Be Careful what you say about Falwell

[lazer47]

I and I know others won't loose any sleep over Jerry Falwell, but a word of caution,,if it is wrong for Jerry Falwell to spread hate and Vile messages about people he didn't agree with, it is also wrong for us as DUs to speak vile and hate towards him, He is gone,,let it go, and be careful you don't become like him. Peace

[gaspee]

1. Repeating his own words

is *not* spreading hate about him.

The best falwell thread of them all
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x889908

[shain from kane]

5. You're right. It's not spreading hate. It's spreading his message.

[StarryNite]

46. And his message was hate.

[shain from kane]

49. His hate, not mine. On this special day, I don't want his message to be forgiven, and then forgotten

[underpants]

35. Forum and headline?

I'm having some trouble with links. Thanks

[devilgrrl]

2. Your right, I won't LOOSE any sleep....

I'm being SERIES.

[Burma Jones]

6. That's !!!!HUGH!!!!!

[SammyWinstonJack]

21. You're right!

:evilgrin:

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

LOL

Jerry Falwell judged people based on the color of their skin, on their gender, and on their orientation.

We're judging Jerry Falwell based upon the content of their character.

[AlCzervik]

7. well done.

:toast:

[Kelvin Mace]

13. He was counted and found wanting

There is a difference between "wishing him dead" and being pleased to see him gone.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

There is?

Because I was both.

:shrug:

[Kelvin Mace]

22. Well, not to be harsh

I draw the line at wishing someone dead. But that is just me.

[acmavm]

38. He's already dead. He did that one himself. No one here

was wishing for him to die. But since he did, well...

Maybe he's getting back a little of that of which he hath sown.

[Madspirit]

23. RIGHT ON Bornagin!!...n/t

[StarryNite]

51. Exactly!

[Squatch]

3. The difference is, Falwell dragged Jesus Christ into his hateful message

[spoony]

32. So let him deal with Falwell.

[Squatch]

39. I'm sure he is.

Fuck Falwell.

[AndyA]

4. You are probably right.

In general, I guess it isn't the best think to take joy in the death of another. We will all face this at some point.

I don't like what the man did while he was on Earth, but that's between him and someone else now.

I'm not happy that he died, nor am I especially sad. I am saddened as I would be to hear of anyone's passing. Falwell did nothing special for humanity while on Earth, and spread a lot of hatred. He'll have to answer for that now.

[Kelvin Mace]

8. Mmmmm, no.

None of us have taken any action to harm him. He is dead and beyond our justice, sad to say. You cannot libel the dead, nor harm them. And while some views expressed here would distress the family, I doubt they are the types to hang out at DU.

We have not advocated his death, which he brought on himself (or his "God" killed him). Jerry Falwell destroyed people's lives? How are we destroying his?

[TahitiNut]

9. Everyone mourns in their own way.

Fuck the scolds.

[alcibiades_mystery]

14. Hear hear...the 'scolds" - I love it

The Concern Scolds.

:rofl:

[wtmusic]

10. Hate is not only ugly, it's a waste of energy

Too many of his disciples around that need re-educating.

[TechBear_Seattle]

11. Can't I be delighted that he has gone to meet his Maker?

Hasn't that been the final goal of his devout life? To stand before God with nothing hidden and be judged according to how he has lived? Isn't that the whole point of Christianity?

Why should I not be delighted that, at long, long last, Reverend Falwell attains that goal?

[samq79]

28. Don't want to go too far here, but...

There's no way Falwell is going to heaven...he's destined for a journey to a locale much warmer, if you ask me....taking the lord's name in vain is a big crime, from what i hear.

[TechBear_Seattle]

31. Point taken; subject line fixed n/t

[BuyingThyme]

12. Locking...

[hlthe2b]

18. Playing moderator, again, BT?

[hlthe2b]

15. I draw the line of distinction at

dispassionate review of his life, statements, actions--all factually drawn from the public record... VERSUS emoting on the pain, anger, and hatred the man instilled by those actions.

We saw with the passing of Reagan, the need (for some on DU as well as in the MSM) to remember a man that NEVER existed--a one-dimensional man gleaned from ANY GOOD done in his life, while forgetting the mountains of harmful things he did. We certainly don't need to do this with Falwell, but, I think we avoid being "like him" by speaking truthfully, yet dispassionately about him.

[BOSSHOG]

16. I'm reminded of Ari Fleisher circa 2002-2003 telling us to

be careful of something or other. Is this Berlin circa 1938-1939? There is a lot of hate and angst out there about Falwell, I choose not to pile on but I'd have a hard time reigning in members of our community from voicing their heartfelt opposition of this man aND what he did during his life.

[Duer 157099]

17. But there is a vital difference

Falwell spread hate about whole groups of people, much like Hitler did, based on *who* they were and how they lived.

Anger against Falwell is very specific and directed, based on his own actions *against* (key concept) others, not his own personal activities.

Get it?

[sheerjoy]

19. You got that right

what goes around...well,you know...

Imagine though if this had been the Shrub!

