The news of Falwell's death first made me skip to work that day a happy queer, one less intolerant hate filled monster in the world. Later, discussing it with a friend, I got a sort of "slap on the hand." My friend told me, "being gay is learning to forgive." His words heavily humbled me. I was reminded that Falwell just didn't totally understand, he didn't know what it was he was really doing when we spoke aganist our community and he had never felt many of the stigmas attached to queers. If he really knew and understood the human condition he would not have acted in the manner he did. He was living from a place of fear and ignorance. After reflection I felt bad for having felt joy over his passing. In Falwell's death I've re-learned an important lesson: we make ourselves less human when we rejoice over other's death, even the death of a so called "monster."
{ITAL Drew Hinkle
President- Student Alliance for Equality (SAFE)
}[email protected]
