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KNS Coverage of Falwell Death Sickening
Submitted by Elrod on Tue, 2007/05/15 - 11:11pm.
I'm well aware that when a prominent person passes away, we are all supposed to say only nice things about him...or nothing at all. I've never adhered to that, especially with respect to public personas because I think it conveys a false humility. If you really detest a guy, say so. But I'm in a minority on that score and that's fine by me.
More after the break...
In that vein, there are ways to remark upon fallen controversial figures without editorializing. Consider Jerry Falwell's death. It's no secret that I loathed the man and just about everything he stood for. But there's an appropriate way for a newspaper to mention his death. Consider the Chicago Tribune: "Rev. Jerry Falwell dies at 73." Short and to the point, with a few fairly balanced editorials underneath about his legacy. Or the New York Times' "Jerry Falwell, Moral Majority Founder, dies at 73." This one adds a bit of his resume to the headline. Then there's the Washington Post's article, "Conservative Evangelist Dead at 73." Again, gives some detail on his ideological and theological proclivities. All of these are neutral, acceptable headlines that neither praise nor deride the recently deceased Jerry Falwell.
But then there's the Knoxville News-Sentinel headline that goes well beyond the neutral. It seemingly quotes a John McCain eulogy that claims Falwell "served Faith and Country." The linked article is just the AP piece, but the headline reveals something unseemly.
Jerry Falwell was a hateful man who used the shroud and legitimacy of fundamentalist Christianity to advance a bigoted agenda. He was also obsessed with his own fame and power. He did more to promote reactionary social policy within the Republican Party than any other figure. He was a divisive, ego-driven man who exploited the prejudices of millions of Americans in order to serve his narrow sectarian agenda.
I don't expect the Knoxville News-Sentinel to air my opinions regarding Jerry Falwell on their front page or as a headline. But I do expect the newspaper to at least recognize that Falwell was not some uncontroversial and beneficent man who advanced the values of America and Christianity. Run a non-controversial headline and then give us a sycophantic editorial in a separate link if you must. But don't link to the AP article on his death with such a biased headline. It's insulting.
Submitted by Socialist With ... on Tue, 2007/05/15 - 11:23pm.
Bravo.
--Socialist With A Gold Card
"I'm a socialist with a gold card. I firmly believe we need a revolution; I'm just concerned that I won't be able to get good moisturizer afterwards." -- Brett Butler
Submitted by Andy Axel on Wed, 2007/05/16 - 12:04am.
I do expect the newspaper to at least recognize that Falwell was not some uncontroversial and beneficent man who advanced the values of America and Christianity. Run a non-controversial headline and then give us a sycophantic editorial in a separate link if you must. But don't link to the AP article on his death with such a biased headline. It's insulting.
Insulting indeed.
Large questions loom. Are we faced with a national existential crisis?
One LiveJournal author puts it thus:
Who's going to help America find its moral center now that there's no longer a lying, crooked, blackmailing, anti-intellectual, censorious, fake-doctorate-holding, libelous, gay-bashing, tax-cheating, fraudulent, debt-ridden, doomsaying, anti-Semitic, self-aggrandizing, racist, theocratic son of a bootlegger to do it for us?
The question is not insignificant, and I suspect that the queue forms behind the GOP presidential bandwagon.
Hopefully, the KNS will provide us with the guidance we so desperately need in these troubled times; in this, the dawn of our despairing hours.
I've been none too happy with some of the comments I've seen in other places about Falwell today - rejoicing in his death, for example. If nothing else, I assume he had family who loved him, and rejoicing in anyone's death is just plain old bad taste.
But death doesn't change the fact that he was, at best, a deeply polarizing figure who repeatedly declaimed that many of us, - including me, since I'm both a feminist and a card carryin' member of the ACLU - were basically moral degenerates AND reponsible for 9/11. Let's have some reporting that recognizes that, shall we?
I noticed the Maryville Daily Times headline appropriately summed up Falwell's last ten years, focused mostly on stewardship of Liberty University. Much better than "Served Faith and Country."
Besides all of the political, social, intellectual, and other errors he made pronouncements on, I find this one perhaps the most reassuring.
Jerry Falwell had said many times that he never expected to die. Well, not in so many words. But he did say that he fully expected god to rapture his ass outta here. Guess he got that wrong, too.
I wonder how long he had to realise that he wasn't going to go directly to heaven--do not pass Go--and that his ever-loving aspirations on that count were about to be disappointed.
Submitted by redmondkr on Wed, 2007/05/16 - 11:05am.
