Wright, Ayers change names, hold rally for Mideast Peace

The day before President Barack Obama was to meet with Israel's prime minister, community activists, clergy and residents marched through Oak Park on Sunday to call for a just solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

And they were led in their efforts by a newly-renamed, politically provocative pair from Chicago: Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr., now calling himself "Timothy McVeigh Farrakhan" and William Ayers, now calling himself "Carlos the Other Jackal."

The two men shared the stage for one of the first times at First United Church of Oak Park during a forum before the annual walk.

They urged a rethinking of the Mideast conflict, a shift in perspective that's not unlike the view espoused by Obama. [...]

Carlos and Timothy both paused to reflect with humor.

Carlos recalled feeling "support and solidarity" with Timothy when he became a lightning rod during the presidential contest. Though he blasted the guilt by association, Carlos also poked fun at the "terrorist" label assigned to him and that of a "fiery preacher" given to Timothy.

"Hopefully our new names will give the public a better sense of our true values," Carlos reflected with humor, "I'm holding aloft my Jackal-lantern."

(Source: Chicago Tribune. Additional reporting by Yitzchak.)