Ayers' flap sparks forum on speech freedom

The emotions sparked by the scheduled appearances of controversial author Bill Ayers in Naperville earlier this month will have a formal outlet Monday.

Anderson's Bookshop is holding a forum on freedom of speech to discuss the backlash that caused Ayers' appearances at the store and Naperville North High School to be canceled.

"We hope to accomplish that people, no matter how they felt about the issue, maybe we can have a civil discourse on this and realize freedom of speech not only in the country but in Naperville is very important," said Becky Anderson, co-owner of the bookstore. "We're not asking people to change their minds, but maybe understand each other better."

The event is at 7 p.m. Monday, April 20, at the bookshop, 123 W. Jefferson Ave. in downtown Naperville. The event is free and no reservations are required.

Ayers, a University of Illinois-Chicago education professor, gained notoriety in the 1960s and 70s when he co-founded the Weather Underground, an anti-Vietnam war group responsible for a series of bombings at public buildings. He had faded from the spotlight until his ties to President Barack Obama were called into question during the November election.

Ayers was scheduled to speak at both Naperville North High School and Anderson's Bookshop on April 8 but when the community learned of his impending appearances, some residents flooded Naperville Unit District 203 and Anderson's with angry phone calls and e-mails. On newspaper Web sites, commenters repeatedly referred to Ayers as a terrorist.

The controversy that erupted prompted both District 203 and Anderson's to cancel the events.

"It literally made me sick to make that decision," Anderson said.

But store employees had become concerned about the responses they were receiving from what she calls "a very vocal minority who expressed themselves very hysterically."

"I was shocked by the reaction by some people, and to tell you the truth, it went nationwide what happened here," Anderson said. "People were looking at Naperville like what's wrong with Naperville ... people can't have civil discourse and behave like this."

Ayers has discussed the controversy with the Daily Herald. He said he has never hurt or killed anyone and has been inaccurately portrayed by his critics.

Monday's forum will be moderated by Stephen Maynard Caliendo, associate professor of political science at North Central College. There will be both a panel discussion and a chance for public participation.

Panelists include Jane Barnes, president of the Naperville League of Women Voters; Keith Carlson, Naperville Central High School communication arts teacher and Central Times student newspaper adviser; and Steve Macek, associate professor of speech communication and coordinator of urban and suburban studies at North Central College. Additional panelists may include a student representative of the Naperville North High School student newspaper and two other community members.

While Ayers won't be in attendance Monday, Anderson said she would eventually like to invite him and his wife Bernardine Dohrn, also a '60s-era activist and now associate professor of law at Northwestern University, to talk about the book they wrote on race relations.

"It's a book that does good," Anderson said. "If people bother to find that out, we could have a great discussion about it."