Closing the Barn Door When the Horse Has Escaped
Springfield-area Republican state senator Larry Bomke wants to have William Ayers fired from his job at University of IL at Chicago.
Ayers, along with his wife, Bernardine Dohrn, were radicals with the 1960s subversive group The Weather Underground, which was responsible for plotting to bomb government buildings and also partly responsible for the riots surrounding the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Ayers and Dohrn lived underground during the 1970s, on the run from the government, before turning themselves in in 1980. They served their jail time (some would say it wasn't enough, but it was the time sentenced), and have since been workers toward legal reform for children and families within the court systems. Dohrn works for Northwestern University's Child and Family Justice Center (she attended University of Chicago Law School, graduating in 1965, but cannot practice law because of character-and-fitness issues related to her time with WU).
Now, here's the thing: both Ayers and Dohrn have lived their civilian lives since they "came aboveground." Ayers earned his Educational Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction in 1987, and began teaching at UIC soon after. Dohrn has worked for Northwestern nearly as long, at least.
Ayers and Dohrn have called the call for his dismissal "patently, obviously insane." (And if anybody should know "insane," it's Dohrn.)
But my question is this: why the hue-and-cry NOW? These people have been in the public eye for over 20 years, and nobody has had any complaints about their work (legally, anyway) thus far. In fact, both of them have been sought out internationally for their wisdom and experience on the topic of justice and kids. Why is this small-fry senator looking to get Ayers fired almost 30 years after the fact? Is it sour grapes over the Obama association (which wasn't even a close one)? Is he just trying to make a name for himself by causing a big ruckus?
Aren't there bigger threats to worry about right now? There are big, bad terrorists who are still trying get us. Maybe we should stop worrying about the Bogeymen of Yesterday.
Ayers, along with his wife, Bernardine Dohrn, were radicals with the 1960s subversive group The Weather Underground, which was responsible for plotting to bomb government buildings and also partly responsible for the riots surrounding the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Ayers and Dohrn lived underground during the 1970s, on the run from the government, before turning themselves in in 1980. They served their jail time (some would say it wasn't enough, but it was the time sentenced), and have since been workers toward legal reform for children and families within the court systems. Dohrn works for Northwestern University's Child and Family Justice Center (she attended University of Chicago Law School, graduating in 1965, but cannot practice law because of character-and-fitness issues related to her time with WU).
Now, here's the thing: both Ayers and Dohrn have lived their civilian lives since they "came aboveground." Ayers earned his Educational Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction in 1987, and began teaching at UIC soon after. Dohrn has worked for Northwestern nearly as long, at least.
Ayers and Dohrn have called the call for his dismissal "patently, obviously insane." (And if anybody should know "insane," it's Dohrn.)
But my question is this: why the hue-and-cry NOW? These people have been in the public eye for over 20 years, and nobody has had any complaints about their work (legally, anyway) thus far. In fact, both of them have been sought out internationally for their wisdom and experience on the topic of justice and kids. Why is this small-fry senator looking to get Ayers fired almost 30 years after the fact? Is it sour grapes over the Obama association (which wasn't even a close one)? Is he just trying to make a name for himself by causing a big ruckus?
Aren't there bigger threats to worry about right now? There are big, bad terrorists who are still trying get us. Maybe we should stop worrying about the Bogeymen of Yesterday.
posted by Aaron at 5:17 PM
4 Comments:
Hi, I'm trying to locate or find information for Daniel Wicklund. He has also been known as Madanny or Wickiepoo or Daniel-t. I am an old friend of his from NYC. I haven't seen him since he disappeared in 2003. His family contacted me today and they are trying to get in touch with him. If you have any information you could share that would be great!
Thanks,
Wade De Loe
I'm sorry, I don't know Wickiepoo. But I think BC might, over at BC's Twenty Years and Counting. Visit him at www.bcstwentyyears.blogspot.com.
You know, if a former convicted Republican like Chuck Colson get a place of honor and employment within the religious right, why can't Bill Ayers also be allowed employment if he has turned his life around? I know you don't have the answer but I bet Elziabeth Hasselback (sp?) would be able to explain it without the use of logic or reason.
Don't worry about the spelling. I just spell it "Mattressback."
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