and qualitative research, urban school change, and teaching and the modern predicament. A graduate of the University of Michigan, the Bank Street College of Education, and Teachers College, Columbia University, Ayers has written extensively about social justice, democracy and education, the political and cultural contexts of schooling, and the meaning-making and ethical purposes of students and families and teachers. His articles have appeared in many journals including the Harvard Educational Review, the Journal of Teacher Education, Teachers College Record, Rethinking Schools, the Nation, the New York Times and the Cambridge Journal of Education. His books include A Kind and Just Parent: The Children of Juvenile Court (Beacon Press, 1997), The Good Preschool Teacher: Six Teachers Reflect on Their Lives, (Teachers College Press, 1989), and To Teach: The Journey of a Teacher, (Teachers College Press, 1993) which was named Book of the Year in 1993 by Kappa Delta Pi, and won the Witten Award for Distinguished Work in Biography and Autobiography in 1995. Edited books include: To Become a Teacher: Making a Difference in Children’s Lives (Teachers College Press, 1995); with Janet Miller, A Light in Dark Times: Maxine Greene and the Unfinished Conversation (Teachers College Press, 1997); with Pat Ford, City Kids/City Teachers: Reports from the Front Row (The New Press, 1996); with Jean Ann Hunt and Therese Quinn, Teaching for Social Justice: A Democracy and Education Reader (The New Press and Teachers College Press, 1998); with Mike Klonsky and Gabrielle Lyon, A Simple Justice: The Challenge of Small Schools (Teachers College Press, 2000); with Rick Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn, Zero Tolerance: Resisting the Drive for Punishment—A handbook for parents, students, educators and citizens (The New Press, 2001); and with Bernardine Dohrn and Jeff Jones, Sing a Battle Song: The Revolutionary Poetry, Statements, and Communiques of the Weather Underground 1970 - 1974 (Seven Stories Press, 2006). Recent books include Fugitive Days: A Memoir (Beacon Press, 2001), On the Side of the Child: Summerhill Revisited (Teachers College Press, 2003), Teaching the Personal and the Political: Essays on Hope and Justice (Teachers College Press, 2004), and Teaching Toward Freedom: Moral Commitment and Ethical Action in the Classroom (Beacon Press, 2004). He lives in Hyde Park, Chicago with his partner, Bernardine Dohrn, and his father.
Curriculum Vitae: here
April 30, 2007 at 10:20 pm
Mr. Ayers,
Are you able to distinguish between teaching (how to think) and indoctrinating (what to think)?
Thank you,
Simon
June 5, 2007 at 2:06 am
Hi Bill,
I’ve just read a series of essays in Weatherman, edited by Harold Jacobs, then Fugative Days and then Susan Sterns, With the Weatherman and also A Generation Divided by Rebecca Klach, and then saw the movie documentary on youtube. I wrote a couple of book reviews on Amazon.com too. I’ve recently read some Cleaver, Newton, Rader, Hoffman, Rubin, Krassner, Stew Albert). I wasn’t there like you were. I know, all these fuckin’ books, man, get a life!
Anyway, I can’t help but be honored to write you sir, although I don’t write naively, just found your site and thought I would drop you a note. I’m an indendent liberal thinker and I guess I’ll just leave it at that. I know I would have never survived in the old weatherman days of the collective mentality, and I would rebel against it, although I was once part of a religious cult (sorry for the comparison, it’s just the young idealist-absolutist framework). but I very much agree with your old and present passion for justice and democracy, especially being an ashenazie european Jew (the hyper Allen Ginserg, Abbie Hoffman, socialist type, not that hyper). my own mold.
OK, now please let me express to you and Bernadine, that I think you are modern Thomas Paines even with all the human mistakes. Neitzsche wasn’t recognized until after he died, Rembrandt too, even Marx in his full understandng. You just wonder if history will look back and realize it or not. The futher in the future you go, the more objective history becomes and this I believe (the history of the new Left and SDS), will all be there, as crucial as ever. as long as the fascists don’t get full control and do an Orwell “double speak,” “2 + 2 = 5. ”
Peace my friend,
Richard Schwartz
July 8, 2007 at 10:08 am
Dear Mr Ayers,
My name is Ashraf, an Egyptian living in Sydney,Australia.
I’ve just watched your great talk on C-SPAN during the 75th Street Books in Chicago about Patriotism.
Wonderful speach..and after checking your website and your articles online, i hope we will see you someday here in Australia.
Thank You
Ashraf
December 29, 2007 at 9:30 pm
Mr. Watts,
The three people killed by the Weathermen were three Weathermen. They seemingly blew themselves up. Admittedly their cell planned to kill quite a few people with their bomb, so (and I am sorry for your friends Mr. Ayers) I guess it was fortunate that they killed themselves. More importantly, after this incident the others took extraordinary steps to avoid any bloodshed and I believe no one was killed thereafter. If only our government has such a record in its use of violence.
And your email did see the light of internet. How about that!
February 29, 2008 at 12:04 am
You and your wife should both be in prison you piece of garbage.
February 29, 2008 at 9:52 am
You are a scumbag who should be executed for your crimes against America.
February 29, 2008 at 7:29 pm
I ordered your book Fugitive Days today and I have read many of your articles which are spot on. I look forward to the book, it’s a shame that little boys like Joseph must flex their macho internet muscles in such a cowardly way. Mr. Ayers, if your numbers were in the thousands and not the dozens back then, this would be much better place to live in today.
-Steve
March 1, 2008 at 3:30 am
You stupid piece of communist trash
March 2, 2008 at 1:46 am
Bill,
I have read the text from the interviews and statements you have made, words to the affect ( You do not regret bombings, and feel you didn’t do enough).. Dude, how have you stayed out of Federal Prison? A statement like that (To me) sounds like you are sorry you didn’t kill anyone, other than fellow terrorists.
How can you walk around with your head so high? And the nerve to sell books about it. It’s a wonder someone hasn’t taken you out, “Death From Afar”, check that out. One shot.
