Jerry Falwell

Yesterday I was looking at the Whole Wheat Radio chat. For some reason, the part of tdiscussion was about Jerry Falwell and someone commented that he was sorry about something. I piped in that he was just a sorry individual. Later, I learned that he had just died and regretted my comment. As sorry an individual as he was, Falwell was a human being who was loved by his family and, I am sure, loved in return. I also learned via, skippy, that I violated the Thurman Munson rule of improve, which is never to make fun of someone on the day they die. I'm not an improv performer but I can see giving the newly deceased and his family a moment of peace in their sorrow

So now Falwell's been dead for over 24 hours, I can resume my normal perspective: Falwell was a bigot, a small minded individual and hateful. The world is no better for his life or even his passing. He institutionalized his hatred so that others may carry it on even as they claim to follow the Prince of Peace. If you need evidence, Timothy Noah has neatly catalogued Falwell's litany of hate and distortion at Slate.

Bring your own barf bag.