Guilt by Association- Is this the 'new American way'?

At a rally on October 4, Governor Palin accused Senator Obama as being "someone who sees America as imperfect enough to pall around with terrorists who targeted their own country". Palin was referring to a NY Times article which discussed Obama and William Ayers, the man Palin referred to as a terrorist, and looked in depth at their relationship with one another.



Bill Ayers was a founding member of Weather Underground, a radical group of the 60s that protested the Vietnam War by targeting domestic infrastructures, including the Pentagon and Capitol. Federal charges were dropped against him because of FBI misconduct in gathering evidence. As you are probably aware, and Governor Palin is certainly aware, Ayers and Obama live in the same neighborhood in Chicago. The extent of Obama and Ayers relationship is that both were involved in several volunteer projects, projects I might add that numerous others were involved with.

Bill Ayers is a professor at the University of Illinois and his wife, also a Weather Underground founder, is a professor at Northwestern University. Chicago Mayor Daley has consulted Ayers numerous times on educational reform issues. Are we to conclude that Mayor Daley and the thousands of students that the Ayers have taught the past few decades are also "palling around with terrorists"? If you're going by Palin's guilt by association standard, then yes.

Ayers and Obama both served on the board for the Woods Fund of Chicago, a grantmaking foundation whose goal is to increase opportunities for less advantaged people and communities in the metropolitan area, including the opportunity to shape decisions affecting them. So Senator Obama 'palls around with terrorists' because he serves on this amazing charitable board that wants to help the 'have nots' in Chicago? Right... And the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, which both Ayers and Obama worked on, incrase[s] the ability of schools to better themselves by investing in the "on the ground" improvement efforts of networks. Education reform is a huge issue that frankly I would love to hear more about during this election cycle. From what I can see Senator Obama is not guilty of anything, but Governor Palin is sure as hell guilty of libel.

Senator Obama knows Bill Ayers simply by association. There is no evidence that their relationship goes beyond the volunteer projects they both worked on. To make the claim that Senator Obama is "palling around with terrorists" simply because he served on the same board as Bill Ayers is an incredulous and deliberate attack at his integrity by a woman who will stop at nothing to get to the top. Palin is a force to be reckoned with in this election- and I can't believe I'm saying that. Governor Palin prefaced her terrorist remark about Senator Obama by saying "This is not a man who sees America the way that I do". Just exactly how do you see America, Palin- yours for the taking? I believe that many Americans in increasing numbers see America the way that I do- screwed if you take office.

My recommended reading for further information on this issue:

CNN's Fact Check: Is Obama 'palling around with terrorists'?, October 5, 2008. Checks the statement Palin made for factual accuracy.

My Bill Ayers, an article in The New Yorker by George Packer. April 18, 2008. A great opinion piece discussing the political nonsense of placing blame or guilt by association.

Being tough is kid's stuff to politicians, an article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette by Clarence Page. Aug 6, 1997. Discusses Ayers and his work on educational reform.

Notes from the Underground, an article in the Washington Post by Desson Howe. August 15, 2003. Describes the Weatherman's beginnings and ideologies. Quite an interesting read.

The Weather Underground, a Time article by Claire Suddath. October 7, 2008. Discusses the Weather Underground's activities in the 60s and 70s. Very interesting read.