Update to the Freeper and KMJ radio attack on WeatherUnderground's Ayers in Fresno, CA

[annm4peace]

Here is an update by Fresno Bee. Note how Bee doesn't report how many went to the movie or the lecture.

http://www.fresnobee.com/2010/04/22/1906953/ayers-speec...



7:52 p.m.: About 50 people, including members of the Central Valley Tea Party and a U.S. Marine, showed up to protest the viewing of the film “The Weather Underground” tonight at the First Congregational Church on Van Ness Boulevard near Yale Avenue.

The coordinator for the Tea Party’s protest, Steve Brandau, said the group showed up to show its opposition to progressive socialism.

Members of the Tea Party showed up around 6 p.m. and the viewing of the film was scheduled for 7 p.m. with a discussion with William Ayers after.

2:19 p.m.: The location of Friday's lecture by controversial professor William Ayers has been changed to accommodate a larger audience, Fresno State officials said this afternoon.

The 2 p.m. speech -- "Pay Attention and Be Astonished: Ethical Action and the Creation of the Public Square" -- has been moved from the Alice Peters Auditorium to the Satellite Student Union. A reception and book-signing will follow at 3:30 p.m.

At 4:30 p.m., a screening of the film "Central Station" will be offered in McLane Hall Room 121. Ayers will lead a discussion.

All events are free and open to the public.

Ayers' visit has attracted controversy because of his connection to the anti-war Weather Underground movement, which claimed responsibility for bombings around the country in the early 1970s. Ayers also was a polarizing figure in the 2008 election because of questions over his relationship with now-President Obama. Obama opponents said the two were closely associated, which Obama's camp denied.

Read more: http://www.fresnobee.com/2010/04/22/1906953/ayers-speec...
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Also,

Same thing with local Fox News. They report # of Teabag protesters but not who attended

http://www.kmph.com/Global/story.asp?S=12361417

Controversial Figure Screens Film In Fresno

Posted: April 22, 2010 11:28 PM



A controversial political activist is making some stops in the Central Valley.

Bill Ayers, co–founder of the radical 70's organization "The Weathermen" is in Fresno this week.

On Thursday Ayers spoke at the First Congregational Church in Fresno and held a screening of the film "The Weather Underground."

The film features Ayers and the Communist Revolutionary Group which claimed responsibility for Vietnam–era bombings in protest to the war

"The message that he's trying to give today is take a stand against oppression, take a stand against the war, because the things that went on in the late 60's and early 70's and through history are still going on to this day," said Chad Rodriguez of the Brown Berets.

Not everyone gave Ayers a warm welcome; members of the local Tea Party protested Ayers visit saying he should not be allowed to teach his message at a church.

Ayers will be speaking at Fresno State on Friday.

Stay with KMPH and KMPH.com as we continue to follow this story.

[annm4peace]

1. to see the start of the controversy see here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=141x37125

Because of the fallout from radio KMJ's interest in this week's screening of the film "The Weather Underground" which will be attended by Bill Ayers, the State of California Department of General Services revoked our permission to hold the event in the Hugh M Burns State Office Building. The event will now be held at the First Congregational Church, located at 2131 N. Van Ness Blvd. in Fresno, at the corner of Van Ness and Yale.

The date and time remain the same, April 22nd at 7 PM.

If you know anyone who is planning to attend, please advise them of this change.

This event is being widely publicized and criticized by radio KMJ, the Free Republic and the Tea Party. They plan to have a demonstration at 6 PM on the 22nd, presumably at the location of the event. If you attend, please remember that the first amendment still applies to us all and that these people have as much right to protest this event as interested persons have to attend it. Let's hold to the principles of tolerance and justice that we espouse and share this event peacefully. To quote Gandhi, "We must be the change we wish to see."

Sincerely,
John Maylone
Director, Creative Independent Activist Front

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KMJ had a news report on Ayers.. and then on the KMJ website I see they even wrote and article on the venue change of Ayers event.

So did KMJ did a hit piece on Ayers and then say " It is a mystery where his speaking event is going to be."

Here is the news announcement and interview with a neo-con christian conservative "accuracy in media"

http://www.kmj580.com/common/global_audio/174/18162.mp3

and new KMJ article on change of venue.

http://www.kmj580.com/pages/landing_news?60s-Radical-Ay...

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Did you attend either of these discussions? How many folks were there?

[annm4peace]

5. Sadly I was not able to attend.

I was in Fresno for a week and left on Weds. I have been looking forward to receiving emails on how the event went.

[BurtWorm]

3. 'not allowed to teach his message at a church'?!

What part of the First Amendment do they understand? Not one bit of it apparently.

And these clueless motherfuckers call themselves patriots! Their un-self-aware hypocrisy is nauseating!

[tb1988]

4. I agree that he should be allowed to speak but

I do have problems with his present position. He has never really been critical of the mistakes Weather Underground made. When the people died in NY making a bomb, they were going to use the bomb at an enlisted soldiers' dance - that would have set the anti-war movement back in a major way.

Other members of the Weather Underground like Mark Rudd have been very critical of some things they did. Ayers should do a better job of looking critically at what they did - we don't want the kids today emulating making a bomb for an enlisted soldiers' dance.

