# Shocking list of terrorist sympathizers! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 13, 2008, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-list-of-terrorist-sympathizers/467691 "2008-10-13T09:02:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-list-of-terrorist-sympathizers/467691/21 "2008-10-13T15:24:53Z")
> [@Mr.Moto](#): > > I don’t think you noticed above, but for me this is the overriding issue. I don’t think it is particularly right that Ayers is accepted in either place, and I think it reflects poorly on both the Democratic Party and the academy. Why? G. Gordon Liddy was a crook, and he’s lauded by plenty of Republicans. Nobody says boo. Liddy never bombed anything, but he planned to. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-list-of-terrorist-sympathizers/467691/22 "2008-10-13T15:27:53Z")
> [@Mr.Moto](#): > > Uh huh. When did this issue first come up? It wasn’t in debates with any Republicans present, right? What’s your point? Incidentally, the whole “Willie Horton” thing also started in the Democratic primaries. Months later, the Republicans picked it up and ran with it, reinforcing some misconceptions about the issue and generally trying to hit America’s collective panic button. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-list-of-terrorist-sympathizers/467691/23 "2008-10-13T15:33:46Z")
> [@Mr.Moto](#): > > Uh huh. > > I said before that Obama’s relationship with Ayers wasn’t such a big deal in and of itself, but the fact that Ayers had worked himself back into liberal political and educational circles in Chicago despite never atoning for his violent past was the real story here. > > I’ll say it again - had this been someone who bombed abortion clinics and remained unrepentant about that fact, that person would be unwelcome in any party or faculty or charity board. > [@](#): > > Nick Juliano at Raw Story makes a great catch: it turns out that in August, 1993, John McCain spoke before an ultra-right wing organization in Portland, Oregon. > > Marylin Shannon, the vice chairwoman of the Oregon GOP, had a spot on the program to give an opening prayer. In short order, she praised the Grants Pass woman accused of shooting an abortion doctor in Wichita. > > McCain accepted Shannon’s kind words for the shooter without protest. Indeed, just a few months later he voted against legislation to protect abortion clinics from such violence. [Cite](http://www.jedreport.com/2008/10/pro-life-terrorist-praised-at.html) ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-list-of-terrorist-sympathizers/467691/24 "2008-10-13T15:51:20Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Incidentally, the whole “Willie Horton” thing also started in the Democratic primaries. Months later, the Republicans picked it up and ran with it, reinforcing some misconceptions about the issue and generally trying to hit America’s collective panic button. Do you have a cite that confirms that Willie Horton, rather than the furlough program more generally, was brought up before Bush brought it up? ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-list-of-terrorist-sympathizers/467691/25 "2008-10-13T15:53:25Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > The Field Museum Known evolutionists! And terrorists. Evo-terrorists, I call them. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-list-of-terrorist-sympathizers/467691/26 "2008-10-13T15:54:25Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > Do you have a cite that confirms that Willie Horton, rather than the furlough program more generally, was brought up before Bush brought it up? Well, I said “the whole ‘Willie Horton’ thing”, actually, meaning a reference to overall furlough issue. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-list-of-terrorist-sympathizers/467691/27 "2008-10-13T16:05:03Z")
When Obama met Ayers he was English professor at Univ. of Ill. Had title Distinguished Professor He edited and wrote many books on education theory and practice He worked with Mayor Daly on the school reform project He was one of 3 authors of the Annenberg Challenge which used a 49.2 million dollar grant for public school reform. since 1999 on the Board of Directors of the Woods Fund working on anti poverty and philanthropic foundations If you went to Chicago to be a political and educational organizer, Ayers would be a person you would hope would assist you. You would welcome his knowledge and help. Although it is probably true that Obama flew in from Hawaii when he was 8 to set off bombs with the Weatherman. Unrepentant, He said he wishes they had done more to stop the war in Viet Nam because it took too long to end it. If that is unrepentant ,so am I. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-list-of-terrorist-sympathizers/467691/28 "2008-10-13T16:12:15Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > He worked with Mayor Daly on the school reform project I don’t know that associating him with Daly does him any favors. Though, at least you didn’t associate him with an Illinois Governor. ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-list-of-terrorist-sympathizers/467691/29 "2008-10-13T16:20:40Z")
How many people did Ayers kill again? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-list-of-terrorist-sympathizers/467691/30 "2008-10-13T16:35:55Z")
Three of his friends got killed in the townhouse explosion in 1970, including his girlfriend at the time, Diana Oughton. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-list-of-terrorist-sympathizers/467691/31 "2008-10-13T17:02:10Z")
