Comments on: Petition from Former Athletes and Alums Calls on Falwell to Retract Blackface/KKK Mask Tweet

By: CM

CM — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 14:23:09 +0000

In reply to Tacitus. President for Life, until some pictures of Jerry Jr and his pool boy surface...

By: CM

CM — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 09:44:55 +0000

Given the use of gas and rubber bullets for Trump to have his photo-op outside St. John’s Church, maybe the Governor of VA should send in the state police and National Guard to gas Jerry Jr.

By: Tacitus

Tacitus — Tue, 02 Jun 2020 01:19:02 +0000

In reply to Erp.

I don’t think it matters. It’s been eminently clear for years that Falwell says and does whatever he likes. He is in complete control and the Board of Trustees is nothing more than a rubber stamp body. Unfortunately, this is nothing unusual for large evangelical organizations, especially those run by their founder or offspring thereof. It’s a facade, a mirage of accountability, where the members of the board are typically trusted allies of or related to the boss.

Falwell is president for life, not unlike the way Putin will rule Russia for as long as he cares to.

By: Erp

Erp — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 22:01:27 +0000

In reply to ken.

What is the legal setup of Liberty University? I know at my university ultimate power now rests with the Board of Trustees. When initially set up (some 130 years ago) that power rested with the married couple who founded and funded the university (though they brought in an experienced college president to actually run it). There was a Board of Trustees but its main purpose may have been to give advice and to eventually take over when the founders died. They officially took over when the widow stepped down from her founder’s role and became just a trustee though effectively they only took over when she died.

Liberty University’s web page on the trustees is remarkably light on what they do and who they are and the list seems to contain at least one Falwell relative in addition to Jerry Falwell himself. How independent are they? How often do they meet? Are they paid for their duties (my university’s trustees are not beyond some of the poorest ones getting expenses reimbursed if the trustees do an extraordinary trip such as visiting another university to see how they do things).

By: Tacitus

Tacitus — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 21:02:44 +0000

Anything short of actual criminality (or gay sex, I guess) and Falwell isn’t going anywhere. I would be shocked if he even retires. They’re literally going to have to take the LU presidency from his cold dead hands which could be another 30 years yet.

Oh, and he just tweeted that he originally forgave Northam for the blackface incident and practically stated that his forgiveness has been rescinded because of the completely unrelated cost cutting policy decision that will cut assistance to some disadvantaged LU students.

It’s one thing to take back your forgiveness if you find out it was obtained under false pretenses, but I’ve never heard of anyone revoking forgiveness because of they made a policy decision you didn’t like. I didn’t think forgiveness worked that way…

By: Alencon

Alencon — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 19:28:37 +0000

It would be nice if this petition actually accomplished something. Unfortunately I suspect it won’t. Evangelical Christians of Falwell’s type are the scum of the earth and most will probably support him in this.

By: ken

ken — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 19:00:38 +0000

In reply to One Salient Oversight. actually I think that should be: those who HAVE sinned...

By: One Salient Oversight

One Salient Oversight — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 17:51:59 +0000

In reply to Tacitus. "Forgive us our sins, as we rescind forgiveness to those who haven't sinned against us personally"

By: One Salient Oversight

One Salient Oversight — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 17:51:59 +0000

In reply to Tacitus. "Forgive us our sins, as we rescind forgiveness to those who haven't sinned against us personally"

By: Richard Willmer

Richard Willmer — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 16:54:03 +0000

I was talking yesterday to a highly-intelligent and very well-educated African-American friend. People like Falwell just don’t get it: African-Americans, including many who enjoy advantages that white supremacists would like to reserve to themselves, have had more than enough of being perceived as second-class citizens; because of the high levels of poverty in many places, large numbers of them feel that they have nothing to lose by responding forcefully to what they (and I and many others) regard as the injustices visited upon them. It doesn’t excuse the violent aspects of the current uprising (and that is what it is, by the way), but it is an important part of the explanation for them. The current crop of leaders in the United States ignore this at their (and many others’) peril.