[EFerrari]

6. I didn't get that impression at all when watching his CSPAN

In Depth interview. You might want to check it out.

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/286874-1

[annm4peace]

7. Fresno Bee report on Ayers event

I have to say it makes me look even more forward to reading what my friends have to report.

http://www.fresnobee.com/2010/04/23/1908417/about-12-pr...


About 12 protest outside Ayers speech
Posted at 03:11 PM on Friday, Apr. 23, 2010
By Tracy Correa and Paula Lloyd/The Fresno Bee


About 50 people, including members of the Central Valley Tea Party and a U.S. Marine, showed up Thursday night to protest the viewing of the film "The Weather Underground" and a discussion led by William Ayers at the First Congregational Church.

Ayers is also scheduled to lecture today at Fresno State.

The coordinator for the Tea Party's protest, Steve Brandau, said the group wanted to show its opposition to progressive socialism.


Some University of Wyoming students and faculty are denouncing the college's refusal to let former 1960s radical William Ayers speak on campus.

About 80 people attended a rally Thursday organized by a group calling itself Wyoming Students for Free Speech. UW student Meg Lanker says the university should be a place where ideas can be heard and debated.

Lanker and Ayers are suing the university for not allowing the University of Illinois at Chicago professor speak on campus next Wednesday. Lanker invited Ayers for the event after the university canceled a previous lecture he was to give on education issues.

Bill Ayers and a University of Wyoming student are suing the school after it banned the former 1960s radical from speaking on campus.

Ayers, who is a professor at the University of Illinois-Chicago, makes college speeches and is routinely picketed, but the University of Wyoming last week banned him from using any university venue for a planned April 28 lecture.

Ayers and student Meg Lanker sued on Thursday, asking a federal judge to issue an injunction and allow the lecture. The lawsuit alleges the ban violates free speech rights and the freedom to assemble.


We've had government bailouts of Wall Street and failing businesses. We're embarking on an era of expansive government regulation of health care. Millions of Americans are of the opinion that President Barack Obama is a socialist.

But the free market has a pulse. Deals still are done by mutual consent, with prices largely set by supply and demand.

For evidence, you needn't look further than Sarah Palin and Bill Ayers, both of whom are being paid to show up on local California State University campuses.




William Ayers, a controversial figure connected with the anti-war movement in the early 1970s, spoke before a crowd of 250 people at Fresno State, where he praised teachers and the importance of free speech.

Friday's lecture was moved to a larger venue -- the Satellite Student Union -- after interest in Ayers swelled.

About 12 people gathered outside to protest just before the 2 p.m. speech titled "Pay Attention and Be Astonished: Ethical Action and the Creation of the Public Square."

On Thursday night, about 50 protesters showed up at the First Congregational Church in Fresno where Ayers also spoke.

Ayers has sparked controversy because of his connection to the anti-war Weather Underground movement that claimed responsibility for bombings across the country in the 1970s.
About 12 protest outside Ayers speech




About 250 people turned out to listen to William Ayers, a controversial educator-activist, speak Friday in the Satellite Student Union at Fresno State.


Now a professor at the University of Illinois, Chicago, he was a polarizing figure in the 2008 presidential election. He lived in the same Chicago neighborhood as Barack Obama and they served on a board together.

"It is a fact we shared a boardroom," he said about Obama in an interview before Friday's lecture. "We are not sharing a milkshake with two straws."

Ayers said he doesn't believe protesters distract from his message. He said he met with a half-dozen Fresno protesters Thursday and found they share some common ground.

Nearly everywhere, an Ayers speaking engagement has generated controversy.

At the University of Wyoming in Laramie, about 80 students held a rally Thursday after the school refused to allow Ayers to speak. Ayers said the university's president bowed to pressure and threats from "people with torches and pitchforks." He has joined a lawsuit filed by a UW student over the matter. A federal court hearing is set for Monday.

Friday in Fresno, protesters debated whether Ayers should have been allowed to speak.

John Smedley of Madera Ranchos, a member of the Central Valley Tea Party, held a sign that read: "We love America -- don't blow it up, Bill." On the back, it said, "Freedom is the opposite of Communism. Stay free."

Smedley and Richard Stone of Fresno, a member of the Fresno Center for Non-Violence, engaged in a heated, but polite, discussion before Ayers' lecture.

"I sincerely doubt Ayers is a communist," said Stone, interrupting Smedley.

"Is it my turn now?" Smedley asked.

"Yes, if you say something logical," Stone said.

"But logical to me might not be logical to you," Smedley said, as both men laughed.

Susan Brown of Fresno, also a Tea Party member, said Ayers should not have been allowed to speak. "He participated in such terrible acts against our country," Brown said.

[annm4peace]

8. Almost decent news coverage of Ayers event and inteview will Bill Ayers

well, I must say that was a better interview i have seen in a long time by a network news station.

http://www.ksee24.com/news/local/91987329.html?video=YHI&t=a

William Ayers is a professor at the University of Illinois. He's also considered a highly controversial activist dating back to the 1970's. He gave a lecture in front of a mixed crowd at Fresno State. KSEE 24 caught up with Ayers one on one.