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More on the Debates: Falwell’s Legacy |
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Did anyone else go to bed on May 15th, 2007 feeling that America, perhaps the world, got a little more tolerant? Perhaps you noticed that the political arena was a little less sickening? If you didn’t notice that, then you didn’t notice that Reverend Falwell died.
Calling that man a Reverend or doctor or a “man of God†is an insult to every person who actually earned that title. On the news some programs were actually analyzing the good things he did in life and someone brought up the University he founded, Liberty University, which operates under guidelines so strict and outdated that it made pre-war Afghanistan look like the Playboy Mansion. But there isn’t much I can say about him that wasn’t already said by Christopher Hitchens, and you can read that here.
Falwell did do one thing that might benefit us all: he was the man who helped expose Senator John McCain for the self preserving douche bag politician that he is, and because of that we all witnessed the straight-talk express run itself off the tracks when Falwell invited McCain to speak at his university (which McCain did) and then said McCain was qualified to be President. Without that single act people might think he’s actually qualified.
And he did another thing that was great for America: He helped make Larry Flynt famous. If you don’t know what I’m talking about then rent The People vs. Larry Flynt and enjoy freedom of speech and expression at its finest. Sure, many disagree with pornography and certain things that Mr. Flynt says, but I believe he himself said it best when he said, “if you don’t like it, don’t buy it.†That kind of phrase is universal in many ways.
As for his “legacy,” Falwell actually worsened the cause he was trying to “save.†Since he founded the so called “Moral Majority†in 1979 Abortions, out of wedlock births, and divorces have all gone up in numbers, whereas the number of marriages and overall Church attendance has gone down. Heckuva job there Jimmy (I’m still trying to get that started). But I guess talking bad about a dead guy isn’t “The Liberty Way.†Good thing too, because a goal of mine in life is to be banned from Liberty University without ever actually going there.
At least Larry Flynt admits he’s a smut peddler.
Interesting that you find yourself in agreement with Hitchens - he’s largely known to me as one of those bizarre people who took a turn from one strange ideology (Trotskyism, in his case) to another (neoconservatism). He’s rabidly anti-Islam, from what I can see, and has made the latter part of his career on that basis. I see where he’s coming from about Falwell, though personally I don’t see the need for such venom. The best way to fight intolerance is with tolerance, in my view - I’m sorry that Falwell died just like I’m sorry when any other person dies. With that said, however, I agree with your broader point that with the fragmentation of the Religious Right, and with the passing of admittedly nasty figures like Falwell, perhaps there will be a real change in the tone of American politics.
Hitchens is like Dennis Miller in the sense that I kind of agreed with most of what he said 10 years ago. Watching him debate Sean Hannity the day Falwell died, however, was priceless and I’m currently looking for that clip.
Yeah I’d love to see that, you should post a link if you do find it. I applaud Hitchens at least for having the courage to criticize Falwell publicly; I think a lot of people, even major public figures, don’t necessarily know what to say about Falwell’s death.
I can’t say I’m happy Falwell died either, but I approve of the negative press he has gotten post-mortem. These articles are largely truthful and are a direct consequence of the life Falwell chose to live. While he might not have deserved to die, he deserved the bashing he got by the press when he did.