I had second thoughts when I was asked to read a chapter by Bill Ayers in my graduate education class. I struggled with his past but not with his educational ideas and beliefs. This introduction caused me to want to read more and, when the semester ended, I obtained the book, To Teach, and read it in its entirety. I continue to be moved/inspired by Ayers’ work and still remained troubled by his past. But a recent interview with Clarence Page on Fox news caused me to say enough is enough. I wrote this message to Mr. Page and received an immediate response:

We didn't do enough, a statement by Bill Ayers
about the soundbite echoing ad nauseam through the media:

"It's impossible to get to be my age and not have plenty of regrets. The one thing I don't regret is opposing the war in Vietnam with every ounce of my being.
"During the Vietnam war, the Weather Underground took credit for bombing several government installations as a dramatic form of armed propaganda. Action was taken against symbolic targets in order to declare a state of emergency. But warnings were always called in, and by design  no one was ever hurt.
"When I say, 'We didn't do enough,' a lot of people rush to think, 'That must mean, "We didn't bomb enough s---."' But that's not the point at all. It's not a tactical statement, it's an obvious political and ethical statement. In this context, 'we' means 'everyone.'
"The war in Vietnam was not only illegal, it was profoundly immoral; millions of people were needlessly killed. Even though I worked hard to end the war, I feel to this day that I didn't do enough because the war dragged on for years after the majority of the American people came to oppose it. I don't think violent resistance is necessarily the answer, but I do think opposition and refusal is imperative."