This is from Slate. The condemnations of Falwell from people like Senator
McCain illustrate that in fact he practiced a "politics of hate" and his desire
to eliminate all public schools, his attacks on Jews, Moslems and others were
in fact the practice of a kind of constitutional politics in the streets. He
was very much a "constitutional player" and it is important not to gloss over
the games he played.
Paul Finkelman
chatterbox
Jerry Falwell's Hit Parade
The right's holy fool.
By Timothy Noah
Posted Tuesday, May 15, 2007, at 6:56 PM ET
God, they say, is love, but the Rev. Jerry Falwell, who died May 15, hit the
jackpot trafficking in small-minded condemnation. The controversies Falwell
generated followed a predictable loop. 1) Falwell would say something hateful
or clownish about some person or group associated with liberalism. 2) A public
outcry would ensue. 3) Falwell would apologize and retract the offending
comment. 4) Falwell would repeat the comment, slightly rephrased.
For 20 years, evangelicals have chided the mainstream media for treating
Falwell's ghastly pronouncements as news; Falwell, they often confide in
private, ceased being a significant figure well before he left his signature
political organization, the Moral Majority, in 1987. If so, someone forgot to
tell Sen. John McCain, R.-Ariz., who as a presidential candidate in 2000
condemned Falwell's intolerance ("The political tactics of division and slander
are not our values, they are corrupting influences on religion and politics,
and those who practice them in the name of religion or in the name of the
Republican Party or in the name of America shame our faith, our party and our
country") but last year, as a presidential candidate positioning for 2008, made
peace with Falwell and gave a commencement address ("We have nothing to fear
from each other") to the 2006 graduating class at Falwell's Liberty University.
On news of Falwell's death, McCain said in a statement, "Dr. Falwell was a man
of distinguished accomplishment who devoted his life to serving his faith and
country."
Nonsense. He was a bigot, a reactionary, a liar, and a fool. Herewith, a
Falwell sampler.
On Sept. 11: "The abortionists have got to bear some burden for this
because God will not be mocked. And when we destroy 40 million little innocent
babies, we make God mad. I really believe that the pagans, and the
abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively
trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People for the American
Wayâ"all of them who have tried to secularize Americaâ"I point the finger in
their face and say 'you helped this happen.' "
On AIDS: "AIDS is the wrath of a just God against homosexuals."
On homosexuality: "I believe that all of us are born heterosexual,
physically created with a plumbing that's heterosexual, and created with the
instincts and desires that are basically, fundamentally, heterosexual. But I
believe that we have the ability to experiment in every direction.
Experimentation can lead to habitual practice, and then to a lifestyle. But I
don't believe anyone begins a homosexual."
On Martin Luther King Jr.: "I must personally say that I do question the
sincerity and nonviolent intentions of some civil rights leaders such as Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr., Mr. James Farmer, and others, who are known to have
left-wing associations."
On Martin Luther King Jr., four decades later: "You know, I supported
Martin Luther King Jr., who did practice civil disobedience."
On public education: "I hope I live to see the day when, as in the early
days of our country, we won't have any public schools. The churches will have
taken them over again, and Christians will be running them."
On the separation of church and state: "There is no separation of church
and state."
On feminists: "I listen to feminists and all these radical gals. ... These
women just need a man in the house. That's all they need. Most of the feminists
need a man to tell them what time of day it is and to lead them home. And they
blew it and they're mad at all men. Feminists hate men. They're sexist. They
hate men; that's their problem."
On global warming: "I can tell you, our grandchildren will laugh at those
who predicted global warming. We'll be in global cooling by then, if the Lord
hasn't returned. I don't believe a moment of it. The whole thing is created to
destroy America's free enterprise system and our economic stability."
On Bishop Desmond Tutu: "I think he's a phony, period, as far as
representing the black people of South Africa."
On Islam: "I think Mohammed was a terrorist. I read enough of the history
of his life, written by both Muslims and non-Muslims, that he was a violent
man, a man of war."
On Jews: "In my opinion, the Antichrist will be a counterfeit of the true
Christ, which means that he will be male and Jewish, since Jesus was male and
Jewish."
Rest in peace, you blowhard.
Timothy Noah is a senior writer at Slate.
Article URL: http://www.slate.com/id/2166220/
Paul Finkelman
President William McKinley Distinguished Professor of Law
and Public Policy
Albany Law School
80 New Scotland Avenue
Albany, New York 12208-3494
518-445-3386
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 05/17/07 12:42 AM >>>
On May 16, 2007, at 8:28 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> ...God knows, as does Imus, there is almost nothing so fearful as
> to be subject to characterization as a hater in the current construct.
Wanna bet? Try being the object of such hate.
Jean
Yes, this is the voice of experience.
>
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