URBANA, Ill. (AP) — The University of Illinois on Thursday denied 1960s radical William Ayers emeritus faculty status after trustees Chairman Christopher Kennedy noted Ayers dedicated a book to, among others, the man who killed Kennedy’s father, Robert F. Kennedy.
All nine voting trustees either opposed granting Ayers, a recently retired University of Illinois-Chicago professor, the largely honorary status or abstained from the vote. Universities often grant emeritus status to distinguished retired faculty members. At Illinois it doesn’t come with any monetary benefits, spokesman Tom Hardy said.
Ayers co-founded the Weather Underground, an anti-war group held responsible for a series of bombings during the Vietnam War era, including nonfatal explosions at the Pentagon and U.S. Capitol.
Trustees voted after a speech by Kennedy in which he noted the 1974 book “Prairie Fire: The Politics of Revolutionary Anti-Imperialism,” by Ayers and other members of the Weather Underground. The book includes a dedication to a lengthy list of revolutionary figures, musicians and others, including Sirhan Sirhan, who shot Robert Kennedy to death in 1968 after the New York senator declared victory in the California Democratic presidential primary.
“There is nothing more antithetical to the hopes for a university that is lively and yet civil, or to the hopes of our founding fathers for their great experiment of a self-governing people, than to permanently seal off debate with one’s opponents by killing them,” Kennedy said. “There can be no place in a democracy to celebrate political assassinations or to honor those who do so.”
Ayers did not return an e-mail from The Associated Press seeking comment.
Trustees approved emeritus status for a number of other retirees Thursday, and Hardy said it was unusual for anyone to be turned down.
“Nobody could remember a similar circumstance in the last several decades,” he said after asking other university officials.
Retired faculty ask for emeritus status, and it’s then signed off on by several levels of university administration before heading to trustees, Hardy said.
Ayers announced his retirement in August after more than 20 years as an education professor at the University of Illinois-Chicago.
Ayers was a fugitive for years for his role with the Weather Underground until surrendering in 1980. Charges against him were dropped because of government misconduct.
His past became a campaign issue during the 2008 presidential race because he once served with now-President Barack Obama on a Chicago charity’s board.
Ayers has since been invited to speak at U.S. universities, though some of those invitations — such as one from the University of Wyoming this year — have been withdrawn over protests about his history.
___
Associated Press Writer Deanna Bellandi contributed to this report from Chicago.
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Comments (267)
IAMABLAZE
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 10:48pmPraise the Lord! Perhaps I have my hope is restored that not all higher institutions of learning are idiots.
Report Post »BurntHills
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 12:11amwe would hazard that maybe.. just maybe.. this was Mr Kennedy’s subtle patient form of Revenge against Ayers– a terrorist monster who championed the murderer Sirhan Sirhan, and Ayers in the book dedication condoned the coldblooded murder of RFK… (Mr Kennedy’s own FATHER) .
Report Post »cheezwhiz
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 10:46pmTrustees voted after a speech by Kennedy in which he noted the 1974 book “Prairie Fire: The Politics of Revolutionary Anti-Imperialism,” by Ayers and other members of the Weather Underground. The book includes a dedication to a lengthy list of revolutionary figures, musicians and others, including Sirhan Sirhan, who shot Robert Kennedy to death in 1968 after the New York senator declared victory in the California Democratic presidential primary.
++++++
Question :
Report Post »When did this Kennedy realize that Ayers had dedicated his book to Sirhan Sirhan ?
Was it before or after 2008 ?
bobojake
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 10:43pmNow can we retry obamas foney fruadulent buddy .
Report Post »RightPolitically
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 10:43pmThe Left is feeling the heat. Wait until November 2, 2010; they’ll be ablaze!
Report Post »Chris Lizza
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 10:43pmI just wish this could have a greater impact than merely a symbolic one. It is truly time for people like Mr Ayers to find themselves once again underground.
Report Post »aesaac
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 11:00pmno pun intended
Report Post »RememberWeThePeople
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 10:42pmIt’s a shame when a collage has more sense then the US president. Oh..thats right..he was just a guy from the neighborhood that just happen to serve on a few boards together..thats all
Report Post »rememberwethepeople.com
The Monster
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 10:42pmProfessor DEmeritus.
