Jerry Falwell dies at age 73

The Rev. Jerry Falwell, the television evangelist who founded the Moral Majority and used it to mold the religious right into a political force, died Tuesday shortly after being found unconscious in his office at Liberty University. Falwell is survived by his wife, Macel, and three children, Jerry, Jonathan and Jeannie. Click to read the full story

I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People for the American Way -- all of them who have tried to secularize America -- I point the finger in their face and say, "You helped this happen." -- Rev Jerry Falwell, blaming civil libertarians, feminists, homosexuals, and abortion rights supporters for the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001

As someone who qualifies for three of the five above mentioned groups (I am not a Christian, am pro-choice, and I don't believe that women should be relegated to the kitchen barefoot and pregnant) I'd really like to throw a celebratory party because this man is dead. My knee-jerk reaction on reading this news was to cheer wildly and do a little jig because the world had one less intolerant, ignorant, loud-mouthed hatemonger in it. My next step was to email my friends/accessories to terrorism (according to Falwell's definition) and check out my favorite alternative, special interest news source for reactions from the community. As one would expect, a large number of reactions are similar to mine with comments ranging from "I hope's burning in the hell he tried to assign to us" to more simple "Good riddance to bad rubbish" type comments. Others are more like my reaction after I thought about it, expressing condolences to the family, but also breathing a sigh of relief because this man would have hunted us down and started the new Inquisition. I don't feel guilty about my relief at his death or the realization that I will outlive most of his ilk (e.g. Pat Robertson, Fred Phelps etc) because it is still not safe to be any of the following: non-Christian, non-Caucasian, pro-choice, homosexual... The list goes on, but I'm sure you get the idea. I think a member of the community stated this position best by saying,

"It would have been better if he had opened his mind a little before he passed, then to have passed being so far right. He caused a lot of pain and used his position to try and drive us down into the ground. If this had been reversed, if he knew me and what I believed in, and I had died....I am sure in his minds eye he would be dancing a little jig.
Like begets like. He spewed forth nothing but hatred for those like us. If he had his way, he would have repressed us and taken away the most fundamental rights we have. And he would have done so, happily, without remorse."

Ultimately, I wish him no ill and give my sincere condolences to his loved ones. Any individual who is genuinely loved by at least one person cannot be completely irredeemable. And while it is not my way, it is better to love (and forgive) thy neighbor. There are no caveats on the "Love thy Neighbor" dictum, and I'm very sorry that this passionate man missed that point. I cannot love him, but I can give him forgiveness. So I say,

Good-bye Mr. Falwell. I forgive you and pray for your peace and enlightenment in death. Better luck next time around."