Speaking well of the dead.

I'll be the ten thousandth blogger to refer to Michelle Goldberg's obituary for Jerry Falwell as indispensible reading on the sheer absurdity of how "morality" issues are played out in American politics. (Also, see Kevin Drum's partial rebuttal.) Still, it's probably worth a mention that Falwell - patron promoter of the thoroughly wacked-out Clinton Chronicles, bigot, former segregationist and rather breathtaking liar - probably didn't really think the Teletubbies were an insidious gay plot:

His newspaper suggested that a character in the children's program Teletubbies, was gay, a statement Falwell disowns.

"But I've had hundreds of little Tinky Winky dolls mailed to me from all over the world and given to all my grandchildren and their friends, and I've populated Lynchburg with Tinky Winkies," Falwell says. "But that's the only benefit I've gotten from that."


It's kind of heartening that such a profoundly silly man did have at least a small sense of humour. How else could you live with yourself?