On the Falwell threads - who should be DU's Moral Majority?

[RiverStone]

Jerry Falwell founded the reprehensible Moral Majority.

Those bigoted actions have had consequences for many folks since --- as much as it disgusted me, Falwell had a right to express his very narrow minded beliefs.

So given that theme, who would you propose sets the moral barometer on DU?

I understand some folks find the celebrations in poor taste; yet where would you propose DU draws the line? Drawing moral lines is exactly why many of us could not stand Falwell's rhetoric.

I personally choose not to celebrate, but simply point out who the man was in HIS own words.

per this link:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

His legacy speaks for itself; and I respect anyone's right to acknowledge his death how ever they choose.

[spoony]

1. So there should be no moral lines, okay.

That'll help everyone. You're going to have to convince Skinner to delete those pesky rules though. :eyes:

[RiverStone]

6. There is a difference...

example:

DU forums rule #3 - Civility: Treat other members with respect. Do not post personal attacks against other members of this discussion forum.

* * * * * *

We can respect the rules of the road on DU - and express (whatever) regarding his death.

I don't believe expressing celebratory feelings around Falwell's death infringes into the zone of attacking anyone personally. We would have a very similar representation of threads if Shooter's heart gave out.

I appreciate there is grey area and the mods work hard to canvass zillions of posts; though having grown up in the heart of the Bible Belt (Georgia) I saw first hand how many of Falwell's bigoted actions contributed to feelings of us vs them and in general, was very divisive.

He played with fire - I totally understand why folks felt burned at the time, and now express those feelings now that he is gone.

[spoony]

10. You missed the point by a country mile

You said "Drawing moral lines is exactly why many of us could not stand Falwell's rhetoric" in your attempt to condemn people raining on your day of celebration. But you obviously do not apply the same nonsensical argument to DU itself, or else you'd be protesting that people can't say any stupid thing that wanders into their head (not necessarily about Falwell, but about anyone) because some things are over "a line." Moral lines are necessary. Disagreeing with where Falwell put those lines is one thing, but condemning the concept itself is silly.

[RiverStone]

15. So where do you stand?

Are you advocating moral lines on DU?

Are you opposed to the threads dissing Falwell?

I'm not clear what your concern actually is? DU is a forum - part of being a forum includes a wide range of diverse opinions (including feelings around the death of Falwell). Rules here are no different then stopping at traffic lights. Those make sense. Deciding how one chooses to recognize Jerry Falwell's death is a matter of personal choice. He was a bigot in life and expressed very strong and argumentative views - why would people's feelings about him here be any different in death then they were when he was alive?

I can follow the rules - no problem there. Though I sense your trying to impose your values on whats "proper" as we process the death of a very bigoted man.

[spoony]

18. "Impose" is such a dishonest, loaded word

I have no power to "impose" anything here. I haven't even alerted on any of these bloodthirsty posts (who could keep up anyway?). All I am doing is what you're doing: exercising the right to our opinions. In my opinion, people celebrating their foes' deaths are ghouls.

The question of moral lines raised in the OP is quite beside that point, and I'm not arguing it relative to Falwell's death, only relative to the notion that drawing moral lines means people who try to do so are automatically disliked or bad.

[mcctatas]

2. Nicely put...

but now I feel guilty for calling all my sibs and my mom to be the bearer of good news...my mom said "thank you sweetie, I needed some good news today!"...;)

[porphyrian]

3. I say I should be able to tell everyone on DU what they can say or do.

My opinion is obviously the one that's right.

[mcctatas]

5. GW???

didn't know you were a DU'er, but it's nice to have the decider on our team!:evilgrin:

[porphyrian]

7. Well, I was looking for midget porn, but Dick blocked the site from my office. - n/t

[Tyler Durden]

4. The Moral Majority was NEITHER.

The damage they did will persist for another generation.

I do not mourn Falwell or regret his demise. He was a hypocrite, a bigot, and in the words of Dante "...an evil counsellor.."

There is a special circle in the Inferno for his ilk, according to "The Divine Comedy."

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

8. I think some times a person can be so immoral...

that the proper thing to do IS celebrate their death.

[RiverStone]

9. Plenty of examples in history for that...

Good point!

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

11. I'm reminded of Cicero's second Phillipic.

Cicero's considered one of history's greatest rhetorical speakers, and in this speech he condemns Marcus Antonius like you could not believe. Personal attacks galore. At one point he even calls him a gay prostitute. He totally would have gotten the second Phillipic deleted on DU. And that was Cicero. Sometimes, it's called for.

[Redstone]

12. Not me, cool. He DID have the right to way whatever he wanted; I also DO have the right

to say good fucking riddance.

I've expressed sympathy for LOTS of rightwingers who've had health problems and so on, but that scumbucket was beneath contempt.

Redstone

[HockeyMom]

13. I would consider Jimmy Carter the most "moral" on the left

He didn't just PREACH, he LIVES it.

[Dukkha]

14. no one follows the WWJD creed more than him

and he's a carpenter!

[RevCheesehead]

16. It sure isn't going to be me.

I'm having trouble reconciling the prohibition on posts about Tony Snow's cancer, and the reactions not only of today, but also of other deaths (like the Pope). So, who, exactly are we going to tolerate, and who's fair game? I'd like the rule book, please.

[depakid]

17. I say he deserves what he would have gladly given others

Seems to me, that's derision.

Derision earned.

Many times over.