(NAME-MCE) Bill Ayers should speak up - Ayers & Obama
Stephen K Lafer
lafer at unr.edu
Tue Oct 14 13:08:02 EDT 2008
I did not jump to support Bill Ayers because I have had good reason, as
a teacher educator, to respect the man who I had come to know Bill Ayers
to be. MLK having taken his approach took the approach he understood to
be the right approach, at each stage of his life. The approach taken
must be understood in regard to the motives that inspired the action. I
do think MLK was a true patriot. Ayers, being who he was and what he
understood needed to get done, went about doing what he understood he
HAD to do in order to achieve certain ends. As I said earlier, I have
reason to believe that the ends for which he acted were good ends. This
is not to say that ends always justify means, but it is understandable
to me WHY some people go about using means that are not means that I or
others would necessarily use ourselves. I cannot say, in this case,
that what Bill Ayers did then is something I would do or tell others to
do. I am not sure that, given the opportunity, many of us would do what
Dr. King did. And certainly there were a good many who condemned what
Dr. King did. That condemnation did not and should not have prevented
Dr. King from doing what he did because he understood that what he was
doing was the right thing to do. I think that Dr. Ayers thought, at the
time that he was doing what he had to do and that he was doing it for
good reason. That was HIS thinking and his thinking, I have to believe,
again because of the Bill Ayers who is the Bill Ayers of today, that he
was acting on principles I continue to endorse today. Bill Ayers found
other tools to achieve his ends as the years have gone by. The
principles, I think, remain, whole or in part, in tact. I appreciate
those principles and understand the actions of 30 years ago as somewhat
dangerous and risky and, potentially counterproductive. But while the
act may not have been the right act, the actor did try to act to achieve
something righteous.
-----Original Message-----
From: Sheets, Rosahernandez [mailto:rosahernandez.sheets at ttu.edu]
Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 2008 9:42 AM
To: Stephen K Lafer
Subject: Re: (NAME-MCE) Bill Ayers should speak up - Ayers & Obama
Please Stephan - don't add propaganda to the mix --- MLK is a true
patriot - there are more ways to achieve an end - Why is Rev Wright not
supported think of all the good he has done for Chicago's underserved.
Many of my peers marched in protest of the Vietman war - we marched for
civil rights - we did not commit what is labeled 'acts of domestic
terrorism'
Nonetheless I find this whole jump to support Ayers most troubling..why?
r
________________________________
From: Stephen K Lafer <lafer at unr.edu>
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:36:58 -0500
To: NAME-MCE - National Association for Multicultural Education
EmailDiscussion Group <name-mce at nameorg.org>, Rosa Hernandez Sheets
<rosahernandez.sheets at ttu.edu>
Subject: RE: (NAME-MCE) Bill Ayers should speak up - Ayers & Obama
Perhaps we should understand Bill Ayers as one who was trying to act
upon his patriotism in response to what the (and many others) understood
to be a threat to the basic principles of the democratic republic
established by the nation's founders. The following passage from the
Declaration of Independence defines an obligation that comes with
citizenship that could (and should, at times) lead to what will appear
to some (even the many)to be unwarranted and/or overly radical acts.
The actor just might be motivated by the sincerest desire to carry out
what he or she understands to be an obligation to maintain the
democracy. How we go about sorting out the crazy and the ill, the evil
and the sick from those who are legitimately FORCED into action by
oppressive behavior of those who have (appear to have) wrested the power
of the people (in the most democratic sense of the phrase)is really not
an easy task. I think Bill Ayers' lifetime accomplishments begin to
explain the probable motives for his behavior 30 or so years ago.
Condemn the act if you like, but in condemning the man and his motives
is to ignore basic premises of the founders regarding decisions and
actions citizens must take if they are to fulfill their obligations as
citizens:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created
equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable
Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
- That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men,
deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, - That
whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is
the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new
Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its
powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their
Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments
long established should not be changed for light and transient causes;
and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed
to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by
abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train
of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a
design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is
their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for
their future security. - Such has been the patient sufferance of these
Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter
their former Systems of Government."
