For Immediate Release
October 22, 2001
Americans United for Separation of Church and State
Contact: Joseph Conn or Steve Benen
202-466-2334 telephone
202-466-2587 fax
http://www.au.org
JERRY FALWELL TRIES TO CASH IN ON CONTROVERSY
TV Preacher's Ministry Sends Out Fund-Raising Appeal Exploiting His
Controversial Tirade Over Terrorist Attacks
Although TV preacher Jerry Falwell claims to have apologized for his
infamous remarks about the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, his ministry has sent
a fund-raising letter to donors recasting his statements in a positive light
and depicting him as a victim of the news media "wolf pack" and "liberal
lies."
In an Oct. 4 appeal for funds, Jerry Falwell Ministries accuses "liberals,
and especially gay activists" of launching "a vicious smear campaign to
discredit him." It says Falwell is "being roundly vilified by the news media
for remarks he made in a TV interview while calling for spiritual revival in
America."
The letter, signed by Falwell's son Jonathan, compares Falwell to biblical
heroes such as the Prophet Jeremiah and Queen Esther and says, "Liberals of
all stripes, especially in the media, have seized on this opportunity to
trash dad's deeply held Christian beliefs and to literally attack him day
and night."
"It seems that Satan has launched a hail of fiery darts at dad recently,"
writes Jonathan Falwell. "He needs to know you still support him. Please
return the enclosed Vote of Confidence Reply Card right away in the envelope
I have provided within the next 5 days�. And with your card, please remember
to include a special Vote of Confidence gift for Jerry Falwell of at least
$50 or even $100 along with your signed card."
Falwell's critics say the fund-raising letter is a new low.
"This is truly outrageous," said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director
of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. "Falwell has gone
from apologizing for his hateful remarks to trying to cash in on them.
"I thought Falwell couldn't sink much lower than he did in his vicious
remarks after the Sept. 11 tragedy," continued Lynn. "But this fund-raising
letter is indeed a new low."
On Sept. 13, Falwell went on TV preacher Pat Robertson's "700 Club" program
to discuss the terrorist attacks. With Robertson's concurrence, Falwell
blamed the events on judges who uphold church-state separation, abortion
rights activists, gay people, civil liberties activists and others who are
"trying to secularize America."
Said Falwell, "I point the finger in their face and say, �You helped this
[the terrorist attack] happen.�"
When a wave of intense national criticism erupted, Robertson blamed the
episode on Falwell. Falwell initially tried to explain away the remarks,
saying they were taken out of context. Finally, however, he issued a full
apology, going on ABC's "Good Morning America" Sept. 20 to admit the tirade
was "stupid" and "indefensible."
The Falwell fund-raising letter says donations to his ministry have
plummeted in recent days and claims "we have lost more than $500,000 in
income since the terrorist attacks."
It complains that "even some Christian friends have remained silent while
dad has faced the media wolf pack alone." In a P.S., it concludes,
"[P]lease let Jerry Falwell know you don't believe the media distortions
being spread about him."
Americans United is a religious liberty watchdog group based in Washington,
D.C. Founded in 1947, the organization educates Americans about the
importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.
