Falwell Dead--One Less Bigot

The world has one less right-wing homophobic bigot. Jerry Falwell, founder of the Moral Majority is dead. While it is not polite to speak ill of the dead, in this case I will make an exception. While I sympathize with his family for their personal lost, we cannot ignore the evil of Jerry Falwell’s political legacy. Indeed, Falwell came to symbolize all that is wrong with conservatism in the United States. Let’s not forget that Falwell condemned the civil rights movement as well as Dr. Martin Luther King. Like Reagan, who Falwell helped elect for political power, he supported Apartheid in South Africa. In the name of “Christianity” he supported very un-Christian economic and social policies that hurt the poor and rewarded the rich. Like Osama bin Laden and Islamic terrorists, he called 9/11 God’s judgment upon secularism, feminism and homosexuality. He vilified gays and lesbians for political gain. He attacked the Constitutional principle of the separation of church and state and advocated a theocractic government, which the founders of this secular democracy adamantly opposed. It would be tempting to find some comfort in the death of such a person who has brought so much harm to our democracy and to gays and lesbians, but the truth is that bigotry and homophobia did not die with him. He has left behind an army of holy warriors who will no doubt continue his assault on equality, freedom and social justice. I find no cause for rejoicing or celebration in what our future may hold.