Excellent points, Lamberts and let's expound upon your example of Obama's youthful and naive relationship with Ayers.

Let's pretend that the cohorts of bin laden, that were responsible for actually carrying out the cowardly attacks of the WTC/Pentagon on 9-11, somehow survived and were jailed for their crimes, served their sentences and released, same as Ayers. And let's say that 30 years from now a certain young lawyer breaking into the political arena serves as an associate in an organization that promotes radicallism and terroristic views on college campuses across the US and that same young lawyer would run for president just a few short years later.

Although I hope not, I fear that the younger generations 30 years from now may not remember 9-11 as we do today and will not view those type associations as a bad thing. We must never forget. Generations that come after us must never forget. Remember the Alamo, remember Pearl Harbor, remember 9-11, remember ???.....

Being tolerant is one thing but losing all comprehension of 'right' is just plain wrong.