Semper FI
Smitty out
March 2, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Dear sir; I was in San Francisco in the sixties and was very much a part of the hippie movement. I turned down offers repeatedly to join SDS. I knew who they were and what they were; communist radicals. I was a follower of Martin Luther King. You should have followed the same course as most of us. SDS was the wrong course. Che, Fidel, Mao were/are all murderers like the rest of them.
March 3, 2008 at 9:16 am
“Crimes against America”. It’s phrases like that that reduce any political opinions one might have to rubble.
My biggest regret is that the student youth of my generation has nowhere near the desire for action as yours, but perhaps that’s just a cop-out excuse for my own lack of real action. Perhaps the media’s grip has gotten much stronger and much more refined. Perhaps a combination of these things and many more.
The only constant I can find in history is that all empires eventually collapse, and that revolution in a country such as this is ultimately inevitable. My only question is “When?”
March 5, 2008 at 12:43 am
It’s a shame you aren’t in prison. The college that employs you really should come to their senses. How can you live with yourself knowing the things you’ve done.
March 5, 2008 at 7:48 am
Mr. Ayers,
i don’t understand why you would do the things you have done in the past. This is a great country but in no ways is it perfect. It has given you opportunities in which you have capitalized on. You are educated and you have done well for yourself. I can not understand why a man of your intellect can take positions that you do. I am hoping that one day you will see the error of your ways.
March 10, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Hi Bill,
I had the chance to interview your wife last week, and before that I was pretty neutral to the Weather Underground. I think your contribution was phenomenal. Bernardine made a good point when saying how little people nowadays participate in their government, and I find it very admirable that you took a stand against a clearly corrupt government. I wish that I had the courage to not fear jail time, and other possible consequences, and I also find it humorous COINTELPRO wanted you guys out so badly. I think your actions are that comparable to MLK or Malcolm X.
I think to say you didn’t do enough is true, I think that people don’t understand what you mean by “do enough”. Bernardine put it as the war continued, so not enough was done, and I liked that.
It takes humility to not only put up this blog and not necessarily accept, but recieve the criticisms of those who don’t know the full story of the weathermen.
Your book was phenomenal, Thank you for showing me that my rights as outlined in the bill of rights still exist!
March 13, 2008 at 7:49 pm
i hope you cum blood you stupid sadistic abusive fucking whore
March 13, 2008 at 11:57 pm
You are one sick son of a bitch. You deserve to be in prison and you should go find your true home somewhere in the Middle East where its en vogue to blow people up and not give a crap. You sir are a disgrace to this country and free thiking members of society. Have fun rotting in hell with the rest of your commy buddies that you blew up 30 years ago.
March 15, 2008 at 11:18 am
Hey coach! Growing up I never knew your interesting story. Hope all is well with you and your family.
March 24, 2008 at 1:04 am
Hello Bill,
It is sad to hear in the majority of the comments posted above, the ignorance of the world and of reality which is unfortunately, fostered by the culture in which we live: a culture and a society which encourages us not to use our minds. This is why I fear that a revolution against capitalism, imperialism, and the wanton destruction of the planet upon which our lives depend, is further from possibility than it was in the late 60’s; this is because we live in a culture of leisure and entertainment that more or less forces everyone to take part, and (through the media) it shapes what they think.
The suffering, misery, and death inflicted by US capitalism on the world so that its privileged citizens can live obscenely rich lifestyles, has only gotten worse since Vietnam. This insanity must end. The problem is, the majority of US citizens, no matter what facts you present, will always believe in the myth of American bonevolence to the world, and can’t fathom the idea that we are not in the (moral) right, and that we haven’t been for over a hundred years.
The tool that is technology has been used extremely effectively in preventing any real revolutionary movement from gaining ground.
March 25, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Bill -
It’s a sad commentary on the country that the youth of today don’t have the focus and drive and determination to work in opposition to the Bush/Cheney/Rove kabal, like you and Bernadine and the others had in the 60’s. This group may be even worse war criminals than the fools who got us into Viet Nam.
While I would never advocate the use of explosives, it’s still important to acknowledge that what you and the others did mattered then and it matters now as well.
March 28, 2008 at 2:03 pm
i don’t understand why if you hate this country so much you are still living here. to grow up with so much and you became violent. you must not believe in peace.so maybe someday someone will hunt you and your wife down like the animals you are and make you answer to god.
March 29, 2008 at 2:04 pm
It is amazing to see your books being used throughout my university. When I looked up your bio and discovered your acts of terrorism, I was shocked that NONE of my professors were even aware of your past. As another said above me, you are full of fail. A real man would have served his time. You ran like a bitch and now try to act cocky. Hopefully you will die soon.
March 31, 2008 at 11:04 pm
On 2/29 I posted above that I ordered Fugitive Days. I finally came in the ail and I read it in two sittings, interrupted only by work. What a wonderful book and it seems to me you were critical of many actions and motivations, but you still support the cause. You detractors obviously have not read your book.
Thank you so much for all you did and continue to do.
April 2, 2008 at 2:26 am
i´m sorry about my comments. I was the wrong gay, at the wrong……but i watched the young Bernandine in the whetherunderground days (youtube)and and i fall in love with her. Saludos a Bill and all the gang. PANCHO VILLA IS ALIVE.
April 3, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Having been in High School in the years 1970 through 1974, I remember vividly the war in Viet Nam, SDS, and the actions of the Weathermen. I recall the eradication of the Panther Party and the actions of the Nixon administration to throttle dissent. My views were forged during this very convulsive era, and my convictions haven’t altered much during the last thirty plus years. I have spent nearly all of those years struggling in the Labor movement with many victories, defeats and mistakes.
Recently I have read what only can be described as malicious attacks against you, Bernadine Dorhn, David Gilbert and others. And as I have read some of the comments above, I can only think that these people did not live during those times and are suffering from myopia as far as current events are concerned. The America Love It or Leave It comments certainly brings back memories. To them I say, I love America, I have no intention of leaving, but I do intend to continue to strive for change. I’m sure you feel the same.
The purpose of this post is to say to you I admire that you struggled without hurting anyone (quite an accomplishment that is not recognized by the people who describe your actions as terrorism), that you chose not to sit back and do nothing in the face of injustice, racism, sexism and human rights violations, and that you continue to struggle. Good for you. I will do the same.