<g>

[magellan]

20. It isn't necessary to say a word against him

His life, in all its contemptible words and actions, speaks for itself.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

24. i woudl have to do a lot more than just pee on his grave to become like him

i would have to incite violence against an oppressed group, spread hatred while pretending to spread gods worth etc

[melody]

25. Condemning the one who condemns is not an ethical lapse ... it's a protection of ethics

Sorry, but I cannot believe the number of people over here suggesting we honor the
life of this vile sociopath. Bullies count on our decency to use against us --
that's their methodology.

Long past time to draw a line in the sand with these evil cretins. If the freepers
lurking have a problem with that, well, let it be a warning to them.

[maddezmom]

26. I am not being vile and hateful, when I repeat his words that I disagree with

All of them who have tried to secularize America, I point the finger in their face and say, 'You helped this happen.'" _ in an appearance on religious broadcaster Pat Robertson's "The 700 Club" in which he blamed the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, on pagans, abortionists, feminists, homosexuals, the American Civil Liberties Union and People for the American Way.

[EFerrari]

27. To accurately describe the man and his deeds may be

repeating hate and bile but it isn't creating it and promoting it as he did.

And just as when that bastard Reagan died, we need to counter the spin and we need to do it clearly.

[Old and In the Way]

29. I'm sad for the opportunistic divisiveness and hate-mongering that made

Falwell a rich and politically powerful man. We are living with the results of Falwell's vision for America. His personal demise is inconsequential to me...his legacy, I have to live with.

[EdwardM]

30. Everyone dies.

You know what, I realize that I have hateful emotions sometimes, but I realize they are wrong. I'm not a big fan of Falwell, but I'm not gonna insult a guy when he just died. I'm not gonna lower myself to Fred Phelp's level, not even when he dies, which should be soon considering his health. All these posts talking about Falwell burning in hell aren't helping anyone. You will die also. Death is a problem everyone has to deal with it, and I'm tired of wishing it on people.

[Hubert Flottz]

33. Jerry might come back in three days and kick the shit out of you!

But I doubt it!

[karlrschneider]

34. The bastard took way too long to croak.

Good riddance to the pigfucker.


Does that pass your purity test?

[Gregorian]

36. Thank you. (But On edit- I've change my mind about this.)

Now that I've read some posts that describe who this man really was, I can honestly say I'm glad he's gone. He was evil. And it does say "Love thy enemy". So I still have to try and remember what I've posted below.




I have anger and hatred at times. However, I feel that greatness is in transcending, and understanding, and loving. I happend to be very angry about the state of affairs the world is in , due to how people have handled themselves.

But, everyone is human. Everyone has a soul. Everyone has weakness. Everyone cries.


I find it very difficult to love Pat Robertson. But even he has weakness and sadness.


I think we need to spend time and effort to try and learn and understand our fellow humans. After all, what would the outcome of hatred be?


This is why I like the Daily Show, and Stephen Colbert. They work hard to understand. Granted they undermine. But it's not in hatred.

[Left Hook]

37. There's an old biblical saying....

"an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth."

[Lone_Star_Dem]

40. I don't agree with you at all

"By your actions you shall be known." Falwell is know by his own actions. Which is nothing at all like the way he judged entire blocks of people whom he knew nothing at all about save his broad brush prejudices.

While I see no reason to rejoice in his death, it's not because I'm worried about being like him. But rather because I know that the prejudice and hate the man sowed will not die with him. The damage caused by his life cannot be undone by his death.

[lazer47]

41. then work to undo the damage he caused, but don't

compound the problem by making more for you to do with what you cannot undo.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

47. ?

"but don't compound the problem by making more for you to do with what you cannot undo."


How am I doing such? By disagreeing with your attempt to parallel Falwell's broad brush hatred of people he knew not at all vs. the lack of respect from those here who were the multiple recipients of his condemnation and hatred?

[Arugula Latte]

42. I don't get it. Just because someone dies you can't say anything negative about him?

How about Hitler? Stalin? They're dead, too.

[xchrom]

43. i may have a speck in my eye -- but there is a log in yours.

[gatorboy]

45. Huh huh...

You said "log"....

[xchrom]

48. ...

:spray: i did didn't i!!!

[seabeyond]

44. that is a pretty obvious, unfortunately too few get the concept. they to validate

their hate with all kinds of reasons, no less than how falwell validated his.

[David Zephyr]

50. I am beyond myself with glee that this man is dead!

Because he can no longer hurt another single gay or lesbian child ever, ever again!

May Pat Robertson soon follow him to hell.

[DFW]

52. Nothing I could say could possibly condemn Falwell...

anywhere NEARLY as badly as his own words.

I wished I believed in heaven and hell, and
a judgment day for each person. Then I might
get evil, but I will merely say that the world
is worse off for every person alive that says
what Falwell said, and gets a little better every
time their hate is silenced, whether it is because
they choose to become better people, or because
Mother Nature makes the decision for them.

I do not rejoice in his death. I do rejoice that
a voice of hate and evil has been rendered mute.
I would have preferred that it be due to a change
of heart on his part, but whatever the cause, mankind
is always better off when voices that preach hate and
intolerance are silenced. Too bad it so seldom occurs
in the living.