How we go about deciding when the "train of abuses and usurpations" are
sufficient to necessitate action, and how we decide upon what action is
appropriate is something we should be discussing in every course and at
every meeting that pretends to be about citizenship.
The truth may be that Mr. Obama is being castigated for having
associated with a very good man, a real patriot, in fact.
-----Original Message-----
From: name-mce-bounces at nameorg.org [mailto:name-mce-bounces at nameorg.org]
On Behalf Of snieto at educ.umass.edu
Sent: Monday, October 13, 2008 7:29 PM
To: NAME-MCE - National Association for Multicultural Education
EmailDiscussion Group; Sheets, Rosahernandez
Cc: name-mce at nameorg.org
Subject: Re: (NAME-MCE) Bill Ayers should speak up - Ayers & Obama
I think it's just the opposite: no matter what Bill Ayers says, Obama
will be
the loser. Bill is right to keep quiet for the time being.
Sonia
Quoting "Sheets, Rosahernandez" <rosahernandez.sheets at ttu.edu>:
>
>
> While I think the whole McCain idea of linking Obama to terrorism via
Ayers
> or to poor judgment - nonetheless when reading the statement "support
4 Bill
> Ayers" - my thinking is when will Bill Ayers speak up and explain his
> role/responsibility in the Bill Ayers/Obama controversy- after all he
is the
> one who was the terrorist and Obama was just a child during the time
of his
> domestic terrorist acts - - Perhaps he has been asked to keep quiet -
don't
> know... It seems to be a bit of White privilege - Ayers doesn't have
to
> explain... and Obama might just have to pay the price. rhs
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: <name-mce-request at nameorg.org>
> Reply-To: <name-mce at nameorg.org>
> Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:00:02 -0500
> To: <name-mce at nameorg.org>
> Subject: Name-mce Digest, Vol 931, Issue 1
>
> Send Name-mce mailing list submissions to
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> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. Suppport4 Bill Ayers : Support Bill Ayers - 2853 Current
> Endorsements - (Paul C. Gorski)
> 2. Independent Sector Annual Conference November 9-11
> Philadelphia PA (Anselmo Villanueva)
> 3. Oregon Diversity Institute November 6-8 Roseburg OR
> (Anselmo Villanueva)
> 4. Barack for Education (Christine Clark)
> 5. AFL/CIO speaks about Election/Racism (Aukram Burton)
> 6. Jobs - Asian Counseling and Referral Service Seattle WA
> (Anselmo Villanueva)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2008 06:10:29 -0700 (PDT)
> From: "Paul C. Gorski" <gorski at edchange.org>
> Subject: (NAME-MCE) Suppport4 Bill Ayers : Support Bill Ayers - 2853
> Current Endorsements -
> To: name-mce at nameorg.org
> Message-ID:
>
<1223817029591.35ee0d76-84b5-478b-a28f-eafb83fcf4cd at google.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
>
> Paul C. Gorski has sent you a link to a blog:
>
> This is a web site and petition to support Bill Ayers, who has been a
> devoted scholar and activist in education and unfairly used by the
> McCain campaign to link Obama to "terrorism." If you're so inclined,
> please consider signing the petition. Regards, Paul
>
> Blog: Suppport4 Bill Ayers
> Post: Support Bill Ayers - 2853 Current Endorsements -
> Link: http://www.supportbillayers.org/2008/09/educator-statement.html
>
> --
> Powered by Blogger
> http://www.blogger.com/
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2008 06:43:05 -0700
> From: "Anselmo Villanueva" <anselmo.villanueva at gmail.com>
> Subject: (NAME-MCE) Independent Sector Annual Conference November 9-11
> Philadelphia PA
> To: name-mce at nameorg.org
> Message-ID:
> <88024d6b0810120643g4b53993bqebcf52efd262b02b at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> Conference Brings Together Nonprofit Leaders
>
> Independent Sector is a leadership forum for charities, foundations,
and
> corporate giving programs committed to advancing the common good in
America
> and throughout the world. Independent Sector's 2008 Annual Conference,
"Our,
> Hopes, Our Voice, Our Future," will engage nonprofit leaders in the
process
> of discovering the best ways to use a powerful voice to secure
brighter
> futures for people across the country and around the world. The
conference
> will include four tracks of breakout sessions and special events such
as the
> Public Policy Action Institute and the Global Civil Society Dinner.