You admit mistakes were made. I’ve made mine. That however does not mean that the struggle for justice should be abandoned. The Right wing flak I have been reading is just more of the same wrap me in the flag and God garbage that never ends. Trust me, God has nothing to do with those who purpetrate injustice.
I’m sorry about the length of the post. I’ve had my daughters asking many questions lately about the forming of my views, and some of the articles of late prompted it.
April 3, 2008 at 5:11 pm
I’m not sure what the University’s motives are in employing you are. I sympathize with your desire for change in this country, but think that groups like the Weather Underground went about it in the wrong way, possibly proven by their failure. Martin Luther King Jr. and his ilk practiced civil disobedience and peaceful protests and change was brought about. You would complain about the forceful oppression by America’s government, but then use force to remove said establishment? If you want to overcome your enemy, you must not become like him. You must rise above and never forget that your enemy is comprised of other human beings who have as much right to their oppinions as you do to yours. Believe it or not, the idea of using violence to obtain peace is one your group shares with the US Military itself. They teach young soldiers the phrase in Latin “Sic vis pacem parabellum.” “If you want peace, prepare for war.” But who wants to admit their similarities with the enemy, right?
April 4, 2008 at 4:44 am
Richard Jensen you can count yourself as one of the stupidest people in America.
I saw the television broadcast of the Viet Namese prisoner being executed, and I was horrified.
I did not know that he had the blood of a family that he had massacred with a machette on his hands at the time he was executed.
I did not know that Hillary Clinton was working to deny Richard Nixon the right to counsel (that is recently in the news, I don’t have a link.)
In America it is not necessary to kill people, or plant bombs in order to further your political ideals.
We vote. We vote for politicians we agree with or we run for office.
The actions of Willliam Ayers, although they were very dangerous, and killed some of his friends, amounted to nothing in changing our country. He is very lucky to live in a country where he got a trial and managed to escape imprisionment and is now living a life of such indulgence and excess that I cannot even imagine.
He is not the biggest phony in America, but he ranks near the top.
April 7, 2008 at 7:30 pm
Bill,
You are a disgusting individual. Your acts against the United States of America are treasonus, you should be hanged for your actions.
April 14, 2008 at 3:36 pm
Bill. Would you be so kind as to explain the meaning of the Red Star at the top of this page? I don’t want to jump to conclusions.
April 16, 2008 at 9:00 pm
Hey Larry, I wonder if you would be so quick to praise a scumbag like Ayers if one of his bombings had killed your mother?? Think about it, shithead.
April 16, 2008 at 9:44 pm
William Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn make the same mistake that most Marxists make. They assume a static capitalistic society. They confound that mistake by believing that they have the wisdom, knowledge, expertise or what have you to transform a society by Herculic political will. A will based on violence, disruption and revolution. The fact that the deaths of millions of their fellow human beings are a testament to the failure of their belief system is of little or no consequence to them. That is their most damning indictment.
In the mean time, I urge all of my fellow citizens that stand in opposition to the brutality and oppression of their Marxist beliefs; to allow them to stand and express their misanthropic views, unmolested as a monument to the system of freedom that they so despise and are still determined to overthrow.
History will march on. Ayers and Dohrn will be but a footnote a hundred years from now. Their precious ism will be in further disrepute.
Freedom and humanity are the imperative that rules history. Not the petty, the violent or the destructive.
One cannot expect their fascination with Marxist revolution to dim. Even with the verdict of history so loud and clear. Like children they are not able to adapt without their security blankie of their old and tired Beliefism. They are truly culturally and politically bound by the insights of their youth. That is why I feel sorry for the both of them.
“The Insights of Their Youth”
April 17, 2008 at 12:52 am
I had the honor of being a student in one of Mr. Ayers classes at UIC. At that time I was undecided about the path that I was going to take in terms of future employment. Mr. Ayers inspired me to be a teacher for social justice for students that are less fortunate. I teach kindergarten now and I love making a difference in the lives of my students. I find it very empowering to be able to make a difference in the lives of my students.
April 17, 2008 at 3:52 am
All of you fellow America haters move to Canada or France better yet Africa and let the true patriots live in peace. I know these people are polluting the educational system of our country from kindergarden to our universities. Shame on the people that send their children to let this person pervert their minds.
April 17, 2008 at 12:08 pm
We met over 20 years ago. You had a house somewhere around the New Paltz area. I rented a wood stoved cabin (cabin? actually it was a dirt floor hovel without electricity) from you to stay in so my friends and I could go skiing. We never went skiing but rode sleighs down the hill nearby with all the kids. That was the year of Haley’s comet. And I recall that a bunch of us went and parked at an overlook near Minnewaska to watch the comet. I never trusted the weathermen (later weather underground then later fragmented political spinoffs that fizzled out the same way TV spinoffs go). We spread ourselves too thin. We became politically correct. Arguments ensued as to who was the real working class, the oppressed peoples of color or the white worker with white skin privilege. The weathermen who grew out of SDS grew up with their own privileges managed to browbeat all of us on the left into believing that was reality. But we all made mistakes. The weather people in the end may have been the biggest mistake. We all approached the Vietnam war with hopes to end it sooner. We all wanted peace and justice. And maybe our efforts did help by 1975. Maybe 100,000 would have died instead if that war had continued. But the weathermen set the mold as to what all anti-war movements would look like in the future and now we’ve got this disaster in the Mideast and the old formula no longer works. Some of us struggled in the rank and file arguing the same arguments year after year until exhausted we emerged cynical and defeated to pick up the broken pieces of our lives as old men and women with bad teeth and a pittance for social security. Good luck, Bill.
April 17, 2008 at 8:27 pm
YOU WILL KNOW THE TRUTH “ONE MINUTE AFTER YOU DIE”!
IT WILL THEN BE TO LATE ! I AM SURE YOU WILL MEET THE “ICE MAN” WITH YOUR FATHER SATAN!