Report Post »Eternal Lucy
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 11:55pmhahaa! good one.
Report Post »thegr8restoration
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 10:41pmWHAT WHAT WHAT hell has frozen over!
Report Post »independentvoteril
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 11:18pmand all the devils are ice skating.. isn’t it GRAND?
Report Post »BurntHills
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 12:14amno…wouldn’t you say it is a sweet justice for RFK thru his son, who found the patient power to have ayers de-meritus’ed, HAHAHA,
after all, ayers condoned the coldblooded murder of RFK.
Report Post »conservativeme
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 10:41pmCouldn’t have happend to a more deserving sorry excuse for a human being!
Report Post »N37BU6
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 10:40pmHe can hardly complain… he’s getting off extremely lightly. He should be in prison.
Report Post »Gigantopithecus
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 10:50pmSeriously.
Report Post »Marylou7
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 11:13pmAmen!
Report Post »stchuckmom
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 12:31am‘Guilty as hell, free as a bird’, that’s what he said. He and his wife should both be in jail for bombing a police station and killing an officer. There isn‘t a statute of limitations for murder so why haven’t they ever been tried? I’m sure Eric Holder will get right on it.
Report Post »Taquoshi
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 8:23amDon’t hold your breath on that one, please.
Report Post »KEA
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 10:39pmGod is still watching over us! One tiny step of thousands that must be taken!
Report Post »patriotteapress
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 10:39pmPoor Bill! He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and all he ever wanted was to turn this country into a communist utopia. It’s pretty bad when your liberal progessive cohorts reject you..
Report Post »Zorro6821
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 6:50pmBill Ayers was a privileged spoiled child who grew up in the sixties with nothing but contempt for “the establishment”. He terrorized innocent people that resulted in actual deaths. What I don’t understand is he now he is the wealthy establishment and walks a free man and teaches our kids radical rubbish and he is treated like some sort of celebrity. This man child is nothing more than a two bit con man with an ego. I just don’t get it.
Zorro
Report Post »spirited
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 10:38pmComing soon to a magazine stand:
Report Post »Ayers standing on the US flag (again).
The Good Source 101
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 10:38pmIs there some sort of mental shift finally happening?
Report Post »Hopefully it catches on and with powerful people!
wingedwolf
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 8:12amAmen
Report Post »BKeyser
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 10:32pmA college with a conscience? Interesting.
Report Post »Tom Smallridge
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 6:24pmNo … A Kennedy with a vendetta.
Report Post »butler180
Posted on September 25, 2010 at 1:13amMr. Kennedy has no vendetta. He does not want the murderer of his father to be given cult status or elevated into some type of ‘hero’. If any one of us had lost a family member by an act of murder, we would have spoken out. I did not agree with Mr. Robert Kennedy, BUT he did not deserve what happened to him, and his wife/children did not deserve to be victims. I for one an glad to see that Mr. Kennedy spoke up to defend his father.
Report Post »illinoisnana
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 10:31pmFor the 1st time in a long time I am proud to have the University of Illinois in my home state and as of today I am again a U of I FAN! PRAISE GOD WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW. PRAYERS ARE BEING ANSWERED. Go those fighting Illini!!!!!
Report Post »Bravo
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 11:21pmNow if only they would return Chief Illiniwek, I would love them even more!
Report Post »klstj
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 10:29pmCongratulations, someone (at least) woke up!
Report Post »shadowpatriot.64
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 10:25pmI’m sure the Supreme Leader Barry will condemn those trustees for “acting stupidly” like the did the Cambridge police officer….
Report Post »Eternal Lucy
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 11:54pmGreat comment!!! :-D
Report Post »Freelancer
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 8:04amNo…. He and his wife will have a BOMB summit to protest this outrage….
Report Post »Lori
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 10:24pmFinally some sanity in academia.
Report Post »Alydia
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 10:44pmNo sad to say Lori….there is still no sanity in academia. This is called a “getting even” moment. Politics will go on as usual there….