The
> conference will be held in Philadelphia, PA, on November 9-11, 2008.
>
> http://www.independentsector.org/AnnualConference/2008/index.html
>
> Independent Sector
> 1200 Eighteenth Street, NW, Suite 200
> Washington, DC 20036
> 202-467-6100 phone
> 202-467-6101 fax
> 202-467-6110 publications orders
> info at independentsector.org email
>
> 2008 Annual Conference
>
> Conference Theme: Our Hopes, Our Voice, Our Future
> November 9-11, Philadelphia
>
> Join 1,000 leaders from throughout the nonprofit community as we
discover
> the best ways to use our powerful voice to secure brighter futures for
> people across the country and around the world. Be a part of
identifying and
> developing creative approaches that charities, foundations, and
corporate
> giving programs can use to strengthen our communities and fulfill the
hopes
> of millions of people for better lives.
>
> At the heart of the conference will be four insightful plenary
sessions:
>
> - The opening plenary will analyze the results of the 2008 election,
> including what it reveals about the hopes and concerns of the American
> people
> - The "Conversation with a Sector Leader" will feature Ford Foundation
> President Luis Ubi?as;
> - The luncheon plenary will start with insights from new IRS
Commissioner
> Douglas Shulman, then move to IS President and CEO Diana Aviv's
keynote
> address on the challenges facing our organizations and our
communities,
> particularly in light of the elections; and
> - The closing plenary will use the historic 2008 campaign as a
starting
> point for an examination of the state of race and gender in America.
>
> More on Independent Sector
>
> Independent Sector is the leadership forum for charities, foundations,
and
> corporate giving programs committed to advancing the common good in
America
> and around the world. Our nonpartisan coalition of approximately 600
> organizations leads, strengthens, and mobilizes the charitable
community in
> order to fulfill our vision of a just and inclusive society and a
healthy
> democracy of active citizens, effective institutions, and vibrant
> communities.
>
> Our Work
>
> Independent Sector serves as the premier meeting ground for the
leaders of
> America's charitable and philanthropic sector. Since our founding in
1980,
> we have sponsored ground-breaking research, fought for public policies
that
> support a dynamic, independent sector, and created unparalleled
resources so
> staff, boards, and volunteers can improve their organizations and
better
> serve their communities.
>
> Independent Sector fulfills our mission by:
>
> - Convening opportunities for sector leaders to work together on key
issues.
> The most prominent forum of this kind is the Independent Sector Annual
> Conference, but IS committees are another key part of developing
collective
> strategies.
> - Promoting policies that enable the charitable community to engage
with
> public officials on a nonpartisan basis. IS is currently focusing on
issues
> such as protecting advocacy rights of nonprofits, promoting tax
incentives
> for charitable giving, and addressing federal and state budget
concerns.
> - Supporting the development and dissemination of strategies to
strengthen
> volunteering, voting, giving, and other forms of citizen engagement.
> - Encouraging the sector to meet the highest standards of ethical
practice
> and effectiveness. As part of our continuing efforts in this area, IS
has
> convened the Panel on the Nonprofit Sector, which is making
recommendations
> in the areas of governance, fiduciary responsibility, government
oversight,
> self-regulation, and financial accountability.
> - Serving as the voice of the independent sector to the media,
government,
> business, and international voluntary communities.