April 17, 2008 at 9:01 pm
Bill,
Remember me? Tom Gregg
We were neighbors and friends when we were kids on Traver avenue, Glen Ellyn. I think we were 6-9 years old. I remember the last time we saw each other was at the train station there in Glen Ellyn and you were on your way to Chicago for something. We were maybe 12 or something like that.
I remember when I got back from the army in 69, my mother said something about you and the SDS and I thought how very cool—-my old friend, a celebrity!!
I am living in Florida where all the old folks go but will always have fond memories of my youth there in Glen Ellyn where you were part of that.
Looks as if you have made something of yourself when you get the interest of all the neo-cons. What an odd bunch they are, just goes to show that you had it right all along!!!
April 18, 2008 at 12:24 am
AMERICA HATTER
YOU SUCK
I HOPE YOU GO TO JAIL
HOW CAN U SAY THAT ABOUT 9/11
ASSHOLE GET
THE HELL OUT OF AMERICA
April 18, 2008 at 10:35 am
This website is an example of what we call “putting lipstick on a pig”. Really, though, have you fooled yourself?
April 18, 2008 at 12:35 pm
You have “regrets” about not doing more to stop the war. Do you have any “regrets” about the millions of victims of the Communist government of Vietnam? Not that I can see.
April 18, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Your fantasy article, in which you simply gloss over the fact that you and your now wife were trying to kill people, is incredible. The fact that, happily, only your mates were killed does not excuse your actions. You have now spend the last 40 years hiding in academia, writing and writing and writing, but you will NEVER escape the emptiness in the place where your soul should be.
“Experience proves that the man who obstructs a war in which his nation is
engaged, no matter whether right or wrong, occupies no enviable place in life or in history. Better for him, individually, to advocate “war, pestilence and
famine,” than to act as an obstructionist to a war already begun. The most
favorable posthumous history the stay-at-home traitor can hope for
is—oblivion.”
US GRANT, PERSONAL MEMOIRS
You can run, but you cannot hide. Oblivion will, sir, be your fate.
April 18, 2008 at 10:43 pm
Fuck you Billy Ayers and that bitch wife of yours.
http://hotair.com/archives/2008/04/18/video-meet-william-ayers/
April 19, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Amy, All’s I can say for you is I am so glad you will never have the opportunity to teach my children. If your views are even close to that scumbag ayers god help our children at that tender vulnerable age. Your kind and your thinking is whats wrong with this country. F@ck you and your idol!
April 20, 2008 at 10:00 pm
It is nice to read of one of my own generation who has maintained their dreams. It is commendable that you (unlike our government) were willing to change your tactics to more affectively attain them.
Keep up the good work.
RichL
P.S.
Amy all I can say for you is I wish I had children to send to your class. If your views are even clos to that of Mr. Ayers they would get a much need grounding in the problems this country has and how they might be corrected.
April 20, 2008 at 10:01 pm
Dear Mr. Ayers
It is enlightening to see that the bullying fans of the wingnut bullies, Hannity, O’Reilly, Beck etc. have learned their hateful one liners well. I have taken the liberty of scripting a few of these responses to illustrate the kind of people who will be looking forward to the Rupublican Attack Machine and will thrive on it as they have nothing else to show for their lives. The bullies in these responses who may have been old enough to have lived through the Vietnam experience obviously don’t realize that their own government is responsible for their misery–just as the good soldiers now in Iraq and Afganistan have been made pawns of the current government. Vietnam was no more about freedom and democracy than Iraq is today. I wonder what would happen if these angry people could actually see the truth of their situation, the waste of life, promise, and treasure engendered by a corrupt administration and much compromised and self-interest Pentagon–Vietnam/Iraq–they are the same–perpetual lies–quagmire. I have just finished watching the documentaries Regret to Inform and Missing, Presumed Dead–which I would recommend to anyone who was really interested in the horror of the soldiers and their families experience of the Vietnam War era. Kudos to you and your wife for trying to make a saner world.
April 21, 2008 at 1:54 am
We live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Whose gonna do it? You? You, Bill? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago, and you curse the marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know. That, while a threat to freedom and war MUST be invoked, saves lives and provides your freedom. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives. You don’t want the truth because deep down in places you don’t talk about at parties, you want me on that wall, you need me on that wall. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way, Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon, and stand a post. EITHER WAY, I DON’T GIVE A DAMN WHAT YOU THINK YOU ARE ENTILTED TO. By the way, U left out all your activity prior to educating youg minds. What, NOT proud of it??
April 21, 2008 at 3:10 am
Hi Mr. Ayers,
I would like to thank you for continued commitment to justice and non-violence. And to those of you who don’t get it, yes i did write “non-violence”. I have an enormous amount of respect for both you and your wife and I am grateful for that sacrifices you both have made and continue to make so that the children can live in a more just and gentle world.
Thanks!
April 21, 2008 at 4:25 pm
Burn in hell, you communist trash. Say hi to Pol Pot, Lenin, Stalin and Mao…
April 21, 2008 at 4:40 pm
As far as Prof. Ayer’s activities with the WUO, he and his wife turned themselves in on Dec. 3, 1980, in New York. Charges were dropped for Ayers and Dohrn received three years probation and a $15,000 fine. As far as his criminal past is concerned, I believe he has had his day in court. Any opinions he has expressed since then are just that. “Opinions”. You may or may not agree with him, but in this country, he has a First Amendment right to state them just as those who hate him have a right to state their opinions.
To his credit, he has provided a forum here for those very people who threaten him openly.
BTW, Don’t believe everything you hear from Sean Hannity. Do some research, form an independent opinion.
April 22, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Bill,
You do a service to those of us in the field of psychology by allowing several of these right-wing and fascist types to post on your sight. They make great case studies in the what Reich called, “the mass psychology of fascism.” Let’s not complain later, that we should have “done more.” Let’s do more now to end this murderous war.
April 23, 2008 at 3:06 am
I was just looking at your educational background–for someone who hates the American ruling class and elite so much I noticed you have not spent too much time in schools that have the word “public” in their title. Great, another leftisit who loves all things private when it comes to them and public sector for everyone else. Surprise!
