On Falwell

Last week, I became annoyed that defenders of Falwell on Craigslist would claim that his detractors were simply "intolerant of intolerance" as if that were a kind of character flaw. Apparently tolerance means that one should just keep one's mouth shut at religious, racial and sexual bigotry, as if disagreement with bigots were a denial of -their- right to free speech or that just because he was a 'religious' man, one should respect his position. If those people are somehow not bigots, they forget that many of us have suffered because of this man's views and influence in politics. By the way, if you want an example of a religious woman whose conservative views did not hinder her from making human connections and being compassionate, see "The Eyes of Tammy Faye." So I posted back, and here it is. You get the point although I might write it differently now.

about intolerance of intolerance

it's not like that man was my racist freaky great uncle who I have to listen to at Christmas. Falwell made it his profession to be intolerant. He made money off of it. He wanted to make policy out of his views--policy that limits other people's freedom in the name of his view of righteousness. If people take their view of righteousness and live it out themselves, what can I do about it? But when they want to make laws and policies that affect my life, of course I'm 'intolerant' of the intolerant--because people are the target of -their- intolerance. People like and unlike me, but people who would otherwise be able to live their own damned lives in more freedom without interference from a government that wants us all to be a certain kind of 'good'. Jesus, save me from your so-called followers!