Knock me over with a feather. I knew that Bernardine Dohrn had managed to escape long term imprisonment for her activities with the Weather Underground by cutting some sort of deal, but the fact that she's a law professor at Northwestern I find rather shocking. Anyway, Ms. Dohrn says that she doesn't support terrorism, which just means that she creatively defines her years with an overtly terrorist organization (not to mention her current sympathies) as some kind of warped public service:
The tone of Guy Benson's April 5 guest column, "Law Prof Owes Explanation," is the kind of poorly researched "new McCarthyism" so suddenly fashionable. The reporter says he is denied "both sides of the story," unable to get a "balanced assessment." He quotes my "assistant" and The New York Times quoting my "husband" and asks me to clarify his alleged comments. Since I speak publicly about the war in Iraq, racism, children's rights, international law and human rights, Benson and all NU students are welcome to be part of the regular give-and-take I enjoy with students, audiences and activists. To clarify, I have never endorsed terrorism, the use of violence to intimidate or coerce a civilian (or any other) population. I fought the illegal, immoral war against Vietnam and the organized terrorism of my government -- and I unequivocally oppose the terrorism of governments, individuals, and religious, political and irregular organizations. I believe we all have an obligation to speak up about what is being done in our name. -- Bernardine Dohrn, professor, School of Law (h/t LGF)
I just find it difficult to get my head around this, even though I used to folk dance with Alice Metzinger, before any of us knew she was really Katherine Anne Power. When did we cross the threshold where it became acceptable to hire an unrepentent terrorist to teach the new entrants to the legal profession, from which many of our legislators will be drawn? Does this culture have a death wish?
(Cross-posted by Demosophist to Anticipatory Retaliation and The Jawa Report)
Posted by Demosophist at April 11, 2005 01:08 AM | TrackBackYou seem to be ill-informed. Dohrn never harmed a single human being. All 25 bombs on American targets were called in ahead of time--the organization would tell police to clear the area so no one would get hurt. At their worst, I think, the weather underground were vandals, and some were potential terrorists.
FYI, Dohrn was a lawyer before she ever became involved with the SDS.
Posted by: ST at August 26, 2005 12:55 PM