April 23, 2008 at 4:51 am
how come so many of you ultra left rads of the 1960s went to ultra fancy priv. schools?
April 25, 2008 at 1:03 am
Bill Ayers came to my college about a year ago to talk about teaching. He was warm, personable, and passionate about teaching young people. I left feeling inspired. It’s only recently I figured out the Bill who came to my college and Bill Ayers on Fox News is one and the same. As someone who is moderately conservative, I am troubled that UIC chose to hire Mr. Ayers in the 1980s. I am also troubled that Mr. Ayers, according to the Chicago Tribune, doesn’t really know what to apologize for. An apology for engaging in bombings but not apologizing for his views would have gone a long way to defuse this situation. Having said this, Bill Ayers has done alot of good in the Chicago area in the last twenty years, and he demonstrates that people can be very complex. He shouldn’t be a campaign issue, and some of the statements and threats expressed above by various bloggers are just vile. Spiney Norman, you are right. Don’t believe everything you hear from Sean Hannity. Mr. Ayers, I don’t like what you did in the past, but I’m glad I got to meet you.
April 25, 2008 at 8:04 pm
Dear Prof. Ayers,
Tomorrow I am graduating from U of M with a degree in history and am proud of the Port Huron Statement, the Weathermen, the teach-ins, the legacy. I have spent the last few days reading Fugitive Days and I find much truth and wisdom in your book–its a wonderful way to wrap up my education. You share so much beauty and ugliness, joy and pain, wisdom and foolishness. I admire your integrity and candor; though you are not sorry for your actions your honest criticism of yourself and the movement is brave and more valuable for humanity than a weak apology.
As an educator maybe you would like to know what I have learned from your book:
Ideology is powerful–useful for both positive change but also manipulation, fear and control–and it scares me. To me, actions based on ideologies are incomplete even if those actions lead to some form of good. When it all comes down to it people are just people in need of love, kindness, and justice, and until we can love people for people instead of people as projects or rewards for actions then social systems will inevitably fall short.
One of my friends recently told me that she would be willing to fight a war against Nazism but not the Vietnam or Iraq war, and I asked her whats the difference? In my life I will not fight against an ideology–Nazism, Capitalism, Imperialism–but I will fight for something–people. People is not an ideology; people’s just people.
Anyways, I’m sure you’ve heard it all. Thanks for a good read.
Jon K.
April 27, 2008 at 2:48 am
Hey Billy, why are you deleting my posts? Asshole!!
April 27, 2008 at 7:29 pm
Any comment above or below that has positive comments regarding William Ayers just reflects on how stupid we have become as Americans.
“When the SDS (Students for a Democratic Society) collapsed in 1969, the Weather Underground stepped forward, inspired by communist ideologies and embracing violence and crime as a way to protest the Vietnam War, racism, and other left-wing aims. “Our intention is to disrupt the empire … to incapacitate it, to put pressure on the cracks,” claimed the group’s 1974 manifesto, Prairie Fire. By the next year, the group had claimed credit for 25 bombings and would be involved in many more over the next several years.” (From the FBI website)
Odd, isn’t it, that the glowing bibliography presented by worldpress,com fails to present any of these minor little inconveniences in their version of Ayers’ “bibliography”?
April 27, 2008 at 8:47 pm
B. 1947. Enterered United States Army 1966. Served in VN 1968-1969 as a member of a m-60 machine gun team in the infantry and a clerk of various titles and situations. Almost exactly equal time in each. Had an older brother Dennis W. Finnegan. he was a career Army officer. Dennis went to Viet-Nam first in June of 1966 as an infantry platoon leader. He was seriously wounded that fall of 1966 and made Captain while recuperating. Dennis went back to Viet-Nam on a six month extension in July 1967. This time he was a company commander. Both tours were with the 2/327th Abn. Inf. 1st Brigade 101st Abn. Div. Company was almost over ran in august of 67. Dennis was shot in the wrist and the stomach , which aggravated the wound from 66. The tip of his hip bone got destroyed with the exit wound of the stomach shot. Schrapnel from both grenades and mortars peppered his body. There were too many pieces to take them all out. he showed me all this in the berdroom we shared as kids. the room where he gave me one of the scars on my forehead by banging me off one of the radiators with a pillow. His torso looked like an autopsy had been performed. Anyway. Dennis went back in the summer of 1969, again as a infantry officer with the 101st Abn. He went over once more in Nov 1971. Ironicly, dennis was killed as he was leaving Viet-Nam Oct.31, 1972 at the end of that last tour. The treaty that ended the war in Jan 1973 was the same one on the table on the 26th of Oct. 1972. Nixon in his paranoia would not end the war before the election. He knew on the fear factor he was a shoe-in. Without it “Tricky Dick” was nervous. Treaty doesn’t get signed in Oct and my brother and so many many other brothers, fathers, sisters mothers die for even less of a reason than the millions that have died already in this abomination of a war.
I guess my point is that I’m fully a child of the cold war and was more than a vicarious event watcher of the events of my time.
Bill Ayers and his friends don’t bother me at all. In fact I kinda of admire them and I’m happy to say that I come from the same nation that he and his come from. As a vet I’m suppose to hate Bill Ayers and his ilk because why. They wanted the war to end that was using me as a tool of death and destruction. On one hand you have the United States of America, the most technologically advanced nation the planet has ever seen waging was against a people and peasantry that mainly live in houses made out of vegatation. On the other hand you have a paople that until we stepped in were recovering from 100 years of foriegn occupation . The weatherman wanted the war to end and me to come home. Nixon and his weatherman wanted the war to last forever.If America produced people like him and his then it can’t be as bad and evil as it pains me to say, I think it might be. Let’s see ,,,as a combat veteran, would I rather have Bill Ayers or George Bush as President. Not even a contest people. I can not think of a job that Bush would be qualified for and yet he’s the Pres. of the USA. Rebels do niot cause the problems of their times. The problems of the times cause the rebels.
