Zayd Ayers Dohrn, son of Weather Underground leaders Bernardine Dohrn and Bill Ayers, recounts his chaotic, peripatetic upbringing on the run from the FBI. By age three, he was coached to recognize plainclothes officers, recalling it as a game of dress-up. His family encountered gangsters, IRA members, and abortion activists, alongside undocumented migrants.
The Weather Underground's Origins
The group formed in 1969 by student activists outraged by Vietnam War atrocities. Originally called the Weathermen (from Bob Dylan's lyric), they changed the name to be inclusive. Dohrn's mother Bernardine was their leader, declared by J. Edgar Hoover as "the most dangerous woman in America." Her iconic wanted poster image belied the sexism she faced.
Violent Actions and Consequences
The Weather Underground organized 1969 Chicago riots, resulting in 250+ arrests, 23 officers hurt, and six protesters shot. After a 1970 townhouse explosion killed three members making nailbombs, they shifted to property bombings, targeting FBI HQ, the Capitol, and the Pentagon. Despite significant damage, the group remained tiny and lacked mass support.
Family and Politics
Dohrn's parents prioritized political commitment over family, with Bernardine's love taking second place "even if her own children wound up as collateral damage." Remarkably, Dohrn doesn't hold it against them. Bill Ayers never served prison time; Bernardine served only seven months. Dohrn became a playwright and screenwriter, not a revolutionary.
Book's Unique Perspective
The book originated from the podcast Mother Country Radicals, adding intimate narration and reflections on his liminal childhood. Dohrn draws parallels to today's era of "American authoritarianism and racial reckoning." Dangerous, Dirty, Violent & Young is published by Chatto & Windus (£22).
