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My two cents…
It has to be a difficult time for Rev. Jerry Falwell’s family right now. They are going to have to deal with an intense storm of media coverage, with bloviating from the left and the right, and much of it will not be pretty or complimentary. To have to grieve so publicly is not something to wish on anyone, particularly when the departed is a political lightning rod.
He was a towering icon of the religious right movement, and he has left quite a legacy — one I cannot agree with in any form or fashion, nevertheless one cannot ignore his success at mobilizing a large portion of the electorate in ways that many organizations on the left have yet to do.
It’s sad to hear, as of last week (in an interview with CNN), he stood by his 2001 comments that gays, lesbians, pro-choice advocates and feminists were to blame for 9/11.
I wish that Reverend Falwell, who at one time was against integration and interracial marriage, could have lived long enough to see full LGBT equality finally come to pass. We all know that it will prove him terribly wrong once again – that treating one group of citizens the same as everyone else isn’t a threat to marriage, the American family or this country.
Some other comments on Falwell’s passing are after the jump…“The death of a family member or friend is always a sad occasion and we express our condolences to all those who were close to the Rev. Jerry Falwell. Unfortunately, we will always remember him as a founder and leader of America’s anti-gay industry, someone who exacerbated the nation’s appalling response to the onslaught of the AIDS epidemic, someone who demonized and vilified us for political gain and someone who used religion to divide rather than unite our nation.”
– Matt Forman, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
“We extend to Reverend Falwell the simple dignity and deference that our own families seek as part of the American family. Reverend Falwell may have attempted to make himself our adversary with his own personal attacks and political campaigns, but we remember that he remained our neighbor. As we understand that each American should be treated equally under the law, we recognize that each neighbor should receive our respect. Our thoughts and our prayers are with his widow Macel, the Falwell family and the membership of Thomas Road Baptist Church.”
– Jo Wyrick, Executive Director, National Stonewall Democrats
“Reverend Falwel’s death today causes my thoughts to turn toward the members of our community who have at great personal sacrifice contended with the Reverendâ??s work and teachings. As I remember Reverend Falwell’s life, I also remember all of the families of people who have died of AIDS. Reverend Falwell’s legacy is not about the tenants of Jesus’s ministry such as healing the sick and standing with the disenfranchised but about shunning and ridiculing those who have suffered and died of AIDS and their families. Many faith leaders today are moving away from his divisive approach and toward the compassion and inclusiveness that Jesus modeled every day of his ministry.”
– Joe Solmonese, Human Rights Campaign
“We extend our condolences to Rev. Jerry Falwell’s family and friends. He was an effective advocate for his vision of America, a vision with which we strongly disagreed.”
– People For the American Way President Ralph G. Neas, with these links to its past coverage of Jerry Falwell
“It is with great regret that Rev. Jerry Falwell never moderated his position on homosexuality,” said Truth Wins Out’s Executive Director Wayne Besen. “While our hearts go out to his family, we can’t help but to reflect on his life and think about all of the families he’s torn apart and teenagers that committed suicide because he made them feel inferior. He never missed an opportunity to kick our better angels to the curb and capitalize on our lesser demons to advance his career…Unfortunately, the anti-gay infrastructure built by Falwell survives him. With the founding of Liberty University and his legal arm, the Liberty Counsel, his legacy of intolerance will continue for quite some time.”"
– Wayne Besen, of Truth Wins Out
“I join the students, faculty, and staff of Liberty University and Americans of all faiths in mourning the loss of Reverend Jerry Falwel. Dr. Falwell was a man of distinguished accomplishment who devoted his life to serving his faith and country.”
– John McCain, who had referred to Falwell in 2000 as “an agent of intolerance.”
“While Soulforce has a long history of nonviolent direct action at Jerry Falwell Ministries, our adversary was never Jerry Falwell, but rather the misinformation about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people espoused by Falwell and so many others.”
– Soulforce Executive Director Jeff Lutes.
“It breaks my heart to think that Jerry died without ever discovering the truth about God’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender children. I sincerely hope that one day his school and his church will have a change of heart.”
