Rev. Falwell Passes Away

Television evangelist Reverend Jerry Falwell died yesterday, apparently of a heart attack. As leader of the Moral Majority, he made evangelicals a political force to be reckoned with; their influence culminated in the election of George W. Bush, a born-again Christian, for President.

Falwell was also vicious, sanctimonious, and a hypocrite, yet he moved with a certainty only a fanatic could possess. Rev. Falwell considered 9/11 attacks and Hurricane Katrina to be acts of divine retribution, a punishment for America’s wicked ways (for being pro-gay and pro-abortion, to name a few of its sins). I wish I had nice things to say about Rev. Falwell but I don’t.