Zayd Ayers Dohrn's memoir, Dangerous, Dirty, Violent & Young, recounts his childhood on the run with his parents, leaders of the militant Weather Underground. By age three, he was taught to spot plainclothes FBI agents. He recalls long night drives between safehouses and encounters with gangsters, IRA members, and undocumented workers.
Weather Underground origins and actions
The group formed in 1969 by student activists outraged by Vietnam war atrocities. Initially called the Weathermen, inspired by a Bob Dylan lyric, they later changed the name to be inclusive. Dohrn's mother, Bernardine, was the leader, whom J. Edgar Hoover called "the most dangerous woman in America." The group organized riots in Chicago in 1969, resulting in over 250 arrests and numerous injuries. After a 1970 nailbomb accident killed three members, they abandoned direct attacks on people but continued bombing buildings like the FBI headquarters, Capitol, and Pentagon, always issuing warnings.
Family and political commitment
Dohrn describes his mother's political commitment as paramount, even if her children were "collateral damage." His father, Bill Ayers, was never jailed; Bernardine served only seven months. Despite this, Dohrn does not hold it against them. He became a playwright and screenwriter, not a revolutionary. The book originated as a podcast series, Mother Country Radicals, but adds intimate narration and reflections on his liminal childhood.
Parallels to modern times
Dohrn draws parallels between his parents' era and today, stating, "We are in a new era of American authoritarianism and racial reckoning." The memoir offers nuggets of counter-culture history, including his parents springing Timothy Leary from jail.