April 28, 2008 at 6:37 pm
Dear Mr. Ayers,
Finally a thinking person! I was moved to tears as I read your speech to the NCATE. To think that a speech that so rightly promottes correcting a wrong would be used against you is unthinkable. Do people realize there was another goverment that denouced freedom of thought, outlawed its intellectuals, destroys books? Do the people of this nation realize the dangerous cliff upon which we are perched?
April 28, 2008 at 11:53 pm
I guess to the Jack Janskis of America I”d have to say that I’m sorry that the hate that fills your being spills over into your mind and doesn’t allow clear thinking. You thanked me for serving. I can’t accept it, because what i did was not honorable and not courageous and not worthy of any thanks. I stood there and allowed myself to be adorned and weighted down with upwards of 100lbs of killing paraphernalia, hunting little brown rice farmers in the own land. Not honorable at all. Actually it was one of America’ most disgraceful episodes in it’s imperiasl quest, but I didn’t know that then. I’m a pretty good chess player. Had the opportunity to learn alot from one of America’s champion of the 1940’s. saw the peasant farmers of Viet-Nam playing a board game that looked every bit as evolved as chess. An awareness started in my mind that these people where not the dinks,gooks,zips I’d been told they were but actually were a gentle communal people that lived around a communal well for the most part growing rice and wishing with every ounce of their being that me and all the other Americans would just go home and let them sort their own problems. I had to read and learn about France’s occupation and exploting of Viet-Nam. All that brings you to the geneva treaty of 1954 which mandated a general election in Viet-Nam, the now North and South Viet-Nam divided along the 17th parallel, in 1956. The invasion of South Viet-Nam by the north did happen but not in the way that most Americans understand. Bear with me. It’s very simple but does take a few sentences.
France militarily took over what they called Indo-China in the 1870″s. Indo-China comprised Laos, Cambodia, and Viet-Nam. The French, ya know those ones we all as good “Liberty Fries ” eating Americans hate, were brutal in the explotation of Viet-Nam. Some of the Vietnamese people understandidly so embraced the French culture as a means to benifit themselves and their families. It is what happens in and to all colonized people. Part of the embracing of the culture of the colonizer is the adherence to the religion of the colonizer, which in this case was the Roman Catholicism of France. After France’s defeat at Dien Bien Phu in 1954 and the instalation of Ho Chi Minh as the premier of the now North Viet-Nam, many of the Vietnamese that had sided with the French in the war of liberation headed south and were placed as local leaders over the buddhist population of the south by the Catholic Diem Brothers. Now you have a 95% buddhist population of the south being ruled by a 5% Catholic class from the north.
The simple reality is that America’s concept of,” Manifest Destiny” does not include the mainland of Asia
To argue in anyway shape or form that America’s war against the peoples of South-east Asia, was a noble endeavor is obscene. If we were to wage war in south -east asia it should only been on the side of the peoples fighting to control their own destinies from foreigh domination as we ourselves alledgedly did successfuly from Great Britain and the native Americans did unsucessfully from us.
If we as a nation stood in front of the international community and apologized for the heinous travestry of the Viet-Nam War we would not be in the abominable situation we are in now. To arrogantly keep waving the same flag of misquided patriotism would be laughable if it wasn’t so deadly.
Eisenhower warned us of the problem of a military /industry incestous situatiion. We didn’t listen. These people stood on the rubble of WWII and saw that they were “The Last Man Standing” and it was the morning of the 8th day and it was good. If making war is your job then there has to be wars or you are out of a job. Anyone that takes the position that wars are detrimental to our species rather then necessary is heading in the right direction. I did think about it, for many many years and many many books and conclude that people like Bill Ayers and his wife and friends are so much less harmful to me and mine then the mislead illinformed Jack Janskis’ of the world. For me it boiled down to a John Prine song. ” Your Flag Decal Don’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore”. Peace and Friendship to all.
April 29, 2008 at 8:11 pm
Mr. Ayers,
This whole issue is happening from the Obama Presidential bid. The political landscape is murky. Do you favor unity or isolated competition among the special interests ? I went to a couple of SDS meetings in the 60’s and it seems in retrospect that most everyone had an agenda. Does Obama have an agenda in your opinion? Racial mixing will accererate dramatically. Do you favor that ?
April 30, 2008 at 4:35 pm
Wow, Billy really can’t stand opposing view points. Deletions occurring fast and furious.
You’re still a schmuck, Ayers. Alway was and always will be.
April 30, 2008 at 4:56 pm
Bill,
I hope you and your wife die a horrible painful death you fucking communist piece of shit!! I love free speech, don’t you? If I take a class with you, can I speak as freely without fear of a D or F? Or, are you like most marxist professors who can’t stand the same dissention you and your ilk call, Patriotism?
April 30, 2008 at 7:38 pm
Hey Billy,
Why don’t you mention in your bio that you are an unrepentant domestic terrorist? Cover all the bases.
May 1, 2008 at 12:43 am
It ’s obvious that John, Starduster2003 and the rest of the the “ditto-heads” who hide behind the cloak of anonymity, have neither the courage nor the conviction to stand by their words by identifying themselves .!..
May 1, 2008 at 2:08 am
P.S.
For the record: I’m a Vietnam veteran, one of many “Vietnam Veterans Against the War” — for “you folks from Rio Linda,” that would be the Vietnam War — and an unrepentant libertarian — “yiip, yip, yip, yahoo.”
May 1, 2008 at 2:30 am
To Tom Gregg, I assume I am at least 20 years your jouner, but thank you for butting it all in such perspective. It’s so true, and our current situation more than amplifies it, Bill may not had everything right, just the shit that matter.
May 1, 2008 at 1:23 pm
Hey Wally,
I’ve always identified myself to Billy as I do to all Leftist skunks.
May 1, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Ah yes, aren’t Billy and Bernie just the nicest couple???
From Worldnet Daily:
Ayers and Dohrn, now married, went underground after she was charged with instigating riots at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in 1968 and after several of their fellow SDS Weatherman associates were killed when bombs they were building blew up in a Greenwich Village townhouse. One of those killed was Ayers girlfriend at the time, Diana Oughton. The group was planning to bomb Fort Dix Army Base in New Jersey.
