I know the whole Falwell thing is just about played out, but I have a question?

[meatloaf]

Aren't we here at DU smart enough to understand context?

I'll admit up front that when I first read that Falwell had been found unconscious my first thought was, "I hope the s.o.b. dies." And, yes a smile stretched across my face when his demise was confirmed. Does this make me a bad person or worse still, no better than a freeper? According to many comments in recent threads many would say yes, but I would argue no and I would base that argument on context.

I did not despise Falwell simply because he was an evangelical Christian, nor because he was a conservative. I despised Falwell because he wasn't content to harbor those beliefs. He made it his life's work to spread his hatred and bigotry. He encouraged millions of others to hate and distrust right along with him, and he did it under the innoculated veil of religion. The type of hatred and bigotry he advocated made it acceptable for Reagan to ignore AIDS, for wingnuts to bomb abortion clinics and murder abortion providers, for Dubya to fund abstinence only AIDS programs, For countless brutal hate crimes against Gays and Lesbians, for Americans to look the other way as the constitution is eroded and replaced by a theocratic state, etc...

It is in this context that I believe that Falwell does have the blood of thousands and possibly millions on his hands. The hatred and bigotry he espoused gave and gives cover to policies that will result in the needless deaths of million who suffer from AIDS, it gave and gives cover to those who would deny Gays and Lesbians equal protection and equal access under the law, which make no mistake will result in needless death and suffering. In this context is Falwell really that different from Hitler, Stalin, or Pol Pot? He may not have pulled a trigger, but he sure as hell made it that much easier for those who will. And no, I don't harbor any illusions that his passing will stop the hate or bigotry he espoused or that someone won't step in to fill the void, but I can hope that they aren't as successful as he was at destroying people.

Call me crazy but I don't think Freepers or many conservatives understand context. That's why they can constantly whip out the Clenis excuse when defending Bush. "B-b-b-b-but Clinton lied". Nevermind the context, nevermind what was lied about, nevermind what's at stake. That's why I'm not worried about what Freepers or Hannity try to make out of the posts here on DU. For those smart enough to understand context I think they can discern the difference between hating for hates sake and hating for actions taken. And, if they can't, are they worth worrying about?

For those worried about hate being destructive in it's own right... I'm not sure this is an absolute so long as the hate isn't taken to an unhealthy extreme. In this case nobody here has advocated killing or assaulting anyone, and I sincerely doubt anybody worried about the Falwell family's well being will be looking to DU for sympathy or empathy. This does not make us evil, this does not make us Freepers, this makes us DUers capable of understanding the context in which Mr. Falwell chose to live his life, and the context under which we celebrate it's end.



* edited for spelling

[BOSSHOG]

1. falwell was just like the haters on right wing radio

He made a fortune because of the quantity of ignorant trash in this country. Just like limbaugh and hannity, guys who couldn't make an honest living, who had to turn to hate because there is a market for it in this country; people who listen to them to get their instruction on which group to hate this week. Helluva way to make a living.

[Tyler Durden]

2. What YOU said.

In such an eloquent manner as well.

[denverbill]

3. Freepers send toy bulldozers to Rachel Corrie's father to commemorate her death.

So I guess DU'ers aren't QUITE as bad as freepers.

[solara]

4. k&r Very well said and thank you for saying it n/t

[InvisibleTouch]

5. "The difference between hating for hate's sake...

...and hating for actions taken." That is the key phrase. Nicely stated!

People like Falwell hated others for what they are, for who and what they're born as, elements completely beyond their choice or control. I don't have any problem saying that there are people I hate for what they do, when those actions are vile and horrific, and they do have a conscious choice in taking those actions and choose to take them anyway.

edit: typo

[Vexatious Ape]

6. You're not a bad person, you're an honest person.

I was glad the SOB went toes up too.

[pepperbear]

7. and he made a TON of $ doing it too. n/t

[Gregorian]

8. You are right on.

I can't think of anything I disagree with here.

Hate is a touchy subject. But it exists. And for a reason. We are not misusing it here.


Thanks. I learned something from your post.

[classof56]

9. To quote (or maybe paraphrase) Shakespeare:

Nothing in his life so became him as the leaving of it. Fits JF to a tee.

Falwell was a terrible human being, much less Christian, and if what I as a long-time Baptist was raised to believe is correct, God has by now set Jerry straight on all the wreckage he left behind him during his stay on Earth.

Thanks for your well articulated post, meatloaf.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

10. Exactly. How many may yet live because this man died?

I see nothing to be sorry for in that.

[Bluebear]

11. Falwell was a walking horror show. Thank you for your eloquent post. nt

[CraftyGal]

12. Very well said, Meatloaf...

I am agnostic and proud of it. Why should I be told to believe in a certain way? Unfortunately Falwell, Robertson and Dobson have espoused hatred for so long. The freepers and Conservatives have hard time dealing with anything out of the realm of their little world.

I knew people in the 80's that had been shunned because they had Aids and were gay, therefore the "deserved" what they got. These were friends who died of a horrible disease and didn't need to be judged. How many lives have been needlessly lost do to bigotry and hatred?

Jesus taught "Judge not lest ye be judged also". The Freepers would do well to remember that. We seem to live in a society that is very judgmental and that is disheartening. Was I sad that Falwell died, no. I hope that God has shown Falwell the folly of his ways.

Crafty