So apparently John McCain belongs to an [organization](http://www.senate.gov/) that has amongst its membership an alleged terrorist sympathizer. McCain’s even appeared at events with this “pal of terror,” where the two of them [discussed their plans to take over the United States government.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oD4mspMtYzc) Do we know the real John McCain? Just who the fuck is this man? ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-list-of-terrorist-sympathizers/467691/32 "2008-10-13T18:20:56Z")
> [@Mr.Moto](#): > > Three of his friends got killed in the townhouse explosion in 1970, including his girlfriend at the time, Diana Oughton. So no one got killed in any _attacks_ that Ayers participated in. What’s the definition of terrorist again? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-list-of-terrorist-sympathizers/467691/33 "2008-10-13T18:44:33Z")
> [@sqweels](#): > > What’s the definition of terrorist again? The bombs they were assembling in that townhouse were to be used to attack a dance at an NCO club at Fort Dix, by most accounts. And that devotion to attacks where people weren’t in the way came after that incident, and might have easily been undone by a stray security guard, cleaning person, or a fire gone out of control. It isn’t much of a defense of Ayers to say that someone wasn’t much of a terrorist because he was incompetent in bombmaking or because of sheer luck. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-list-of-terrorist-sympathizers/467691/34 "2008-10-13T19:06:05Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > You’re on the list you terrorist scum. Will you say that again while wearing a Stormtrooper outfit? Do you object to high heels? Can you shout in Albanian? -Joe ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-list-of-terrorist-sympathizers/467691/35 "2008-10-13T19:56:54Z")
> [@sqweels](#): > > So no one got killed in any _attacks_ that Ayers participated in. > > What’s the definition of terrorist again? Not the same as murderer, that’s for sure. –noun 1. a person, usually a member of a group, who uses or advocates terrorism. 2. a person who terrorizes or frightens others. 3. (formerly) a member of a political group in Russia aiming at the demoralization of the government by terror. 4. an agent or partisan of the revolutionary tribunal during the Reign of Terror in France. ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-list-of-terrorist-sympathizers/467691/36 "2008-10-13T20:38:07Z")
Well, the definition that has been hammered into our heads in recent years is that it’s someone who _deliberately targets civilians_ in commiting political violence. Otherwise what we have is someone at war with the government, aka “The Problem”. Make that _was_. ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-list-of-terrorist-sympathizers/467691/37 "2008-10-13T20:46:44Z")
Here’s a question: In the past 10 years or so, how many people have done what Barak Obama is _expected_ to have done, namely, run screaming into the night upon first encountering Bill Ayers? ---
**Author:** ![Polerius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d78d45/32.png) [@Polerius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polerius)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-list-of-terrorist-sympathizers/467691/38 "2008-10-13T20:52:26Z")
> [@Mr.Moto](#): > > I don’t think it is particularly right that Ayers is accepted in either place, and I think it reflects poorly on both the Democratic Party and the academy. I agree with this. Given his past, and his stance in his memoirs, he should have no place in academia or other positions of influence. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-list-of-terrorist-sympathizers/467691/39 "2008-10-13T20:58:13Z")
> [@Mr.Moto](#): > > There’s also the matter of Obama’s political event at the Ayers’ home, which he also avoided discussing. [This NPR story treats the subject rather fairly,](http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95442902) and does show that the nature of their relationship was more extensive than that admitted to in Obama’s debate with Hillary Clinton. I suppose Obama could have spent 10 minutes of the debate trying to remember each and every time he ever saw Ayers, what they talked about, and what they each were wearing. But it was a debate, and he answered the question with a proper answer, little to no contact. If you want to hang your hat on the fact that Obama didn’t, during the debate, recount each and every time he and Ayers were in the same room, have at it. I’m sure that’s a HUGE error to you. Sure Obama downplayed the association, just as McCain does with Hagee, the Keating 5, Abramhoff, or Renzi. It’s what politicians do. But THAT is the extent of a point you can make about it. The right wing talking points about Obama “launching” his political career at Ayer’s home; that Ayers’ was somehow a big-wig in charge of radicalization of the Annenberg Challenge in Chicago, or that Obama somehow found Ayer’s actions anything less than reprehensible is complete and utter bullshit. But it’s bullshit that many on the right seem to have embraced and regurgitated ad nauseum to try and smear Obama. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-list-of-terrorist-sympathizers/467691/40 "2008-10-13T20:58:23Z")
> [@kidchameleon](#): > > Sure it’s easy to guffaw, but when the Chicago Symphony blows up _your_ car we’ll see who’s laughing. Fuckers. You’re promoting unrestrained violins, then? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-list-of-terrorist-sympathizers/467691.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-list-of-terrorist-sympathizers/467691.md?page=3)