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2008 10:54:27 -0700
> From: "Anselmo Villanueva" <anselmo.villanueva at gmail.com>
> Subject: (NAME-MCE) Oregon Diversity Institute November 6-8 Roseburg
> OR
> To: name-mce at nameorg.org
> Message-ID:
> <88024d6b0810121054w6448e6b9j42e216a6cbd18fd1 at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=WINDOWS-1252
>
> 15th Annual Oregon Diversity Institute
>
> November 6-8, 2008 Umpqua Community College Roseburg OR
>
> http://www.umpqua.edu/ODI/
>
> UNLEARN the biases, stereotypes, prejudices, hate, and ?isms that one
may
> unconsciously carry? The conference provides opportunities for
individuals
> to become educated about the ways that ideas like justice, equity,
freedom,
> and compassion are valued among many cultures. Resources will be
provided to
> help individuals acquire social skills to interact more effectively
and
> learn how to transform society to better serve the interests of all
within
> our multicultural community.
>
> Who should attend?
>
> Faculty and staff from community colleges and universities, high
school and
> college students, K-12 educators, policy makers and educators,
employers and
> workplace trainers, community organizations and those interested in
> supporting and encouraging successful diversity strategies.
>
> The Oregon Diversity Institute (ODI), since its beginning in 1994, has
> steadily evolved into one of the leading and progressive forces for
> presenting, discussing, and addressing diversity issues in Oregon. ODI
> responds to contemporary issues and events that have a direct impact
on
> Oregonians, drawing upon the wealth of expertise and resources located
> within the state. The conference draws participants from colleges,
> universities, private businesses, non-profits and community
organizations.
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2008 18:26:45 -0700
> From: Christine Clark <chriseclark at mac.com>
> Subject: (NAME-MCE) Barack for Education
> To: aera-CESJ at LISTSERV.UMD.EDU, NAME-MCE - National Association for
> Multicultural Education Email Discussion Group
> <name-mce at nameorg.org>
> Message-ID: <4882B989-0E36-4D96-BA0C-A13291127824 at mac.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=WINDOWS-1252; format=flowed;
> delsp=yes
>
> Dear Education Champion,
>
> We are so excited about Barack Obama's profound commitment to
> providing a world-class education for all children, regardless of
> their background. In order to lead us in closing the achievement gap,
> though, Barack first needs our help in closing the gap of a different
> kind: that on the electoral map. In 2004, George W. Bush beat John
> Kerry by a total of just over two million votes in the battleground
> states of Florida, Indiana, Ohio, Colorado, New Mexico, Virginia,
> Missouri and Nevada. In order for Barack to be successful on November
> 4th, it is critical that he close that two million vote gap in this
> crucial group of states.
>
> We have set the ambitious goal of, through our various networks,
> reaching out to 500,000 battleground state voters in the next four
> weeks. If we are to do so, this could potentially mean reaching one
> fourth of 2004's two million vote gap. In order to do so, though,
> we're going to need your help: Contact with 500,000 potential voters
> means 10,000 volunteers reaching out to 50 individuals each.
>
> Additionally, in order to help the campaign effectively distribute
> their resources where they are needed most, we are also committed to
> raising at least $500,000 in donations.
>
> With this in mind, we're excited to announce the launch of our very
> own website around these simultaneous efforts to close the Bush-Kerry
> voting gap in the short-term and the achievement gap for the long-
> term. Please visit this site at: http://www.closingthegaps.us
> <http://www.closingthegaps.us/
> >
>
> On this site, in addition to finding information on our work and
> Barack's critical education principles, you'll find out about the
> following ways to get further involved between now and November 4th:
>
> 1) Get out the vote! Help from inside or outside these key
> battleground states by:
> A) Joining on as a Barack for Education regional coordinator to
> engage and energize voters by either moving to a swing state for the
> final 25 days or participating in organized weekend trips.
> B) Placing calls to voters in key states and canvassing in
> important swing precincts.
