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Susan McGee and others are trying to excuse the behavior of the radical left by saying you had to be there. I was in college in DC from '68 to '72, so I was in the middle of the anti-war movement and I completely reject that lame excuse. As a generation that had seen the success of the peaceful protests of the civil rights movement there was no excuse for the violence and anarchy promoted by groups like the Weather Underground. As I know from personal experience these were a bunch of spoiled rich kids who were on a power trip and wanted to have their way right now! They killed what had been a very impressive, growing, PEACEFUL movement which was turning public opinion against the war - always critical in a democracy (not that these guys were into democracy). The peaceful anti-war demonstrations in DC in which I and my friends participated were huge and very impressive. As the radicals gained power and protests turned to destruction and violence I and most everyone I knew backed away in disgust and the peace movement collapsed. Funny how you lose all credibility when you try to promote peace with violence.
I firmly believe that Ayers and co. destroyed the movement and damaged progressive political causes. They frighthened the public and gave the right a powerful weapon to wield against us for years, which they did masterfully.
Ayers still brags that he is an anarchist/marxist and says openly that he feels he and his compatriots did not do enough. Just because he speaks in measured tones does not mean that he is not the same morally arrogant, despicable man he was back then. Any progressives/liberals that excuse his behavior are being conned. Again. The last thing we need is to align ourselved with these radicals.