– Rev. Dr. Mel White of Soulforce, who used to write for Falwell
“The passing of as public a figure as Jerry Falwell naturally garners intense media attention. Our condolences are with the Rev. Falwell’s family and loved ones during this emotional time. And as the nation’s media examine Falwell’s life and legacy, it is important that they focus attention on the damaging impact of his rhetoric and advocacy on millions of gay and lesbian people and families.”
– Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) President Neil Giuliano
***
Media Matters has compiled part of the legacy of unfortunate comments of the Reverend Falwell:
Monday, August 28, 2006 6:46PM
Tuesday, July 25, 2006 8:58PM
anymore”
Tuesday, June 27, 2006 1:06PM
Tuesday, March 14, 2006 12:38PM
Friday, December 2, 2005 6:06PM
courts”
Wednesday, November 9, 2005 6:13PM
Thursday, April 28, 2005 1:01PM
Tuesday, February 15, 2005 5:45PM
Wednesday, February 9, 2005 1:01PM
Wednesday, December 22, 2004 12:03PM
Tuesday, December 21, 2004 7:07PM
Thursday, December 16, 2004 1:20PM
Monday, December 13, 2004 5:52PM
Monday, December 6, 2004 10:42AM
Thursday, December 2, 2004 6:54PM
Monday, November 29, 2004 4:36PM
Wednesday, November 24, 2004 11:04AM
Wednesday, November 24, 2004 11:04AM
Tuesday, November 23, 2004 3:27PM
Tuesday, November 16, 2004 1:05PM
Monday, November 8, 2004 1:13PM
Wednesday, July 14, 2004 7:43PM
51 Comments
Joe & WayneJoe Solmonese and Wayne Besen sum up my thoughts nicely. I might also ad this.
remember Rev. Mel White?Rev. Mel White was a ghostwriter for Falwell (and other evangelicals), but came out in 1992. He divorced after trying all the quack remedies for teh gay, and he’s been with his partner for 27 years. They live in Lynchburg, not a large city, and Falwell had no shame in demonizing gays even though he had worked fairly closely with one and still lived in the same town.
False witness, anyone?
I can forgive ignorant bigotry easily, but betrayal of friends and neighbors is far more base.
Ding Dong, the Witch Is DeadJerry Falwell was a sick bastard, and I greet his death with unmitigated joy. If the hell he believed in actually exists, he’s there right now, wailing and gnashing his teeth for the things he did.
Couldn’t agree moreThere will be an anti-Memorial rally here in San Francisco at Harvey Milk Plaza on Castro Street today at 5PM. I hope there are more all over the country.
Mel White’s BookAt the request of a Christian lesbian friend, I read Mel White’s autobiography, Stranger at the Gate. It’s pretty good. I regret that all of the efforts of Mel White and Soulforce could not change Jerry’s mind.
RalliesRallies in honor of Falwell’s death are the the WORST thing we can do for gay rights.
SickThat’s as sick as anything the Phelps Family did EVER. Leave his family to grieve in peace. I don’t think Harvey Milk would be proud either if he were alive to see this spectacle.
my feelings go to his family for one reason, To lose a loved one is hard to deal with, as I lost my father 1 1/2 years ago. My dad was a great man who didn’t understand GLBT issues and had his oppinions from long time being taught that Homosexuality was wrong for reason he kept to himself. He had a hard time understanding me being transgender, but he had an open mind, that let him see that I am still his child, still a human being, and not the stereotype that Jerry and his ilk spread. My father got to know his new daughter before he passed, and took his time to spread the word about me in the light that he finally saw me happy when I came out, and changed the minds of many who thought the negetives about gays, lesbians, and transgender people. Jerry died with the hate in his heart for those of us, and he will get what he deserves. I celebrate his death for the reason he can’t spew his shit no more. And as the rest of his followers pass away, I will celebrate those as well. When they can see that I am just as human as they are, than I will celebrate their life.
