On September 25, 2001, Proclamation, Identity and Communication sponsored the 19th Annual Parker Lecture. Scott Simon, host of National Public Radio's Weekend Edition was the keynote speaker. Simon spent many hours covering the terrorist strike at the World Trade Center. We asked him to share his reflections. This is what he had to say.
Below is an excerpt from this speech.
Right after the terrorist strikes in New York and here in Washington, when America was wounded and confused, the Reverend Falwell was a guest on Pat Robertson's 700 Club. He said that God Almighty, angered by America's abortion rights, gay rights, and secularism in the schools, had permitted terrorists to slay the World Trade Center and smite the Pentagon:
"What we saw on Tuesday," said Mr. Falwell, "could be minuscule if in fact God continues to lift the curtain and allow the enemies of America to give us probably what we deserve."
Mr. Robertson joined in, saying, "Jerry, that's my feeling. I think we've just seen the antechamber to terror. We haven't even begun to see what they can do to the major population."
Then Mr. Falwell concluded, "I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and 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."
Last week, both the reverends issued apologies. Mr. Falwell called his own remarks, "insensitive, uncalled for, and unnecessary"—everything but wrong.