Bill Ayers and Freedom of Speech*

Wednesday, April 07, 2010

By JH Weekly User

Many years ago some law professors at the University of Wyoming were espousing reforms in environmental law, which really irritated some folks in the energy industry.  A good friend of mine advocated that they be muffled or sacked, and I wrote letters to the editor in favor of tolerance of a range of views in educational institutions.

I did not agree with all that Professors Squillace and Dohonue advocated, but if we are to learn why and how things we think are right are actually right, we need to hear from others; it helps us calibrate and validate our beliefs.

Bill Ayers probably said things like “smash the state” and “we are enemies of the state” in the 1960s.  Ron Micheli is quoted in the paper as believing that Ayers is still an enemy of the country. I think Ayers has probably grown up since then.
I’ll wager that Ayers would not have been as profane as a standup comic or as offensive as Fred Phelps or as inflammatory as a jihadist; Laramie would have probably survived his appearance.

On a serious note: supporters of our University should not threaten to pull their support just because a guy like Ayers is permitted to offer his opinions in a civil forum. The harder choices in defense of academic freedom and flourishing public discourse arise when a controversial figure appears. JHW may

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Bill Ayers and Freedom of Speech* | Planet JH News Article: Near JH

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