Announcment: Jerry Falwell has died
Breaking news on the internet is that Jerry Falwell has passed away, aged 73. Falwell stood for everything that I despise about religious dogma and bigotry, but there will be plenty of other occasions to talk about that. Human life is the most treasured possession we have, and I cannot revel in this news. My heart goes out to his friends and family.
A Load of Bright 
I applaud your taking the high road here. But I’ll also gladly take the so-called ‘low:’ This man stole more life from the living than many mass murderers. I cannot feel anything but rejoicing at his death. The world will be far better off without him, and I hope we never again see his equal.
BlackSun - May 15, 2007 at 6:28 pm |
What do you mean Blacksun?Rejoicing at the death of someone.Explain yourself
BANGAMBIKI - May 15, 2007 at 6:52 pm |
I, too am curious, Blacksun. There are many ideological foes in the world, what is it about J.F. that’s prompted such a harsh response? I know very little about the man, other than that he was on the religious hard right.
Polly - May 15, 2007 at 7:27 pm |
Jerry Falwell built his empire by promoting hate and fear. There really isn’t much he hasn’t done from supporting Apartheid in South Africa to declaring that AIDS was a punishment for being gay. You name the group (even other Christian groups) and I can probably find you an attack upon them by the good reverend.
It is also his group (The Moral Majority) that we have to thank for the advent of George Bush and the various Christian Dominionists that are on the loose in America.
Like BlackSun, I’m glad he’s dead and I also hope that his empire collapses in on itself in the coming months.
KC - May 15, 2007 at 9:43 pm |
Tobe: I’m glad your heart goes out to Falwell’s friends and family, but when it comes back you might have it check with your brain. The man was the grossest of villains. Too bad he didn’t die sooner.
Polly: Falwell prompted such a harsh response because he represented, as only a few others have, the worst kind of hate-filled, rabble-rousing, theocratic thuggery in America.
The Exterminator - May 15, 2007 at 10:06 pm |
The Exterminator said:
Appreciated, but there’s nothing wrong with my brain (any more than usual, at least). I agree completely with all the comments criticising Falwell. His crimes and their consequences can not be overstated. And, make no mistake, when I criticise Falwell, which I intend to do in the not too distant future, my words will be as harsh and cutting as anything you have read anywhere tonight. But there is a time for such words, and standing over a still-warm dead body, is not it.
tobe38 - May 15, 2007 at 10:12 pm |
Falwell is part and parcel of the rise of the religious right which has brought the U.S. to the brink of theocracy. KC hit it right on the money.
In no particular order, this man’s political action has led to bans on funding for stem-cell research, gay marriage, repression of erotic art and other free-speech, the election of G.W. Bush, and the Iraq war. He has blamed gays and atheists for 9/11 and Katrina, among other things.
Falwell and his ilk have held this country back decades. I have often said “Ideas are more important than people.” And this is a perfect example. In Falwell’s case, his ideas and methods are far worse than the man could ever have been. So though I’m glad to see him gone, his sons and others will quickly rise to fill his shoes. But at least we won’t have that jeering, leering face of his to look at or see his finger wagging after the next disaster or terrorist attack.
I’m going to echo Salon’s dismissal of Senator Jesse Helms when he retired:
http://archive.salon.com/politics/feature/2001/08/23/helms/index.html
“Good-bye, Reverend Know-Nothing!”
BlackSun - May 15, 2007 at 10:18 pm |
I have all kinds of things to say about Falwell, however I am atempting to restrain myself as best I can, although I have not fully suceeded on certain other websites. I do recognize that there are people who are grieving, and their feelings do merit consideration.
I will just say that I opposed everything the man stood for, but I feel bad for his family and friends. Anything else will have to wait untill the dust settles.
anti-nonsense - May 15, 2007 at 11:02 pm |
Interesting. Thanks for the feedback.
I’m going to go out on a limb here and guess that I’m pretty far to the right politically compared to most here. I’m not politically active beyond voting. Being pro-life I’m not fond of embryonic stem cell research. Like many others in this country (about 50% in fact) I voted for Bush, too. And even if I wouldn’t do it again, I still wouldn’t have voted for the other guy, either. There are many who supported the war from the beginning and still haven’t changed their minds. I’m not one of them, but they’re not the worst people in the world. As far as blaming atheists and gays for disasters, obviously he suffers from the same delusion as many other religio-nuts.
I thougt he was some kind of Fred Phelps or David Duke (of KKK infamy), the way it sounded, though. What I’m hearing is he was a wing-nut with a penchant for crazy talk. Sorta like that Pat Robertson who’s always calling in imaginary air strikes against foreign heads of state.
Awful! Heh, the “Moral Majority.” If that’s already so, why does the country need him?
He wanted to return us to the stone(ing) age. Yup, I certainly won’t miss him, then.
It’s too bad… the religious will never know they were wrong. 😦
Polly - May 15, 2007 at 11:58 pm |