Report Post »Eternal Lucy
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 11:53pmIt’s a start! Part of the third great awakening?
Report Post »roguetea
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 1:58amrogue, Transforming? Enlightened Academia?
Report Post »After the fiasco of the Global Warming hoax, the way Beck beats up on American history teaching, and the much more vigilant and vocal grassroots, which sends kids off someplace, all of Academia is hard pressed for good show. It does surprise, Chicago denies a major Progressive player. Do we rattle more trees than we realize and are there many willing to rethink what America must be about? There’s no time to slow down, or even take a breather. But let us enjoy this spectacle as we race to other battles.
tea party, ReAct 2010, ROGUE ON
Psychosis
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 10:22pmthis is insane why he was even allowed to be a professor confounds me
Report Post »Pa7sy
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 11:28pmWondered how he graded his conservative students?
Report Post »TrueGrit
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 6:24amThe only thing Conservative in Chicago is the pizza.
Report Post »megansmom
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 10:22pmWOW, you teach there eve after bombing people, calling police the pigs and general terrorist behavior but insult a Kennedy and you don’t get an honor.
Report Post »That’s just leaves me speechless.
independentvoteril
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 11:16pmGood point.. maybe we can do something about the rest.. HAVE FAITH.. REMEMBER the LORD works in mysterious ways..
Report Post »H2OBoardem
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 10:22pmToo bad. So sad. You have always been a loser.
Report Post »MoodyRed2u
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 3:27pmNo truer words have ever been spoken!
Report Post »baldwin4freedom
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 10:21pmWith a little FAITH, what goes around does come around to some extent.
Report Post »SsgtRock
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 7:29amAmen…
Report Post »Independent Tess
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 10:18pmBravo, Mr. Kennedy!
Report Post »“There is nothing more antithetical to the hopes for a university that is lively and yet civil, or to the hopes of our founding fathers for their great experiment of a self-governing people, than to permanently seal off debate with one’s opponents by killing them,” Kennedy said. “There can be no place in a democracy to celebrate political assassinations or to honor those who do so.”
Couldn’t have said it any better.
VegasGuy
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 10:42pmLooks like the Left has gotten “nudged” to the Right. I applaud the decision.
Report Post »MrButcher
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 10:45pmwell said, vegasguy. nudge this!
Report Post »CatB
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 12:28amWhat is unfortunate is that he was “allowed” to indoctrinate so many young people’s minds for so many years. More need to be nudged … right out of our colleges and universities.
Report Post »Quack Addict
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 5:18amI award Mr. Ayers, “Douchebag Emeritus” status. It doesn’t come with anything but a ********* to kiss…(_*_)…enjoy!
Report Post »nothingbuthetruth
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 6:32amYes, great that is was done by a Kennedy. Bill said he was a small “c” communist, JFK was killed by a communist and a communist kept America in a conspiricy theroy for years with his films“oliver Stone” I was shocked when Caroline back Obama. Her father wanted to defeat communism. Wierd how things come to a full circle and connect after all of these years.
Report Post »grandmaof5
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 8:12amWell said, and God bless the memory of Robert Kennedy. I hope other universities will follow suit and weed out subversive professors before they have a chance to influence young minds of mush, and then retire, patting themselves on the back that they have done such a noble deed.
Report Post »luvtheright
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 9:00amThanks BQI for posting site. I’ve seen the video with the veteran singing the 2nd verse of our national anthem before. It still brings me to tears listening to the words of the song. I wonder how many of us never heard or never knew about the 2nd verse. This veteran does a TERRIFIC job!! God bless him and WE THE PEOPLE!!
Report Post »BQI
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 10:17pmNow America’s “CHICKENS HAVE REALLY COME HOME TO ROOST” :-))
Black Conservative Blog:www.blackquillandink.com
Report Post »DrammyCoke
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 10:38pmGotta love it!!
independentvoteril
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 11:13pmYES, YES, YES… The heck with the chickens the ROOSTERS have come home to roost.. make them all run and hide.. FOREVER.. now IF we can get MSM to tell the whole truth and draw a line to OBAMA.. doesn’t look like they will though I think in Chicago they are getting ready to push RAHM for mayor instead..
