Context of remarks is clear: stupidity

OFF/BEAT GLIDEWELL E-mail: Click here Archive

By JAN GLIDEWELL

© St. Petersburg Times,
published September 18, 2001

They have already retreated hastily to the land of "out of contact," the last refuge of nitwits embarrassed at having been caught saying really stupid things, but before that, Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson managed to partially blame last week's terrorist attacks on American targets on the American Civil Liberties Union, feminists, gays and abortion rights supporters.

I, of course, am ready to defend to the death these two bozos' First Amendment rights to free speech and to express an opinion, mostly because the same rights give me the chance to voice my opinion that they have progressed from being laughable clowns afraid of Teletubbies and into the region of being dangerous purveyors of hatred.

Falwell's Web site hurriedly posted a statement saying he regrets that his remarks "during a long theological discussion" on a Christian Television Program . . . were taken out of their context and reported, and that my thoughts -- reduced to sound bites -- have detracted from the spirit of this day of mourning."

And the CBN Web site carries a statement by Robertson adding pornography, the occult, the courts removing prayer from schools, and watching television or being on the Internet instead of praying to the list of reasons why God is "lifting his protection from this nation."

Here are the remarks that Falwell says were taken out of context, as transcribed by the People For the American Way (another organization Falwell blames for our troubles) and reported by the Washington Post:

"God continues to lift the curtain and allow the enemies of America to give us probably what we deserve," said Falwell, appearing Thursday on the Christian Broadcasting Network's 700 Club, hosted by Robertson.

"Jerry, that's my feeling," Robertson responded. "I think we've just seen the antechamber to terror. We haven't even begun to see what they can do to the major population."

Falwell said the American Civil Liberties Union has "got to take a lot of blame for this," again winning Robertson's agreement: "Well, yes."

Then Falwell broadened his blast to include the federal courts and others who he said were "throwing God out of the public square." He added: "The abortionists have got to bear some burden for this because God will not be mocked. And when we destroy 40-million little innocent babies, we make God mad. 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.' "

Okay, Jerry, if they were taken out of context, in what you characterize as a "theological statement not a legal statement," then please explain the context in which they are acceptable.

And keep in mind that it was your buddy Pat who was saying earthquakes, tornadoes, terrorist bombs and "possibly a meteor," were going to hit Orlando three years ago because the city, gasp, allowed gays and lesbians to hang rainbow flags from street lamps to support diversity.

A couple of years ago, I was all but booed off a stage by a group of religious women who thought I was crude, rude and disgusting (as if that was a surprise to any of my regular readers) but mostly because I had displayed the temerity to make fun of Jerry Falwell's magazine warning us that Tinky Winky the Teletubby was a homosexual out to convert our children.

I was taken to task for "helping to promote the homosexual agenda by attacking a fine man like Mr. Falwell."

I didn't attack him,

I just said morons like him make my job as an occasional humorist easy.

It just goes to show that there is no shortage of dangerous religious zealots in this world -- even here.

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