Bill Ayers Refused Entry To Canada

An American education professor, one of the founders of a radical 1960s group known as the Weather Underground, which was responsible for a number of bombings in the United States in the early 1970s, was turned back at the Canadian border last night.

Dr. William Ayers, a professor of education at the University of Illinois-Chicago and a leader in educational reform, was scheduled to speak at the Centre for Urban Schooling at University of Toronto's Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. But that appearance has now been temporarily cancelled.

"I don't know why I was turned back," Ayers said in an interview this morning from Chicago.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[army193]

Has Bill Ayers ever been convicted of a crime?

[swo68]

No, he got off on a technicality. But was guilty.

[zippy2112]

g-uilty as heck and free as a bi-rd. Lets not forget Bern-ard-ine Do-hrn

[Cinnamonape]

Illegal, warrantless, wiretapping...that provided the sole evidence of the crime of blowing up part of a statue at 4 AM.,..how is that a "technicality"? It was the only evidence.

[notthistime]

no he was not.

[jazzman]

We now have Obama and Canada has the Bush clone, Hadley. So now it's Canada that does the petty and stupid mean things like deny someone like Ayers into their country. So which nation acts like the doofus nation now? Have fun Canada we sure didn't.

[thefooligan5]

Who is Hadley?
And secondly, HARPER is by no means a Bush clone. He may be right wing but in canada, if you are in power, be it right wing or left wing, you play your bias fairly tight to the centre. I can't say I like Stephen Harper, but I'm sure glad that a) he is no George Bush and b) he doesn't have as much power as George Bush had.

[jsgaetano]

So you are basically saying he's a poor man's Tony Blair?

[tel8034]

In Canada the conservatives (with the same ideologies and approaches as the Republicans) are in charge of the government.

Obviously they bought the McCain/Palin propaganda re Ayers, hook line and sinker.

[swo68]

What did the McCain campaign lie about, regarding Ayers?

[Cinnamonape]

That he stated that he had never recanted the bombings that the Weather Underground made...on 9/11.

In fact, he did recant the bombings -but where he said that "he wished we (Americans)people had done more to end the Vietnam War" that was taken out of context.

And the interview was done well before 9/11 and coincidentally published on that date...he didn't make the remarks ON 9/11. They were not a response to 9/11.

Finally, all Ayers acts were in situations where people were not around. They bombed a statue commemorating police at the 19th century Haymarket massacre (which was a "police riot" against protesters). It was pretty ineffective...like an M-80 in a toilet.
That was the sole crime he was being tried for. Even there the evidence was obtained by illegal wiretaps, a fact that the prosecutors were told about only at the last minute, botching the case and their reputations.

They Weather Underground were effective killers however...of themselves. I think that their bombing campaign killed more WU members than were ever convicted of a felony.

Thus Canada is preventing an unconvicted individual from a crime 40 years ago from entering their country for an academic conference. I suspect that their Conservative leader will have no problems allowing a man that through ineptness, lies, and other acts have killed 10,000 times more than the entire Weather Undreground.

[Halter]

Maybe Palin can see Canada from her house and called immigration.

[postboy]

lol

[zippy2112]

President-elect Barack Obama plans to take his first international trip to Canada. AP
mabe he can see Canada from ayers living room

[BillMelater]

Look down. You see those drippy looking things? Those ain't your tonsils, they are hemmeroids. So now you know where your head is and what you can see from it.

[BlackYowe]

LOL! Good one!

[dukeitout]

Ayers: You were among a group of people known to bomb those who annoyed them. I suspect this is the reason you were stopped from entering the country of our friends to the north.

[Cinnamonape]

Actually WU didn't bomb people...well except themselves. More WU members were killed making bombs than were convicted of bombing anything.

[pupbayer]

You're right. They shot the police officers.

[zippy2112]

Don't name you children after him.

[4everdem]

And we are stuck with him. Lucky us.

[jazzman]

Ayers is great. Take the time to learn something about him. I'm glad we're stuck with him. He's a great asset. Oh that's right you probably get your information from Limbaugh, Hannity, and O'Reilly, so what would you know?

[pupbayer]

How is Ayers great? How is he an asset? When did this change occur? Why did this change occur?

I think maybe you're the one who needs to do some research.

[degenerate1991]

Okay, so some childish terrorist is great?

[some-realtalk]

WHO CARES ABOUT THIS NOBODY !!!!

[jazzman]

I do. Ayers is a great thinker and brilliant when it comes to education. You've watched too much Republican propaganda and American news. Go learn about the man. You might have a quite different opinion.

[pupbayer]

Exactly what educational theories developed by Ayers do you find briliant?

[swo68]

Ya. Smart people should be absolved of all their crimes... for just being smart.

[Yermammy]

I agree. I guess the rethugs are all out of things to grunt to each other on the reichwing blogs, so they come here. You see, at the PROGRESSIVE LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC blogs, we don't have tryouts and close admission after so many mouthbreathers get in. And as you can tell, we tolerate your inane comments with aplomb. What miserable no lifes you must be to lurk here. LOL!

[BlackYowe]

Well let him think himself out of this one he has never expressed regrett for what he did. he is a jerk.

