...that a relatively benign article like this one would resulted in the vitriolic comments exhibited in the letters posted here.

Frankly, I think it would have been better for Salon to have waited a couple of weeks to publish it. By then some of the resentment of those opposing the election of Barack Obama would have faded. On the other hand, I think the only way the anger and resentment generated from those of the Vietnam era -- those who served and those who didn't but supported that awful war (including a whole cadre of draft-dodgers like Cheney, Wolfowitz, Perle, Limbaugh, etc., etc., and chickenhawks who basically hid away like Bush) --will dissipate is when they pass from this life.

They will continue to be resentful because they weren't greeted by flower-tossing pin-up girls, or honored with ticker-tape parades, or even publicly thanked for their service in Southeast Asia by a public which had become increasingly resentful of the war and distrustful of those perpetrating it from on high. Unfortunately, neither the government nor the military hierarchy recognized -- and would have refused to provide treatment even if they did, thinking PTSD as being "unmanly" -- to those who were (and continue to be) haunted by the ugly images of an ugly war. Fast forward to today. Another ugly war. Still little effort exhibited to deal with mental health issues facing today's veterans. A public -- especially the young people, just like those during the Bill Ayers years -- who are angry at what their government has been doing both abroad (as in Iraq and elsewhere) and domestically.

I didn't participate in the demonstrations at that time. My sympathies went back and forth between the returning troops and the men who were being sent to Vietnam against their will. As a woman, I was out of harms way. At the same time, I didn't feel anger at the anti-war protestors. But I did feel outrage when I learned about My Lai and the murders committed by that psycho Lt. Calley. What could be worse than that? And I'm glad Ayers brought up the issue.

Finally, I really think Salon ought to consider making a rule limiting the number of back-and-forth statements made by individuals trying to get in the last word. They provide little in the way of dialog and merely take up space, generally going unread by most of us or, in the very least, merely skimmed and then disregarded.

If you really want some insight on our crazy generation, read "Radical Son"

Save your money on any Ayers' books. I can sum them up for you: "I, Bill A. (asshole) Ayers am an asshole. Who will ever know whether or not I murdered innocent people, the clueless radical chic liberals will always worship and support me. because, at least, unlike them, I have balls."

re: Dear Scorpio Pervert

You call me "dear", yet in the same breath call ME a perv? BWAHAHAHA!

re: Mill Valley is a dead giveaway. They are all klueless liberals there

So you dismiss out of hand the statement of the lead federal prosecutor of the Weathermen because of his address? This pretty much sums up right wingers' "thought" process.

re: He wasn't your type, I'm afraid

This is typical of right wing nutcases: Project your own gay fantasies onto someone else.

Pathetic.

And you wonder why you've all been drummed out of office.

Mill Valley is a dead giveaway. They are all klueless liberals there

Translation: "I can't argue against your facts. How about a lame smear instead?"

Their is a brotherhood among those of us who served which Obamabots will ignore at their peril.

Sounds like a threat, wingnut. Care to be more specific?

This has nothing to do with right or wrong. Power has it's own logic, the logic of brute force and total intimidation and crushing all opposition. This victory must be secured.

Translate that into Italian and it could be a Mussolini quote. Your neoconservative slip is showing.

How do they treat megalomania, anyway?

This here salon.com is really stalin.com.

And you wonder why we don't take you seriously.

Well, Master Yoda, it looks like since the right wing goofballs have been sent packing, they're left to ranting incoherently on Salon.

Better stock up on the ketchup.

:)

Who would have thought that a relatively benign article like this one would resulted in the vitriolic comments exhibited in the letters posted here.

You underestimate the hate and capacity for violence inherent in the radical right. It's just taken an occasion with an old-school leftist to get them to express it. If Salon put on Jane Fonda or Noam Chomsky or even Paul Krugman, you'd get the same showing from the right-wing propaganda corps.

A lot of them are out of a job these days because they lost. So they're bitter. And they were bitter before.

Finally, I really think Salon ought to consider making a rule limiting the number of back-and-forth statements made by individuals trying to get in the last word.

All threads get closed after a few days, so it's self-limiting.

Tomorrow we can talk about something else.

Well, Master Yoda, it looks like since the right wing goofballs have been sent packing, they're left to ranting incoherently on Salon.

Better stock up on the ketchup.

They're making it too easy when they start off by discrediting themselves with things like "salon.com is stalin.com". I mean really.

Congratulations on finally getting some recognition on HTWW, by the way. I'm still shaking my head over how so many people couldn't have seen the economic collapse coming when the signs were so obvious for so long.

It's because in the notes in the re-release of his book he says Barack is a "family friend".

But now he keeps saying he was just a "guy in the neighborhood" and he knows him about as well as thousands and thousands of other people do.

Well which is it? The former denotes a closesness and the later doesn't.

I'm glad he kept his silence during the polictical campaign. Yet again, he bugs me with his disingenous comments.

He says he actually wasn't silent, he continued to lecture. But when Mr. Shapiro follows up about his refusal to respond to an email he sent, Ayers says, he didn't want to comment about the election. Well duh! Sorry but who cares if you kept lecturing, so clearly you were keeping quiet about your relationship (or lack thereof) with Mr. Obama.

I just think he is trying to sell his book.