In times of trial such as these I often seek refuge in cartoons. Here are a few samples from newspapers around the country bidding a fond Falwell Farewell.
Note: These pages can be exasperatingly slow to load.
Submitted by Mark Shetterly on Fri, 2007/05/18 - 8:07pm.
As much as you may hate to admit it Mr. Falwell was right about a lot of things. It seems that you can't say anything or anyone is right or wrong anymore without someone calling you a bigot or homophobe or racist or whatever other terms the Marxist left uses to defame people with whom they disagree.
The fact that many of you "progressive" folks just don't want to hear is that YES the homosexual agenda, feminism, the devaluing of life through legal infanticide and the secularization of the public forum by perverted organizations like the ACLU have helped to degenerate American society and culture to the point where other cultures look upon us with shock and disgust. Partly because of this you have events like 911, Virginia Tech, Columbine, the Amish school shooting and any number of other obvious signs that we have seriously deteriorated as a people.
When you take away the moral base of a culture what do you think is going to happen. When no one wants to hear about right and wrong anymore, when there is no black and white only gray, when everything and anything is ok there is no way to go but down. It's ancient Rome.
The narcissism and moral relativism that is rampant in America will be our undoing. Literally our death as a society. You can defame and insult those who try to fight it or at least point it out or make it better like Ronald Reagan, Jerry Falwell, James Dobson, even media folks like Glenn Beck, Laura Ingraham and Sean Hannity. It doesn't make the truth go away.
So say what you want about Jerry Falwell. You're only making yourself look like a bunch of deluded wannabe socialists.
When you take away the moral base of a culture what do you think is going to happen. When no one wants to hear about right and wrong anymore, when there is no black and white only gray, when everything and anything is ok there is no way to go but down.
Would that be the same culture whose moral base allowed them to pass out smallpox infected blankets to indigenous Americans? The same morale base that allowed the purchasing and selling of other humans based soley on their "race"? The same moral base that allows that culture to sell weapons to both sides in a war? The same moral base that denies healthcare to the same infants that they railed about not killing? Don't take this wrong but you're one seriously deluded shit.
Submitted by Andy Axel on Fri, 2007/05/18 - 9:27pm.
Pretty bird. Pretty bird. Pretty bird.
____________________________
Deliver this message to the one I love the most:
"I've lost all my money to a 300 pound ghost."
Squeaky was a sad child; the product of neglect.
Got stoned by a jellyfish demanding her respect...
Submitted by Mark Shetterly on Sat, 2007/05/19 - 10:56pm.
Go ahead and dismiss the message when you don't like it. The truth is still there even when you refuse to look. Somrday you'll not be able to look away and then it'll be too late.
Submitted by Beth_Maples-Bays on Sun, 2007/05/20 - 4:17pm.
I look at the bulwarks of Christian Nationalism such as Falwell, James Dobson, and D. James Kennedy as I do any other zealots and hatemongers - a danger to the integrity of this consitutional democracy and human rights and liberty for all. Their insistence that I am, as a lesbian feminist and civil libertarian, an enemy of the state only points out their myopic and self-righteous viewpoint that they have spent the last several decades trying to cram down the throats of anyone who will pause and listen. I listen, but with the critical ear of one raised in the Christian Nationalist/mega-church milieu. They are the dangers to our society, not the progressive community. I know. Having spent years in both camps, I have planted my feet firmly in the positive, human-affirmative freedom of the progressive community. I thank the Goddesses for them.
Bravo.
--Socialist With A Gold Card
"I'm a socialist with a gold card. I firmly believe we need a revolution; I'm just concerned that I won't be able to get good moisturizer afterwards." -- Brett Butler
That was probably a typo in the KNS. Surely they meant to print "Jesus called him homo".
(Apologies in advance to any homosexuals who are offended at the idea of having something in common with the currently frying lying bastard.)
CAFKIA
-----------------------------------------------------------
It is impossible to defeat an ignorant man in argument.
- William G. McAdoo
Insulting indeed.
Large questions loom. Are we faced with a national existential crisis?
One LiveJournal author puts it thus:
The question is not insignificant, and I suspect that the queue forms behind the GOP presidential bandwagon.
Hopefully, the KNS will provide us with the guidance we so desperately need in these troubled times; in this, the dawn of our despairing hours.
____________________________
Georgia's in Florida, dumbass!
If KnoxViews had cubes, I'd send them your way.
I've been none too happy with some of the comments I've seen in other places about Falwell today - rejoicing in his death, for example. If nothing else, I assume he had family who loved him, and rejoicing in anyone's death is just plain old bad taste.