Holly….you are sooooo right!I can’t think of anything worse for the collective gay rights movement that to hold a rally in honor of another humanbeing’s death. Either we are better than that, or we are not. There is no inbetween, no ‘buts.’ A husband, father, and grandfather died today. I know what he did to us, I know what he said about us…but to hold an anti-memorial rally is just pathetic.
We MUST be better than our advesaries, no matter how hard it is at times.
BullshitWe have every right to remind the public of what this hateful bigot really stood for. I hate the hypocrisy of refusing to speak ill of the dead. This man did irreparable harm to our community.
Count me outThe classiest way for a gay American to acknowledge that vile man’s death is to utterly ignore it.
Celebrating the death is a big, big mistake.
Laughing at this post is about as far as I’m willing to go.Jerry Falwell died of heart failure.
Rally’s Not Good Public RelationsBut still, I’ve got to say, some of the remarks here- and I love Pam but I have to include hers- are much too reverent for such a lowlife as Falwell. The “ding-dong, the witch is dead” variety is really more appropriate. When somebody so thoroughly evil kicks the bucket, it is logically a call for celebration. Some of the icky sympathy stuff, I might add, seems disingenuous. Not everybody deserves the same respect. Falwell’s family? Don’t make me laugh. Look, the Virginia Tech murderer, Cho, was a pain in the ass to his family all his life. In fact, it’s amazing he didn’t kill THEM. I feel sympathy for the Chos. Why on earth should I feel anything but contempt for the Falwells? Likewise, when Dick Cheney kicks off- and it can’t be far
away, it looks like he lives on pork rinds- do we overlook that he intentionally got us involved in a bogus war
that took what is fast approaching 3500 American troops?
Yes- “Our hearfelt sympathy to Lynne Cheney, Elizabeth
Cheney, Mary Cheney, and in certain selected states,
Heather Poe.” Gimme a break. There is a time for respect and decorum at someone’s passing, and a time to celebrate it. We are all created equal, but we don’t WIND UP equal.
Not everyone deserves the same all-purpose Hallmark condolence card.
Anti-Memorial RallyOk, nobody liked this asshole. Snarky comments are one thing–I admit to making “Ding Dong, the Dick is Dead” and “piss on his grave” comments–but an anti-memorial rally would accomplish nothing but bad PR for the gay community. We have every right to be glad this guy is wormfood, but a rally? That is overstepping it, and right wingers will throw this back in our faces for years to come. If we are going to have something thrown in our face, let’s make it count for something.
I agree, HollyDancing on someone’s corpse is ghoulish and does nothing to rise above the hate and ignorance that Falwell promoted out of his misguided faith.
Ayup.The best response is indifference. Don’t legitimize his hatred by giving him attention for it in death.
Dignity, folks (not the Catholic kind)Snarky jokes in private are great.
Serious discussion in public of the damage Falwell has done is great.
Praying for the soul of this spiteful man is fine, if futile. (God might listen, but would Jerry be willing to repent?)
Holding an anti-Falwell rally is no better than the Phelps family. Really – we know better than to do that.
For his kids, he’s the only father they have, even if he was an SOB. For the wife, that’s x number of years together raising kids. The kids and the wife have already read all the charges against Falwell. They have to be exposed to some of them again, because they are now newsworthy by proxy. But we don’t have to dogpile on in public with demonstrations.
Re: Holly….you are sooooo right!The scary thing about this though is that his audience will perceive the lack of an angry response as being a typical weak kneed liberal thing. Those people are craaaaazy!
AgreeI’ve made my disgust of the man quite clear, and in spite of that, I feel no need to “celebrate” his death. In fact, I feel no need to acknowledge him at all. He’s dead, thank God, Goddess, or whoever is judging his soul right now. No more words of hatred towards us will utter from his mouth. For that, I’m glad.
Or do something constructiveThis would be a splendid time to make a memorial donation in the Reverend’s name.
To PFLAG.
To GLAAD.
To Plannded Parenthood.
To your local GLBT community.
You can do good, and thumb your nose at the same time.
