About five years ago, when I was a senior in college, I attended a panel on education reform that a professor of mine had organized. One of the panelists was “domestic terrorist” Bill Ayers. I don’t recall what Ayers was bloviating about, but he told some story about seeing a group of big, “thugged out” guys getting interviewed by a reporter at a high school in a rough part of Chicago. He asked if they were the football team and was told that in fact they were the chess team, and that they had won the city championships. He was surprised that that this school with a bad reputation in a bad part of town would be so into chess. I didn’t know about the chess championship, but I actually coached debate at the same school.
After the panel, there was a reception. It was a small crowd, and I was one of the only students there, certainly the least consequential person by a mile. My professor called Bill over to introduce him to me, and I began to tell him my story, “I was interested to hear about the [High School] chess team you met, because I actually coach a debate team at that same school. I’ve had similar-“
Before I finish my second sentence, Bill cuts me off, grabs my hand, says “Great to meet you,” turns his back, and goes over to talk to someone else.
So yeah, Bill Ayers is a terrorist. And a douchebag.
How low has our country fallen that our young people want to pal around with terrorists, but they can’t, because the terrorist is busy palling around with more important people?
Great story.
That’s the way they roll in Chitown. (Lived there for 18 years.) Try the art scene there. Just as rude, always networking for someone more important. Ayers is polite in comparison, for at least he acknowledged your existence for a milisecond.