Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Letter: Falwell, Farrakhan are nothing alike

In a May 23 column published in the Las Vegas Sun, Clarence Page of the Chicago Tribune decided that to speak ill of the dead was OK if the dead was Jerry Falwell. Louis Farrakhan and his extremism were mentioned in tandem with Jerry Falwell's name, as though they were a matched pair.

Except for a few secularists and fanatic anti-conservatives, I believe the overwhelming majority of Americans to be more sympathetic to Falwell's views of this country. I didn't hear the hate coming from the Rev. Falwell toward gays, feminists or Desmond Tutu. He clearly disagreed with certain types of lifestyle and behavior. He never advocated violence or punishment for those whose behavior he criticized. He often claimed to love the sinner and hate the sin.

Intolerance is regularly attached to those in the Christian community having certain absolute convictions. Intolerant could also be used to describe those objecting to Falwell's convictions.

Quite a contrast to Mr. Farrakhan, whose spewing of hate and racism has been common.

Or maybe Mr. Page is just a little intolerant of the "extreme" belief of moral absolutes.

Gene Hall, Henderson

archive