Pat Robertson has passed away, and as expected, both the right and left have plenty of praise and criticism for him. I don’t take issue with either side expressing their views about him, even if I disagree with the reasons behind the right’s admiration. People like Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, and other fundamentalist evangelicals have caused significant harm to the LGBT community. Therefore, I strongly object to Brian Krassenstein scolding liberals and LGBTQ individuals for expressing their views.
I believe that if someone can be praised in death, they can also be criticized in death. The religious right is flooding social media with admiration for Pat Robertson and his principles. It is only fair and entirely reasonable that those who have been affected by his beliefs can voice their criticisms. Regardless of how it is articulated, I don’t think the critics are necessarily celebrating Pat Robertson’s death. Instead, they are relieved that a propagator of hate is no longer able to spread his harmful rhetoric. Can we really blame any LGBTQ person for feeling that the world is better off without influential figures proclaiming their inherent sinfulness and claiming that their mere existence will bring about divine punishment for the entire country? Just consider how many gay individuals have been bullied, physically assaulted, discriminated against, or worse, all because of the hatred that Robertson helped perpetuate.
Lastly, Krassenstein’s excuse that older generations simply think differently is absurd. YouTube is filled with young pastors and commentators who spew the same despicable, hate-filled comments as Robertson. One might wonder who these individuals were inspired by. Perhaps it was an older generation of bigots? Age cannot be an excuse. This is not a result of senility; it is the result of bigotry. There is no statute of limitations that pardons hate simply because it originated in a previous generation.
I have no doubt that Robertson’s friends and family loved him and will miss him. However, that alone does not make a person good. If someone vilifies a group based solely on how they were born or whom they love, they are a morally flawed individual. I don’t care how deeply held their belief is or which generation it originated from. Pat Robertson spent his lifetime amassing wealth and influence by spreading a message that frequently demonized the LGBTQ community. At the time of his death, Pat Robertson was worth hundreds of millions of dollars. He can hardly be seen as a victim and Krassenstein’s outrage is not justified or warranted just because some people are expressing their hurt over the hateful comments he made throughout the years, which affected and harmed millions of individuals over the years.
I understand that some of you may believe that in death, we should be able to separate a person from their ideas. However, I want to pose a question: do you genuinely anticipate the same level of separation from those who are praising him? Do you truly expect them to discuss Christian ideals in a theoretical manner, or do you anticipate phrases such as “He was a warrior for the kingdom,” “A defender of Christian values,” or “He dedicated his life to fighting the sinful forces that are destroying our nation”? If you expect his supporters to commend both the man and his message, why should his critics be held to a different standard? Inversion serves as a valuable tool for impartial analysis.
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