Dohrn publicly celebrated the group’s maiming of Chicago prosecutor Richard Elrod in the Chicago riots. In 1970, rich kid Ayers, son of the chairman of Commonwealth Edison, explained what the Weather Underground was all about: “Kill all the rich people. Break up their cars and apartments. Bring the revolution home, kill your parents, that’s where it’s really at.”
Following the mass murders of actress Sharon Tate and others by disciples of Charles Manson, Dohrn had this to say: “Dig it. First they killed those pigs, then they ate dinner in the same room with them, then they even shoved a fork into a victim’s stomach! Wild!” Dohrn went on to suggest adopting a “fork” salute might be appropriate for her fellow homicidal maniacs.
Like Davidson and Hayden, Dohrn, along with other members of the Weather Underground, traveled to Cuba to meet with representatives of the communist North Vietnamese and Cuban governments as the Vietnam war raged. Ayers participated in more than 30 bombings during his 11-year reign of underground terror. He says his only regret is not doing more to “bring the war home” to America. In an article he penned for the New York Times op-ed page ironically published Sept. 11, 2001, he wrote: “I don’t regret setting bombs. I feel we didn’t do enough.”
May 2, 2008 at 9:01 pm
Hey Bill,
What kind of person was your old man?? I’m curious. I assume your father was very much aware of the crap you were pulling in the 70’s.
If I had been sick enough to do the same as you, my old man would have kicked my ass so hard that I would have had to crap out my mouth. Then, he would have personally turned me over to the FBI and paid for the prosecutor to convict me.
So what was the deal with you father?? Did he not know what his own kid was up to? Did he know but he didn’t care? And what about your mother???? Was she clueless as well????? Or was it a case of the poor little rich kid can do whatever he wants????
May 2, 2008 at 9:47 pm
This is thru the looking glass for sure. I was trying to find a web site of people that raised american youths that won rhodes scholarships and I wound up here. If I was a betting man I’d say ” Who woulda thunk”.
Was down in Manhatten a couple few months ago. The was an exibit about NYC”s involvement with the Abraham Lincoln Brigade at the Museum Of The City Of New York. There was this beautifuly embroided banner of the Brigade and all I could think of was ways to steal it and bring it back with me before it got dishonored by some putz from the American Bund, which unfortunately is alive and well and especialy represented on this website.
Anyway. this Hasidic Rabbi walks into a bar with a 3ft emperor penquin on his shoulder.
The Penquin is wearing a silver lame jumpsuit and sporting a 2 ft orange mohawk with purple tips.
T he bartender looks up and says. ” Outrageous,, where you’d get em.
The penquin says ” Brooklyn, They’re all over the place.”.
Change the rabbi for a fireman and the locale to Broad Channel and the joke is just as good. Used at at my mom’s funeral.
The gold star mother that Jack Janski accused me of lying about. Now in my house are the flags that flew in the windows of my parents home when my brother and I were in Viet-Nam.
There is a book a read many Years ago. “Diana” not the dead english princess from the tunnels of france, but a dead american princess in the streets of Greenwich Village.
Unlike the english princess the american Diana was born to her position. Both of them dedicated their lives to the poor of the world but the american Diana did it for her entire short but exemplory entire adult life. The book was written by Thomas Powers. It’s one of the books I recommand for reading if one wants to get a glimps of the american 60’s and 70’s. Even though Mr Janski believes that I did not do what I did during those decades, it does not change the reality I’m living though. I have one of the best private and or academic libraries of america’s war with Viet-Nam. After finding myself carrying 40lbs of machine-gun ammunition up and down mountains in a tropical rainforest I figured I’d better read something about how it happened or I was gonna be screwier than I was when I enlisted to do what I just did.
Patriots come in all sizes and colors. Though you have trouble seeing the truth Jack. I’m here to tell you as far as american population goes from a certain generation, the “Weatherman ” are are about as good as it gets. Yeah what we did as soldiers had it merits in the world of selfless acts. But we were used, abused and for the most part discarded and discounted when it came to pulling any true honor out of what we did.
26,000,000 american males were eleigible for the draft during the years of the Viet-Nam war. Over 15,500,000 activly sought and recieved a deferment. There are your draft dodgers. 300,000 refused induction and or left America. These are your draft resisters. Truth be known… very few males enlisted to fight in Viet-Nam. Alot of males enlisted to make sure that they were as far away as possible from the actual humping a pack up and down the mountains and or through the paddies of Viet-Nam. We like to pretend that everyone wanted to go or at least wave the flag, but that wasn’t how it was If someone tells you different they are lying.
Blaming the Ayers of the world for the american problems of the 60’s and70’s is the same as saying that the Cheneys of the world aren’t the cause of america’s present problem which is the same as putting lipstick on a pig. IT JUST AIN’T RIGHT.
May 3, 2008 at 2:24 am
Hey Pat,
Make no mistake about it. Billy’s old girlfriend Diana Oughton got EXACTLY what she deserved. Better her than innocent US Military personnel at Fort Dix, who were the target of the bomb that killed the bitch.
May 5, 2008 at 4:12 pm
Hey Billy,
Maybe that bitch wife of yours can give us a cute commentary like she did after the Manson murders, eh?
http://michellemalkin.com/2008/05/05/officer-down-philly-policeman-executed-by-bank-robbers-in-muslim-garb/
May 6, 2008 at 1:58 am
People,
The man has a violent past - so what? Haven’t we all done stupid things? Should we all be condemned forever for our sins? Is he placing bombs? No, he’s using words instead. Freedom of Speech doesn’t only apply to those whose opinions we like. I’m conservative myself and very much for taking out terrorists but come on, there are politicians who have done worse things than this guy! So, until he takes up arms again to fight us let him have his opinions! Oh, and an FBI surveillance team on his street corner… just in case!
May 7, 2008 at 11:24 pm
Hey Jack,
If you have evidence that Bill Ayers participated in the Brinks Robbery you should take it to the Police.
If not, then what’s your point?