Report Post »CultureWarriors
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 11:45pmYou know I just had a conversation with a someone fund raising for a local college. He was lamenting the fact that many companies around here wont interview students from his college. Companies are starting to ask if schools teach a market based curriculum and are passing on the liberal nonsense colleges and universities. To which I just had to smile. It’s about damn time. I wouldn’t waste my money on any liberal school period. And I think this is the start of a profound change. Either schools will adapt and change or be rendered irrelevant. Think about it, why hasn’t someone sued after paying tens or even hundreds of thousand of $$$ for an “education” based on fantasy and delusionment. U of I has a long way to go.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UtmTALMkU4
Report Post »BQI
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 11:45pmINDEPENDENTVOTERIL: :-)
Black Conservative Blog: http://www.blackquillandink.com
Liberaless in Seattle (I wish)
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 11:56pmGreat site! I just bookmarked it. :)
Report Post »SureSure
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 12:23amAnd yet they had let him impress young minds for how many years? This is a hollow victory that only came about because a Kennedy finally figured out the man is evil to the core and it offended Kennedy (where HAD KENNEDY BEEN up until now?). Ayers should never have been allowed to teach in the first place! But that damage has been done…
ANewActivist
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 12:27amA Wonderful link BQI. Thanks
CatB
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 12:47amI hope Obama doesn’t make him a CZAR!
Report Post »DaytonConserve
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 3:03amStudents who were required to sit through his bile for the last twenty years should demand their money back. Ayers and Dorn both belong in prison. Their hatred and bigotry affected so many Americans in an extremely negative way we may never really know the extent of the damage they did to our great nation.
Kudos to Christopher Kennedy for pointing out the obvious. Looks like the P.C. crap may now be ending.
Report Post »t00nces2
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 7:10amBQI… I visited your blog. I played the link to the video “The Video Says It All” and was amazed by what I saw. I will pass along your blog site and and the video you have posted. I will also spend some time on your site. Good luck.
SheriS
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 7:30amAs someone who lived through this “nutcase” and his idiot friends era, WHAT TOOK THE BRAINDEAD PEOPLE OF ILLINOIS TO FINALLY WAKE UP? The “days of rage” were very frightening and to see this nutcase a professor, teaching our college students has always been beyond my belief system. Thank you, God, for finally bringing some insanity back to the people of my home state!
Report Post »avlmtns
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 7:41amGreat Website!!
Report Post »faktchekr
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 7:51amnot all the chickens…he still gets his nice lavish pension off the backs of the tax payers that he disdains so much.
Report Post »swkimbl
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 9:03amaaaaaaw what a shame.
Report Post »flagbearer
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 9:21amI found this site yesterday thanks to the Blaze. It is a great site, BQI, and thank you for bringing it to the attention of many others.
Report Post »havanabrownsam
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 9:48amI trust it is with total shame that U. of I. denied this traitorous low-life emeritus status. Not only is he guilty of honoring the assassin of the man who took on organized crime in America & could have been one of our greatest presidents; Ayers, Dorn & their Weather Underground terrorists are self-admitted cop killer braggarts who were NEVER brought to justice.
Besides being in agreement with all here, I pray the first message from this unanimous vote is heard by all college students who have been mesmerized by their twisted anti-American institutions of higher learning. Let’s hope these lemmings can educate themselves to correct the warped spin of their education.
It is still very encouraging to see history being accurately presented & accepted by the college. This very well could be the beginning of the end of liberalism run amok. My fingers are crossed.
Plus kudos, in part, to Mr. Beck!
