I was alive and going about my business. I had heard of the Students for a Democratic Society. I heard of the Weather Underground on TV. I had a draft card and after being 1-A for a time I was reclassified 2-S (student deferment) after it became clear from my lottery number (23) that I would be drafted in January of the next year. I think that was 1970. I walked in candlelight vigils protesting the Vietnam war and was amazed to see hundreds of protesters on North Campus at UGA. We sang songs and heard speakers. As my graduation neared I was called by the army to take my army physical at the induction center in the old Ford Plant building down on Ponce de Leon Avenue in Atlanta. I passed the physical. I was told to be prepared to be drafted as soon as I graduated. But fate intervened and in January of 1973 or thereabouts, they stopped the draft, the war ending at last. I've been to the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington D.C. and found the name of my boy scout and school friend Michael Turner who died in Vietnam on his seventh day of service there as a U.S. Marine. The Vietnam war stirred strong emotions.

I have wondered who Bill Ayers was during that time because of the recent political campaign that called him an "unrepentant domestic terrorist." I wondered why there were no interviews with Professor Ayers. I read nothing from him, saw nothing of him, and I guess I thought he probably was a pretty bad guy who seemed to have changed his ways over the years to become an education professor. Now "education professor" really makes me think he is a very dull guy today. But finally Mr. Ayers has spoken. He waited until after the election. He is eloquent in describing himself and it appears that although he was a radical guy in the Vietnam War period, he was probably never a terrorist as we think of it today. His words however do express regrets, many regrets for his behavior, and he says that he can not imagine acting in such a manner today. So I guess you could say that he condemns his own behavior. I'm glad that he has spoken up about himself. I agree with him on one salient point. I too wish I knew Barack Obama better.

Read his short article in today's New York Times.