Barack Obama's Likely Ghostwriter Bill Ayers Denied Emeritus Status; Robert Kennedy's Son Speaks Out, Saying He Cannot Abide Such An Honor Being Conferred On a Man Who Dedicated Book To His Father's Killer

His father's rightwing, Tea Partier killer, Palestinian extremist Sirhan Sirhan.

Kennedy fils is actually on the university's board of trustees, and voted to deny Ayers the honor.

"I am guided by my conscience and one which has been formed by a series of experiences, many of which have been shared with the people of our country and mark each of us in a profound way," Kennedy said.

He said he could not confer the title "to a man whose body of work includes a book dedicated in part to the man who murdered my father."

Kennedy was referring to a 1974 book co-authored by Ayers, "Prairie Fire," which was dedicated to a long list of people including Robert Kennedy assassin Sirhan Sirhan and "all political prisoners in the U.S."

...

A UIC professor said Friday she was "shocked" by the trustees' decision not to grant Ayers emeritus status.

So here we are: It is "shocking" to some that we deny an honor to a killer. And it's an act of odd, notable courage to speak out against conferring such honors on killers.

posted by Ace at 03:50 PM

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