In Defense of Ayers (Socialist condemns Obama & liberals for dumping Ayers)

World Socialist Web Site ^ | 10/17/008 | David Walsh

[BuckeyeTexan]

{SNIP} It is entirely to his credit that Ayers took up opposition to the war in Vietnam. The best members of his generation did the same.

It is useful to compare him to Sen. John McCain, his principal accuser, both as a human type and in regard to the ‘violence’ in which each engaged.

{SNIP}

McCain, on the other hand, welcomed the opportunity to participate in the Vietnam War, to drop bombs and kill human beings who had done him and the US population no harm. He had no scruples about it.

As a leading member of the Weatherman group, Ayers admits to having set off several small bombs, which blew up a police memorial and damaged public buildings. No one was killed or injured in those actions. Ayers was never charged with, let alone convicted, of a crime.

His greatest sin, one might say, was holding very confused and disoriented views. An examination of his political views is not the subject of this article, but, in any event, they were not of a criminal character.

Influenced by anarchism and Maoism, cut off from the working class by the reactionary AFL-CIO bureaucracy, Ayers never found his way to genuinely Marxist and socialist politics. Instead, his youthful radicalism led him to terrorist operations. This was, above all, an expression of extreme frustration. He was no doubt a courageous and idealistic individual.

{SNIP}

One might add, as a postscript, there is such a thing as personal honor, standing up for people who lent you support. Even during the anticommunist witch-hunts of the Cold War, there were liberals who defended Alger Hiss and others. One can only say of Obama’s behavior in this episode: What swinishness!

[Blind Eye Jones]

You're absolutely right. The first socialist president and a whopping success for the child like hippie generation. It took them that long, but I don't think America will tolerate that childishness for long. They'll all get a spanking in the next election.

[jdsteel]

Mccain went to war because he was told to! Ayers bombed Americans because he wanted to! Big difference!

McCain went to war because he was and is an American Patriot. Ayers bombed Americans because he was a militant Marxist. Yes, that is a BIG DIFFERENCE!