May 9, 2008 at 3:19 am
After reading almost every comment on this page I see extreme sentiments both for and against you. There are the virulent “Screw you commie scum”,” My gun keeps you free” types and the “Kill the rich imperialists”, “Democracy and Socialism for all” crowd. For me both are equally ignorant and dangerous. Both are the antithesis of what the Founders of our country designed. And both are devoid of any real solution to repair what is so horribly wrong in the United States today.
Our Founders abhorred war and entangling alliances. We have ignored every sage warning they gave us and we are now paying a very dear price for our deafness. Conversely, while war was so repugnant to them they clearly knew, and conveyed, that we must be well prepared to defend all that has been built.
We were also told that it was up to us, “We the people”, to keep our government in check. We were given the tool, the Constitution, with which to do it. When asked which type of government was created Benjamin Franklin replied: “A Republic, if you can keep it.”
Rather than read Ayers or Limbaugh try studying our Founders, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. Try really examining the candidates before you vote; keep track of them once they are in office. And work to remove them from office if they violate their oaths. Yes it takes time and effort, but when we do not perform what I consider to be our responsibility, we end up exactly where we are today; a society full of chaos and extremes.
May 11, 2008 at 1:33 am
You rotten piece of human garbage! You should commit jihad on yourself. then your body parts scattered all over the middle east for the desert rats to eat, if they could even stand your stench!!
GO TO HELL YOU FUCKING FACIST!!!!!!!!!!
May 11, 2008 at 4:47 pm
American Lover,
How eloquent and profound; you have obviously mastered the art of debate. By the way, it’s spelled “fascist”. But as someone who possesses your unadulterated intellect I’m certain that was no more than a typo.
I don’t think Ayers is a true fascist, not knowing enough about him to be absolutely sure I would surmise he is either a communist or a socialist; neither being my cup of tea if the truth be told.
Just an observation if I may. Using “fascist” as a political epithet is so overused presently it makes very little impact; except in illustrating that the dramatist is most likely a simpleton.
If any part of this missive confounds you just show it to a five year old, they can explain it.
May 11, 2008 at 7:11 pm
your a sick man
May 12, 2008 at 6:33 pm
Hey Leslie,
Cool it with the elitist, better than thou comeback. I think we can both agree that Billy Ayers got away with his crimes for reasons I don’t understand that that doesn’t mean he is not guilty. Bottom line, Billy and his wife are both Marxist dirtbags.
May 13, 2008 at 6:44 pm
Thank you Mr. Ayers…you’re an inspiration to Americans everywhere…and a lighting rod for uninformed idiots…many of whom frequent this page
May 14, 2008 at 9:24 pm
Jack Janski and his ilk are obviously outraged at Bill Ayers past activites — which they regard as criminal — though I doubt that they view the past and current activities of George Bush and Dick Cheney as criminal.
May 14, 2008 at 9:53 pm
Indeed Walter… I think you may be on to something there.
I’m not sure what Jack objected to in my post, if it was my premise, my verbiage, my sarcasm, or all three. Ok, sarcasm can evoke hostile feelings and I probably should not have “gone there” but I have a tendency to do that over using cheap expletives.
Despite what Jack objected to I fully intend on exercising my First Amendment rights as I see fit…they haven’t repealed that one yet have they? >.<
May 15, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Hey Wally, get your head out of your Leftist ass. Planting and exploding bombs in government builders IS A CRIMINAL ACT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Did your mama drop you on your head when you were a baby???????
Oh and Leslie, no one has taken away your right to open your mouth and make a fool of yourself. And I doubt very much that ANY of your civil rights have been violated by the current administration.
May 15, 2008 at 5:15 pm
It is honestly depressing to read through all of these and see how many people just want to shoot off a one liner of “Go to Hell,” or “I hope you die a painful death.” What I really wonder at this point is how many of those same people would call themselves conservative, and Christian and the various other titles that the Republican party has usurped. From what I can see, and from what I have read, Ayers is moving on. He paid the debt to society that the courts mandated, just like anyone who has had to go to court and now he is moving forward with his life. Maybe some of the people posting here should too. How much does it help your “cause” to come on an activist’s blog and tell him you hope he “cum’s blood.” All that does is make you look more like an idiot and pull the right down a little further (not that you can get much lower than a 33% approval rating for Bush, or the 67% of people that believe that our country is “heading in the wrong direction”). It is good to see that Ayers is using a different tactic to get things change, he is using words, to bad Bush didn’t try that before this war. And “Stop doing what we say or we bomb you,” doesn’t count as negotiation.
May 15, 2008 at 6:19 pm
John,
Bill Ayers blew up buildings and — to the best of anyone’s knowledge, didn’t kill anyone. And that outrages you.
George Bush, literally, blew up a country and is directly responsible for the deaths of thousands of Americans (our troops) and tens — possibly hundreds — of thousands of Iraqi citizens.
The fundamental difference is, Bill Ayers was arrested for his crime and set free by the court.
As long as George Bush remains in the U.S., he will not be held legally accountable for his actions. In less than a year he will mosey on back to Crawford, Texas and spend the rest of his life patting himself on the back for a job well done.
Correct me if I’ wrong, but I doubt that you will be hurling invectives at “the Shrub.”
May 16, 2008 at 12:07 am
P.S. .!..
May 16, 2008 at 12:18 am
P.S.
That would be “Correct me if I’m wrong.”
May 16, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Hey Wally,
You truly are a dumb Leftist piece of sh*t.
May 16, 2008 at 11:33 pm
Hey Billy,
I’m going to be in Jersey attending the annual airshow at McGuire in a few weeks. Why don’t you show up and try to plant a bomb, just like the good ol’ days so I can have a reason to kick the crap out of you?? Bring the hag wife of yours along too.
May 17, 2008 at 10:24 am
Jack said: “Oh and Leslie, no one has taken away your right to open your mouth and make a fool of yourself.”
Certain types of speech can attract “unwanted attention” and I’m not talking about the usual threats against the President etc. Outlawed? No. Dangerous? Yes.
Please be specific; what did I post that you find foolish and why? You may find this hard to believe but I’d really like to know why you stated this.
And again: “And I doubt very much that ANY of your civil rights have been violated by the current administration.”
You would be incorrect sir.