[BillMelater]

He was never convicted of anything, so its pretty ludicrous that he couldn't get in. So whassup widdat, Canada? You guys didn't have any problem letting the draft dodgers in way back then. Whassup widdat?

[sandpiper1]

This is probably collusion between Bush's WH and our neo con a hole Prime Minister, Stevie Bush lite Harper. It's so rediculous and stupid. I am sure most Canadians like me are ashamed of this nonsense.

[thefooligan5]

"I am sure most Canadians like me are ashamed of this nonsense."

How many people voted for the Conservatives again? Oh right, a lot. I doubt you'll find a nation calling foul on this one.

[pupbayer]

Why would they have a problem with draft dodgers? Have you ever been forced to fight in a war you didn't believe in? Remember, we have an all volunteer army today. Back then kids were pulled out of their jobs and colleges (well, those whose parents didn't have enough power or money to get them out of it) to go fight a war many didn't believe in. They had no recourse Their lives were turned upset down against their will. I didn't blame them then and I don't blame them now. Most went to Canada and become productive citizens. Why would Canada have a problem with that?

[BillMelater]

Well there were many more that sucked it up and answered the call - my father among them.

[degenerate1991]

Canada deports US AWOLs these days.

[Daniboy]

Rumor has it that Ayers was really an Abortion Clinic Bomber-they just got mixed up on location of bomb target. Lucky-he'd still be in jail today if had hit the intended target and Libs would just hate him!

[swp]

Gee Billy....you really have a knack with the written word!

[jacqmac]

Lessee-Teddy Kennedy on the 'no-fly' list, Bill Ayers not allowed entry into Canada. HEY--guess what??!! STUFF HAPPENS! The people who work at border crossings are PEOPLE. SOMETIMES they get really overzealous in doing their 'duty'. My own Brother-In-Law, A CANADIAN CITIZEN, was not allowed into the US for a concert (he's a musician) a couple of years ago. I guess the border guards thought his ACCORDION was a weapon of mass destruction! Heck! There are probably days when even I couldn't get across the border into Canada and I'm absolutely pure as the driven snow. This had little to do with his past and everything to do with the Customs/Border agents. He waited 24 hours--new shift, new guards, NO PROBLEM!! Ayers can apply for a waiver and get in. He probably will.

[Halter]

Some regard accordians as instruments of torture.

[JimBozo]

Try crossing the border with an Autoharp under your arm. Hell, try it with just a Semi-autoharp!

[WilliamL]

Ayers sd. be thankful he is not in jail and might consider watching his ass. Acts such as his during war cd. have got him shot if not by the gov't then perhaps a Vet.

He burned flags on/after 9-11? That cd. have got him put in the hospitol in the least.

Canada was wise to do what they did.

[MossyOak]

No, the government only shot students during Vietnam. You probably weren't born yet, but there was this little incident at Kent State....

[pupbayer]

Don't try to justify what Ayers did with what some trigger happy old Ohio National Guardsman did. One has nothing to do with the other and neither justifies the other. Both were horrendous.

And, yes, I was alive then and in college in Ohio. Don't think Ayers's stunts didn't make law enforcement agencies a little more jumpy when dealing with student protests. I am NOT defending the Ohio National Guard in any way. I got my share a tear gas from them. I'm just saying Ayers was no patriot or friend of the anti-war movement.

[bygollymissmolly]

He burned flags on/after 9-11? That cd. have got him put in the hospitol in the least.
-----------------

Another Republican lie.

I am really no longer feeling sorry for you whiny poor losers. I'm to the point where I hope that all your head's explode.

[111]

hard to go to jail when they didn't have a case against him.

yes, i'm sure canadians feel much safer now that a vietnam war protester has been kept out of their country.

[thaneb]

HIs case was dismissed because of prosecutorial misconduct. I do not know enough about the facts to know if they did or did not have a case. baring the misconduct.

[BillMelater]

But he didn't burn an Canadian flags? Whassup widdat?
R u just goofey or what?

[goodog]

Some vets appreciate the guy.

[pupbayer]

"I don't know why I was turned back," said the known terrorist. Too funny!

[bygollymissmolly]

And please tell me what crimes he was convicted of.

[plugger]

he was charged and went to trial and got off a murder / terorist charge on technicality...By the way Pres Bush VP Cheney... no charges crimes or indictements

[Jo Manning]

Those of us who lived through the turbulent Sixties have no love for Bill Ayers, either. And he's no great buddy of Barack Obama's! He could not be any more the antithesis of Obama, who is an heroic figure for the ages.

[pupbayer]

'Tis the truth! And I want to know when he became this greatly respected educational reformer? He teaches at the Univ of IL which is not exactly a well respected institution. (Many people confuse it with the University of Chicago which does enjoy a good reputation.)

[111]

I lived through the turbulent sixties and I have love for Bill Ayers. Please don't presume to speak for everyone.

[pupbayer]

Then you obviously were in a cocoon.

[Daniboy]

Do you have strong feelings for Bin Laden too?

[pupbayer]

Why do you have love for Bill Ayers?