Judge held nose and let Bill Ayers speak
http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/news/opinion/columnists/article_b48bb8ba-54bc-11df-93c5-001cc4c03286.html
Randy Rasmussen
May 4, 2010
If there's an award for protecting the First Amendment, I'd like to
nominate U.S. District Judge William Downes.
Last week, the Casper, Wyo., federal judge resolved the William Ayers
controversy by ruling that the University of Wyoming had to allow
Ayers to speak on campus.
Downes made note of the fact that he was a captain in the Marine
Corps at the same time that Ayers was a member of the Weather
Underground, which protested the Vietnam War by setting off bombs at
public buildings, including the Pentagon. Downes said he was
disgusted by Ayers' conduct 40 years ago but told the University of
Wyoming to let him to speak.
Downes wrote: "This court is of age to remember the Weather
Underground. When his group was bombing the U.S. Capitol in 1971, I
was serving in the uniform of my country. Even to this day, when I
hear that name, I can scarcely swallow the bile of my contempt for
it. But Mr. Ayers is a citizen of the United States who wishes to
speak, and he need not offer any more justification than that."
Downes' ruling perfectly captures what the First Amendment is all
about. It doesn't matter who a person is as a U.S. citizen, he has
a right to free speech that the government can't impede.
In case you missed last month's "tempest in a teapot," as Ayers
himself called it, the anti-war radical turned professor of education
and public speaker was invited to speak at my alma mater in Laramie,
Wyo.; then he was disinvited when Wyoming residents and alumni
objected because of Ayers' radical past.
A UW student, Meg Lanker, raised enough money to match his speaking
fee of $2,000 and invited him back. At this point, university
president Tom Buchanan intervened and said Ayers could not speak on
campus, citing security concerns.
Lanker and Ayers sued on First Amendment grounds and won. Last
Wednesday, Ayers took the stage and spoke to about 1,100 students
without incident.
Ironically, Lanker organized last year's protest of former vice
president Dick Cheney's appearance at UW. For some people, freedom of
speech depends on who is speaking.
I agree with Judge Downes that Ayers' conduct in the 1960s was
reprehensible. But it's not who he was that matters; it's who he is.
Before his Laramie appearance, Ayers gave the media insight on who he is today.
For one thing, he is not apologetic about his anti-war militancy.
Ayers said he doesn't believe in repentance for his actions, and that
he was not a "terrorist." While the Weather Underground's actions may
be considered "despicable," he said, compared with the actions of
past U.S. presidents in involving the United States in illegal wars,
past and present, his behavior doesn't look so bad.
It is certainly true that a person can rationalize any behavior. But
setting off bombs as a means of protest is terrorism that no
justification can absolve.
Ayers escaped prison for his activities 40 years ago due to
prosecutorial misconduct. He should thank his lucky stars that he
lives in a country where overzealousness by a prosecutor is
considered to be worse than plotting to blow up buildings. But I
don't think Ayers looks at it in that way.
Ayers said he "lives a good life," and that he has given more than 50
speeches on college campuses in the past year. Ayers has benefited
personally and financially from today's moral relativism, spreading
his message of America's failings to receptive college audiences.
Ayers calls what he does "academic freedom."
I call it ingratitude.
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Contact Randall Rasmussen at [email protected]
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