Report Post »MrChristian
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 9:50amCHEEZ you are exactly right they knew this long long ago…they feel our power surging NW…that entire city od chicago is filled to the brim with EVIL…closeyour eyes…listen…”JUST REMEMBER WHO WE ARE…WE WILL BE THE KEY”…many of you here are starting to speak thw most important words….THANK. YOU GOD…
Report Post »Mikee T
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 10:08amWhere have we come as a nation to even allow a subversive megalomanic like this to “teach” our children. What, if anything, would any of you like him to impart to your children ? My response would be zero….. I wouldn’t want any member of my family to absorb anything that would spew from his radical mind. Oh, by the way, he is part of the Obama Nation….when will we end this madness ?
larrybigbear
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 10:35amAyers has text books in 1500 schools!
Report Post »http://www.campus-watch.org/article/id/7157
Scanner 3T
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 10:37amBQI your site is just totally great. I am glad I found your link and will pass it along to all I know. It brings great joy to see that there are folks that can see the truth. Keep up the good work.
Report Post »ron the veteran
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 10:54ami hope he cringes every time he starts his car. maybe one day itll blow up when he does. what comes around goes around. happy motoring bill!
Report Post »Compete or Lose
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 11:51amWOW
Do you think they made their decision based on the actual fact or the reality that their actions on this matter would likely have a direct impact on future federal and state funding?
After all——
IF THERE ARE NO CONSEQUENCES—–THEN THERE ARE NO RULES
RGS
Report Post »Beckofile
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 11:57amThey probably all abstained from the vote. They really wanted to put him on this pedestal but knew the pressures from the awakened folks would be too great. Big Education is withering in front of us. We need to think of other alternatives for our kids. I will not pay 20k-60k a year to destroy my child and subsiquently my country.
Report Post »sabichan
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 12:00pmBQI – Love the blog!
I’m glad to see someone finally actually standing up against this guy, but how did the Univ of Illinois-Chicago employ him for 20 years? How was he even hired? How did that job interview go?
Let’s see here, it looks like you were part of the Weather Underground, tell me a little more about that organization
“Well, we were a non-profit organization, dedicated to the destruction of America and the redistribution of all it’s wealth and goods to poorer countries”
Oh, so it was designed to help those in poverty stricken countries? What kind of things did you accomplish?
“Well, we managed to commit a number of bombings on US soil and injure and kill a number of police officers. But, unfortunately for all our work we were unable to start riots across the country like we wanted, though you may remember some of our successes in the Days of Rage here in Chicago. Anyway, I’d really love the opportunity to work here and teach the youth of this nation.”
Huh…
“Well, I am sorry about it now”
You’re hired!
Report Post »MoodyRed2u
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 3:26pmPerhaps people are waking up to what this man really is!
Report Post »MoodyRed2u
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 3:28pmPerhaps people are waking up to what this man really stands for. He is nothing short of a terrorist…
Report Post »LadybugsTX
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 6:22pmJeez, this is a great day. They fired Jeffrey Zucker at NBC and the head of CNN as well. Could someone please notch the totum board please?
Report Post »sintax
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 8:06pmJust visited your site. Great work. I knew there are some Black Americans who see through the shills of the Democratic party. They use race as an excuse for everything and after forty years of program after program after program, minorities are no better off than they were when the civil rights act was made law. The democrats have made minorities beholden to them with failed promises and free gifts of social engineering. But black schools are still under funded, programs that are suppose to help minorities improve their lives are so poorly implemented that they guarantee failure, instead of being designed so that they would insure more success for inner city families and kids who need a hand up and not a hand out. We have taught minorities, and in particular blacks, that they are somehow owed something, instead of teaching them self respect and how to be their own person. God bless you and your efforts. You have my full support.
Report Post »Jeetman
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 10:22pmBQI,
I just left your website. I REALLY want to thank you watched the “Tea Party video and got all choked up when I heard that verse of the Star Spangled Banner. Either I never really listened before or I had never heard it and I’m 46 years old. I think with the way things are going and what I‘ve seen with this administration coupled with the lessons I’ve learned from Glenn, this verse has SO MUCH more meaning to me. Anyone who is not completely familiar with the Star Spangled Banner, should see that clip. Again, thank you so much for posting your site!
Report Post »BetsyRoss1
Posted on September 25, 2010 at 2:08pmBQI, thanks for some great videos, the marine singing the second stanza of the Star Spangled Banner had me in tears!!
Report Post »