> C) Hosting a Barack for Education event at your home or work or
> organizing a Barack for Education happy hour.
> D) Supporting Barack's media presence by writing a Letter to the
> Editor or Op-Ed in your local newspaper. You can also increase Obama's
> visibility by posting comments in response to education- and/or Obama-
> related articles on your local paper's website.
> 2) Donate whatever amount you can to Barack's campaign, through our
> Barack for Education MyBO group
>
<http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/maingroup/ChampionsforEduc
ation
> >. Donations can be made at any time and will be tracked collectively
> to demonstrate the impact of educators in these closing weeks!
> 3) Sign our Letter of Support for Senator Obama and his education
> principles.
>
> Please review and send this along to your personal networks within the
> next 48 hours. Given the stakes of this election, help us get this
> message out to as many people as possible by forwarding to at least
> three people, but ideally ten or more.
>
> Thanks so much for your support. We truly believe that if we can help
> close this two million vote gap between now and November 4th, it will
> go a long way toward one day soon closing the achievement gap for our
> children!
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Barack for Education Team
> --
> Jonathan Klein
> (510) 593-4555
> Barack for Education
> Western Regional Director
> http://www.closingthegaps.us
> Help us close the gap!
> ???
> Christine Clark, Ed.D.
> chriseclark at mac.com
> 702.896.1527 Telephone
> 702.896.4529 Facsimile
> 702.985.6979 Cellular
>
> "What are the standards that we have? If we're concerned about
> unarmed truth--understanding this condition of truth is allowing
> suffering to speak--and unconditional love--understanding justice is
> what love looks like in public--then the question is, what suffering
> voices do we hear...and what kinds of concerns about justice are made
> manifest...?
>
>
>
?Cornell
> West
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 5
> Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2008 06:39:10 -0400
> From: Aukram Burton <aukram at ramimages.com>
> Subject: (NAME-MCE) AFL/CIO speaks about Election/Racism
> Message-ID: <C0AF6E09-E084-453A-BAEB-5F40598B16D2 at ramimages.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed
>
> How deep can this go?
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QIGJTHdH50
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 6
> Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2008 04:37:26 -0700
> From: "Anselmo Villanueva" <anselmo.villanueva at gmail.com>
> Subject: (NAME-MCE) Jobs - Asian Counseling and Referral Service
> Seattle WA
> To: name-mce at nameorg.org
> Message-ID:
> <88024d6b0810130437q286b8c59kd7611b316a966aa3 at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS) is a nationally
recognized
> nonprofit organization offering a broad array of human services and
> behavioral health programs to Asian Pacific Americans in King County,
State
> of Washington. ACRS is the largest multiservice organization serving
all
> the different Asian Pacific American communities - immigrants,
refugees and
> American born - in the Pacific Northwest. ACRS has been offering a
wide
> array of social and behavioral services in a multicultural,
multilingual
> setting since 1973.
>
> ACRS currently has several job openings. For more information, go to
> http://www.acrs.org/jobs/openings.php
>
> Current jobs:
>
> - Administrative Specialist I
> - Case Manager I (Vocational Services)
> - Case Manager II (Aging and Adult)
> - CYF Intake Specialist (50% Time)
> - Human Resources Assistant (50% Time)
> - Information Technology Support Specialist I
> - Youth Counselor I
>
> http://www.acrs.org/
> Main Office
>
> 3639 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S
> Seattle, WA 98144
> Phone: 206-695-7600 (or 206-774-2417 for office hours during inclement
> weather)
> Fax: 206-695-7606
> TTY: 206-695-7608
> Bellevue Office
>
> 1420 156th Avenue NE Suite G (adjacent to Crossroads Mall)
> Bellevue, WA 98007
> For appointments or information, please call the Seattle main office.
>
>
> HOPE AND OPPORTUNITY IN 30 LANGUAGES
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> _______________________________________________
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> End of Name-mce Digest, Vol 931, Issue 1
> ****************************************
>
>
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