Donate to soulforce And have them deliver a big card and flowers. A big bus or two, followed by the Fagbug. I would support this. But how to word the card?
Fundamental DisagreementIf I remember correctly the Phelps’ put up an anti-memorial in Casper, Wyoming for Matthew Shepherd or at least tried. As Holly said above, either we are better than that or we are not. There’s no buts or anything else in between.
Larry Flynt – Will interesting to hear / read his condolencesSince he’s the only American to prevail over Falwell and his stupidity all the way to the Supreme Court.
Falwell’s Deadill
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of the dead, I am speakin’
PhelpsTurns out that holding anti-Falwell rallies would be exactly like Phelps.
I totally disagreeThe minute gay people go “respectable,” we become marginalized. The most effective thing we could do as a community is demonstrate by the thousands with the message: “Good riddance, you hateful bastard!”
Jerry Falwell Dead
I guess there is not much left to say as Jerry’s life’s work says it all; namely to demonize and keep gay folk marginalized in order to get the base all jacked and hyped up and to keep them in this emotional state. It was a very successful formula that he learned early on. This very persistent gay bashing was a huge part of his formula-to maintain the hyper frenzied state of the empty and misguided souls. We all know this very simple Modus Operandi continues to very effectively rally the evangelical and other bigoted groups resulting in a still very formidable, and powerful base not to mention maintaining the foundations of many lucrative christianist careers and industries. To Jerry, the means always justified the ends.
Poor Jerry did not realize that his life was and will always remain a shining example of a perfectly good life wasted to its fullest extent possible. May God have mercy on his soul.
RIP.
Jerry FalwellHis slobber was fit badge for his breast. I’d pray that hate did not define his life, and that God helped him move beyond the fear and ignorant bigotry he espoused. 1 John 4:20 (Whole Chapter)
If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.
Great NewsOne should not have to pretend to mourn someone one strongly dislikes. That would be disingenuous. The fact is that Falwell was a hateful human being in word and deed. Good riddance. Frankly, I rejoiced at the news.
CelebrationWhile many above have said it’s wrong to celebrate another’s death,I would remind you of the elation that swept a great deal of the world to learn of Hitler’s death. In my mind, Falwell was no better than Hitler, except that Falwell was more like Goebbels, putting out outrageous propaganda and trying to turn his flocks against whomever he didn’t like or disagreed with and totally disregarding his victims’ humanity. So, yes, I’m glad he’s dead. When I heard the news yesterday, I started singing “Happy Days Are Here Again”. Now if only we’d lose a few more to the Grim Reaper.
Goebbels, Thankyou, What a sweet man he was.
Goebbels was known for his zealous and energetic oratory, virulent anti-Semitism,
and perfection of the so-called Big Lie technique of mass propaganda. http://www.calvin.ed…
Reminds me of a few still breathing.
Interestingthat CBS last night said he had apologized for that remark.
“It’s sad to hear, as of last week (in an interview with CNN), he stood by his 2001 comments that gays, lesbians, pro-choice advocates and feminists were to blame for 9/11.”
Already re-writing history they are.
Close bed quarters among church and stateFor those who think we should mourn this man, know this: today coming into work, I passed the Tennessee State Capitol and the flag was at half mast so were the flags at all the judicial offices including the state supreme court.
Think this man was just another religious nut? Think again. People like Falwell and his ilk infiltrated our courts and our legislatures simply in order to make laws that destroy people like you and me. They have universities intent on doing nothing but churning out hateful little replicas of themselves that take over business, education, and government.
All the while we were playing nice afraid to speak the truth.
I’m glad he’s gone and I can’t WAIT for Robertson to follow him!
ROCK ON CALLIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!There is not much more to say after what you have just said C.
You’re way nicerto his family than I am. A family that benefits from his peddled evil with never a word or action against it deserves nothing but contempt.
Osama bin LadenWhen Osama bin Laden dies, how many people will be sending condolences to the family? Do you think there might be a little celebrating going on in this country?
