Jerry Falwell dies

By now, I assume everyone knows Falwell has died. MSNBC's afternoon/evening shows - Hardball and Tucker - covered it. I certainly will not miss him. I caught myself remembering a button I had twenty-five years ago: The Moral Majority is neither. My thinking certainly has not changed about that.

Taking Down Words has a post on Falwell and the comments are somewhat interesting. Some think the more liberal commentators are gloating over his death. I do not think so, I am not. I doubt that death will really change much.

Long gone are the days of the Moral Majority and I think Falwell faded quite a bit. That is not saying there are not large numbers who will not mourn but actually grieve at his passing.

What some miss is Reverend Falwell's sincerity. I found him a mealy-mouthed, hateful person who epitomized the far-right Christian politics. I think it was Chris Matthews who posed the question comparing Falwell with Elmer Gantry to Al Sharpton. Sharpton said something about Falwell not having ulterior motives even if Falwell's ideas were out there on the fringes. I always thought he was very sincere about his beliefs. Even this article in today's Washington Post does not change my mind that Falwell believed as he did because of his faith and not any wordily ambition.

I think many assume these far- right religious leaders are hypocrites (a la Elmer Gantry) or wingnuts or both. I do not necessarily disagree that some are self-serving, manipulative hypocrites. I only want to point out that many are sincere, well-meaning idealists who think they are doing good. By assuming them to be hypocrites, those who would oppose them will fail unless we recognize those who do honestly believe as Falwell did are not self-serving, hypocrites seeking power. This sort poses a greater danger than a legion of Elmer Gantrys.