I am going to preface this by saying that I am no big fan of Jerry Falwell.  I was a fairly hard line evangelical Christian in high school, and people like him were my role models.

It was also, in part, people like him that made me reevaluate the rigidity of that position and led me to be a lot more understanding and comtemplative.

But to be fair, my differences with Falwell were doctrinal and procedural.  I didn’t follow the same line of belief he did, and I was opposed to some of his tactics.  I never saw him as evil or hateful.  He was driven by his convictions, and unwavering in a steadfast belief regardless of the cost.

And no doubt about it, some of his statements were outrageous, and caused a lot of controversy.

But the thing about him was that he did what he did and said what he did out of that conviction, not malice.  I believe he sincerely believed what he preached.

I think it is fair to disagree with him all day long, but I prefer to do so keeping that in mind.

Of course, the nutroots are treating this in typical fashion:  with jeers and applause.

Some samples collected at Newsbusters:

Wonkette:

Jerry Falwell collapsed in his office this morning, and he’s in the hospital, and he’s “gravely unresponsive.”

At a time like this, people deserve sympathy and good wishes … except for Falwell, who is an evil sonofabitch.

John Edward’s former campaign blogger Amanda Marcotte at Pandagon:

The gates of hell swing open and Satan welcomes his beloved son

Tapped goes for a “twofer” slam:

I’m waiting for Pat Robertson to find a way to blame his rival’s death on either feminists or witchcraft.

A litany of hate at the Democratic Underground.

The “Blog of the Moderate Left” is surprisingly immoderate:

I wish I believed in Hell, so I could imagine Falwell enduring the eternal torment he wished on so many.

The last comment is a case in point.  I don’t think he wished hell on anyone.  He just wasn’t going to pretend that according to his beliefs that is where some people were going.

More from Hot Air:

Update: The Kossack comments are getting nice and hot now. And here’s your quote of the day at DU. They’ve actually closed that thread and opened another one, where they’re already going full steam.

Anyone following HuffPo? I’m heading over now.

Update: Comments appear to be closed.

Update: Weasel Zippers is keeping tabs on Think Progress, where they’re drinking the wine straight from the cask.

Update: Bob Owens is doing a little lefty round-up himself.

Update: This has got to be apocryphal. Doesn’t it?

The reaction from the reporters? Grins and chuckles mostly. One grizzled veteran journalist said, “I hope they (CNN) remember all the horrible things he said.”

Another reporter simply said, “It is a good day.”

Update: No tears at TMZ.

The last on is a strange irony, as the lefties link up with another of their demons:  Fred Phelps.

Update: Poor Jerry. All that gay-bashing and he still couldn’t earn Fred Phelps’s respect. Meanwhile, in Frisco’s Castro district, gay activists are planning an “anti-memorial.” Attendees are asked to bring Tinky Winky dolls.

And that last dig still cracks me up, because the comments about  the Teletubbies weren’t even made by him, but by a magazine staffer.

Yet in life and in death he bears the blame.

The one he cannot escape was the infamous 9/11 comments:

“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.’”

Contrary to popular belief, he did not blame 9/11 on gays.

What he said is that the secularization and the embracing of what he considers to be many kinds of immorality led to America being either unprotected by God or punished by God.

I disagree, strongly.

But I will also oppose those that cherry pick a group and attempt to rewrite those comments to be about a specific group’s oppression as opposed to a general complaint using many examples.

Get over it people.  He thinks some thinks you believe in are bad.  Deal with the fact that life is sometimes laced with disagreement.  He wasn’t even the loudest or the worst.

And as I look at his hard line conviction, I also have to note the hard lined response.  Some of his critics are equally intolerant of him.

So in the end, his death leaves me feeling odd, as it ends an era for me, one that he played a large role in, unknowingly.

And that role may not even really be a positive one.  But as  the wand maker in Harry Potter said:

After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things. Terrible! Yes. But great.

Whether you liked him or not, he was a very measurable influence on many people, both good and bad.

And rather then take bets on whether he roasts in hell or sings with the saints, I would rather examine what he did and said, and evaluate the effects and impacts of his life,  and learn from it, regardless of what lesson you draw.

That’s how I see it, Straight Up.

Trackposted to Right Pundits, Outside the Beltway, The Virtuous Republic, Perri Nelson’s Website, Adam’s Blog, Right Truth, The Amboy Times, Conservative Cat, Rightlinx, stikNstein… has no mercy, The World According to Carl, Blue Star Chronicles, Pirate’s Cove, The Pink Flamingo, Planck’s Constant, Dumb Ox Daily News, Right Voices, and The Yankee Sailor, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

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