May 17
Class From An Unexpected Source
In an apparently more-civilized age, the Kentucky congressman and senator Henry Clay was once asked if the death of a political foe pleased him. He replied (this might be a paraphrase, as I was unable to find the quote):
No. When God puts His hand on a man’s shoulder, I take mine off.
What triggered this memory was the recent death of Jerry Falwell. The nutroots responded with their usual unbounded glee:
Jerry Falwell collapsed in his office this morning, and hes in the hospital, and hes “gravely unresponsive.”At a time like this, people deserve sympathy and good wishes … except for Falwell, who is an evil sonofabitch.
I didn’t have much time for Falwell; but I had even less for one of his main antagonists, Larry Flynt, publisher of the repulsive Hustler. So it was a bit of a surprise to read this statement from Flynt today:
The Reverend Jerry Falwell and I were arch enemies for fifteen years. We became involved in a lawsuit concerning First Amendment rights and Hustler magazine. Without question, this was my most important battle—the l988 Hustler Magazine, Inc., v. Jerry Falwell case, where after millions of dollars and much deliberation, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled in my favor.My mother always told me that no matter how much you dislike a person, when you meet them face to face you will find characteristics about them that you like. Jerry Falwell was a perfect example of that. I hated everything he stood for, but after meeting him in person, years after the trial, Jerry Falwell and I became good friends. He would visit me in California and we would debate together on college campuses. I always appreciated his sincerity even though I knew what he was selling and he knew what I was selling.
A graceful and—dare I say it?—almost Christian rememberance.
