Who is Bill Ayers?

In recent days, there have been accusations about the ties between Democratic Presidential candidate Barrack Obama and Bill Ayers, a professor at the University of Chicago. So what's the big deal? Just who is Bill Ayers?

In addition to being a distinguished professor, Bill Ayers is the founder of the Center for Youth and Society. His writings include topics such as racism, democracy, education and social justice. However, before his rise to distinction in the educational world, he lived a life of radicalism. That's what has people talking today.

Let's go back to the late 1960s. The world was different then. Peaceful demonstrations and protests were beginning to give way to more militant displays when an organization was formed in 1969 that would come to be known as the Weather Underground Organization. It was a group of members who had split from the Students for a Democratic Society. Although the group had far left radical ideals, there was nothing wrong with that. Nothing, at least, until they began participating in riots and bombings. Most of their attacks were against government buildings as, in 1969, they declared war against the United States government. How does Bill Ayers fit into this group?

On June 18, 1969, at a convention in Chicago, Illinois, the group passed around a paper titled, 'You Don't Need a Weatherman to Know Which Way the Wind Blows'. (This title was taken from a Bob Dylan song, Subterranean Homesick Blues). The paper was signed by 11 members of the WUO, including Bill Ayers who was an active member in the group.

In the 2003 DVD production of The Weather Underground, Bill Ayers admits, "Whenever we put a bomb in a public space, we had figured out all kinds of ways to put checks and balances on the thing and also to get people away from it, and we were remarkably successful." Still there were injuries to people as well as destruction to property.

In his book, Fugitive Days: A Memoir, Ayers details his experience of planting bombs and living on the run from the FBI. He shows how the pacifism of his youth turned into more militant behavior.

Obviously, considering Bill Ayer's background, it's no wonder many of the American people are concerned about the ties between him and Presidential nominee, Barrack Obama.