Ayers' cancellation elicits mixed responses

On Thursday, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln decided to repeal its invitation to have former radical Bill Ayers speak on campus.

Leading up to the cancellation, which was caused by safety concerns, many had spoken out against Ayers' speech, which was scheduled for Nov. 15.

Ayers, a professor of education at the University of Illinois at Chicago, was a founder of Weather Underground, a 1960s radical activist organization that advocated fundamental social change through violent means.

Ayers was charged for his role in a bombing, but he was never found guilty. Since then, he has become a distinguished professor and was named the "Chicago Citizen of the Year" in 1996 for his work in reforming the city's public schools.

According to UNL Chancellor Harvey Perlman, the speech was canceled because of growing safety concerns and violent threats the university had received.

In an e-mail sent to students and faculty, Perlman said: "The outrage by many Nebraskans was understandable but I think unfortunate to the extent it led them to seek to prevent him from coming."

Many alumni said they would withhold financial contributions to the university if Ayers spoke.

State officials had also expressed outrage against Ayers's appearance.

In a news release, Gov. Dave Heineman said, "This is an embarrassment to the University of Nebraska and the State of Nebraska." He also said, "Bill Ayers is a well-known radical who should never have been invited to the University of Nebraska."

Heineman's comments seem to be in contrast to that of at least some of the student body at UNL.

Adam Simons, a freshman political science major, said the only reason for the cancellation was because of Republican presidential candidate John McCain's campaign accusing Democratic candidate Barack Obama of being affiliated with a terrorist.

"Most people wouldn't have known who he (Ayers) was if it wasn't for this," he said. "Clearly, the guy has changed if he is now a leading educator in Chicago."

Morgan Wurdeman, a junior secondary education major, said while the university probably made the right decision in canceling the event due to safety precautions, "the people sending the threats are ridiculous.

"It is ironic that people are using violent threats against someone who is accused of carrying out violent threats," said Michael Ryan, a freshman business administration major.

Ryan said people are too quick to pass judgment on Ayers, and many do not realize he is now an established professor.

Zachary Connell, a freshman electrical engineering major, said the university did no wrong in inviting Ayers to speak because he is "a very well-recognized expert on the subject (education)."

"However," he said, "the backlash from the event would have far out-shadowed the event itself.

"We cannot silence unpopular opinions. We need to be cautious in the future so we do not deny any speaker who is not within the general majority's opinion."

natepetro@dailynebraskan.com