I have a question, Vicki. I see what you've quoted Ayers as saying, and I'm still not getting into his specific case or the nature of his relationship with Barack Obama as I don't know anything like enough to draw conclusions.
But this looks dangerously like policing what people
think. Your country has one of the most entrenched set of legal protections for freedom of speech in the world. It's not as if any of the statements you've quoted from Ayers himself actually advocate anything that's illegal. I don't think that being a Marxist or an anarchist in and of itself is illegal, right?
Just like someone openly stating that they're opposed to gay rights or that they believe Creationism (or intelligent design or whatever) should be taught in preference to evolution - or vice versa; they're all just opinions.
I'm honestly not trying to argue with you here; I'm just genuinely interested to know why - in and of itself - that statement from Ayers that you have bolded is something you consider inappropriate, other than the fact that (as is your right) you disagree with his political opinions.
Wendy