But death doesn't change the fact that he was, at best, a deeply polarizing figure who repeatedly declaimed that many of us, - including me, since I'm both a feminist and a card carryin' member of the ACLU - were basically moral degenerates AND reponsible for 9/11. Let's have some reporting that recognizes that, shall we?
His memory is a shame. His life was a tribute only to paranoia and hate. He's an icon to that. Nothing else.
I noticed the Maryville Daily Times headline appropriately summed up Falwell's last ten years, focused mostly on stewardship of Liberty University. Much better than "Served Faith and Country."
Falwell's blackened little heart has rendered him dead...There...I said something good.
Besides all of the political, social, intellectual, and other errors he made pronouncements on, I find this one perhaps the most reassuring.
Jerry Falwell had said many times that he never expected to die. Well, not in so many words. But he did say that he fully expected god to rapture his ass outta here. Guess he got that wrong, too.
I wonder how long he had to realise that he wasn't going to go directly to heaven--do not pass Go--and that his ever-loving aspirations on that count were about to be disappointed.
In times of trial such as these I often seek refuge in cartoons. Here are a few samples from newspapers around the country bidding a fond Falwell Farewell.
Note: These pages can be exasperatingly slow to load.
Come See Us at
The Hill Online
As much as you may hate to admit it Mr. Falwell was right about a lot of things. It seems that you can't say anything or anyone is right or wrong anymore without someone calling you a bigot or homophobe or racist or whatever other terms the Marxist left uses to defame people with whom they disagree.
The fact that many of you "progressive" folks just don't want to hear is that YES the homosexual agenda, feminism, the devaluing of life through legal infanticide and the secularization of the public forum by perverted organizations like the ACLU have helped to degenerate American society and culture to the point where other cultures look upon us with shock and disgust. Partly because of this you have events like 911, Virginia Tech, Columbine, the Amish school shooting and any number of other obvious signs that we have seriously deteriorated as a people.
When you take away the moral base of a culture what do you think is going to happen. When no one wants to hear about right and wrong anymore, when there is no black and white only gray, when everything and anything is ok there is no way to go but down. It's ancient Rome.
The narcissism and moral relativism that is rampant in America will be our undoing. Literally our death as a society. You can defame and insult those who try to fight it or at least point it out or make it better like Ronald Reagan, Jerry Falwell, James Dobson, even media folks like Glenn Beck, Laura Ingraham and Sean Hannity. It doesn't make the truth go away.
So say what you want about Jerry Falwell. You're only making yourself look like a bunch of deluded wannabe socialists.
Would that be the same culture whose moral base allowed them to pass out smallpox infected blankets to indigenous Americans? The same morale base that allowed the purchasing and selling of other humans based soley on their "race"? The same moral base that allows that culture to sell weapons to both sides in a war? The same moral base that denies healthcare to the same infants that they railed about not killing? Don't take this wrong but you're one seriously deluded shit.
CAFKIA
-----------------------------------------------------------
It is impossible to defeat an ignorant man in argument.
- William G. McAdoo
Pretty bird. Pretty bird. Pretty bird.
____________________________
Deliver this message to the one I love the most:
"I've lost all my money to a 300 pound ghost."
Squeaky was a sad child; the product of neglect.
Got stoned by a jellyfish demanding her respect...
I certainly hope someone kept the receipt.
Go ahead and dismiss the message when you don't like it. The truth is still there even when you refuse to look. Somrday you'll not be able to look away and then it'll be too late.
Remember it's not that the enlightenment didn't happen. It's that it didn't matter.
True happiness is knowing you are a hypocrite. -- Ivor Cutler
I look at the bulwarks of Christian Nationalism such as Falwell, James Dobson, and D. James Kennedy as I do any other zealots and hatemongers - a danger to the integrity of this consitutional democracy and human rights and liberty for all. Their insistence that I am, as a lesbian feminist and civil libertarian, an enemy of the state only points out their myopic and self-righteous viewpoint that they have spent the last several decades trying to cram down the throats of anyone who will pause and listen. I listen, but with the critical ear of one raised in the Christian Nationalist/mega-church milieu. They are the dangers to our society, not the progressive community. I know. Having spent years in both camps, I have planted my feet firmly in the positive, human-affirmative freedom of the progressive community. I thank the Goddesses for them.
The Equality Herald - East Tennessee's source for LGBTQ news and commentary
Yes, I too long for the days of 1952. Of course, I am a white male :)
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