How many LGBT kids committed suicide because they were rejected by parents who listened to Jerry Falwell? How many have had to sell their bodies to survive after being kicked out of the house? How many people who died from AIDS might have survived had Reagan not been under the influence of people like Falwell? Falwell was responsible for far more death and misery than Osama bin Laden.
I think the commments here in response to this post on AmericaBlog are a bit more representative of the feelings in the community.
Princess Sparkle Pony has a musical tributeCheck out Princess Sparkle Pony’s post today. S(he) dug up some catchy old tunes from Jerry Falwells church of way way back.
“The Monkey Song” and “Ecumenical Movement” are sure to be classic cult hits!
And apparently Larry King is gonna have Larry Flynt on his show tonight for an Extra Special Tribute to Falwell.
People feel bad for the familyas if we all know for sure they are upset about him being “raptured”. For all we know they are partying at the mansion. Besides, who knows what goes / went on behind the doors of churches?
Judging from Falwell’s demiseI bet it has a lot to do with bacon . . .
I detestedFalwell and I detest all those others of his hateful, narrow-minded, Bible-beating ilk. I am personally very happy he is no longer among the living, and I will rejoice as others like him join him in taking that long dirt nap.
BUT
A rally to celebrate (regardless of what it’s called) his death does our cause a whole lot more harm than good. It will be thrown back in our face for years to come. The best thing we can all do is to celebrate privately and simply ignore his death publicly. The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference.
Good Points, ClaudeNot just about Falwell, who looked and sounded like an evil clown, but about Reagan, who too-often seems now like some sort of great and benevolent statesman. Thousands of gay men died because of Reagan’s pandering to Falwell. And I might throw in, I wish back then Little Ronnie had sashayed into the Oval Office and said, “Dad, there’s something I have to tell you…” Yes, I know it’s a difficult decision, and a very personal choice, I’m aware of that. But there’s no getting around the fact that people like Reagan were so clueless they thought they didn’t know any gay people. In Reagan’s case, he did. His son. And had he known that, he might have told Falwell to shove it. (Or not… who knows.)
The enemy you know……is better than the enemy you don’t, or whatever that old saying is.
An article in today’s WaPo is an interesting read, and perhaps we should be more worried about people who aren’t Jerry. We might miss him:
http://www.washingto…
Sad. But true, I think… (n/t)
Falwell hadn’t been a kingmaker for a while….before he died. However, he had a specific role, and that role was to clearly articulate the things that the more politically savvy evangelicals tended to talk about in code in a mixed audience. (They all sound alike when talking to evangelical-only audiences). He also had great strategic effect by starting a conservative evangelical univ. with degrees in mass communications, journalism, politics, etc and a culture emphasizing participation in government and propaganda-making as a way towards dominionism.
Dobson, D.James Kennedy, R. Land are all of the same generation as Falwell, but have retained importance in politics, partly because they didn’t have a widely publicized organization crash on them like Falwell did with Moral Majority. The elder generation is able to influence the elder generation of donors and of politicians, who might not go for an ideologically compatible but stylistically divergent young guy like the Mars Hill pastor.
SurprisedI’m just surprised that God couldn’t keep him around for the Rapture. Jerry said it was going to occur soon!
couldn’t agree morehow someone can stand aside and watch someone hurting other people is something i can’t understand. my sympathies most emphatically do NOT go out to the families and friends of bigots like falwell.
anyone with half a heart would have disassociated themselves from that piece of human garbage long ago.
Maybe that was the raptureand he was the only one holy enough to be taken!
Robertson, James Dobson, the Hutch, Porno Pete,And the WBC phelps gang, the faster they follow the better!!!
Im glad Jerry Falwell is dead.Im glad Jerry Falwell is dead.
I can only hope those that follow him and those who do not believe in ‘Seperation of Church and State’ follow him into the dirt quickly.
The type of people are useless and ruining the world and the earth we live on.
Much like George W. Bush and all his cult followers.
SPAM 3
Thanks!We’ll clean up this lil mess…