mike skoglund skogl009@umn.edu “in a nation ruled by swine, all pigs are upwardly mobile.” -- hunter s. thompson

Blog

september 17, 2001

10:24 PM: Falwell Apologizes; Robertson Cuts Bait.

According to the Washington Post, Jerry Falwell apologized for blaming "civil liberties groups, abortion rights supporters and feminists" for making god remove the Shield of Christ that protected America from terrorism. According to the article, Falwell said: "In the midst of the shock and mourning of a dark week for America, I made a statement that I should not have made and which I sincerely regret."

Yet, on his website, Falwell wrote: "ecause of our national moral and spiritual decline during the past 35 years, I expressed my personal belief that we have displeased the Lord and incurred his displeasure." His mistake? "[D]oing this at the time I did it, on television, where a secular media and audience were also listening. . . . I repeat, I blame no one but the hijackers and terrorists for the horrific happenings of September 11. But I do believe God's protection of us as individuals and as a nation is dependent upon our obedience to His laws." So regardless of what he told the "secular media," his message to the faithful was that the real mistake was bad timing.

Because Falwell's statement was so widely reported, Robertson had to issue a press release. "Rev. Falwell’s initial remarks were completely in accord with what had been said in preceding parts of the program, and then, unexpectedly, he uttered a political statement of blame directed at certain segments of the population that was severe and harsh in tone, and, frankly, not fully understood by the three hosts of The 700 Club who were watching Rev. Falwell on a monitor."

This new press release replaced Robertson's earlier claim that "In no way has any guest on my program suggested that anyone other than the Middle East terrorists were responsible for the tragic events that took place on Tuesday." Now that Falwell has admited that he made a mistake, Robertson and the 700 Club have no interest in helping him to split hairs over who is to "blame" (Falwell's words) and who is merely "responsible" (Robertson's words).

If nothing else, you would think that two such divinely inspired people could get their stories (or even a single version of their story) to work.

september 16, 2001

12:33 PM: More on the Shield of Christ and the Finger of Blame

While Jerry Falwell also insists that his comments were "made during a long theological discussion on a Christian television program yesterday [and] were taken out of their context and reported," he also has the decency to say that his words "have detracted from the spirit of this day of mourning."

Falwell, by the way, is going out of his way to rebuild the Force Field of Christ (see below): As Chancellor of Liberty University, he has been able to create a school that will help the Korn-fed youth of America to return to biblical principles:

• Standard of Dress for MEN Hair and clothing styles related to a counterculture (as determined by the Deans' Review Committee) are not acceptable. Hair should be cut in such a way that it will not come over the ears, collar or eyebrows at any time. Ponytails for men are unacceptable. Facial hair should be neatly trimmed. Earrings and/or plugs are not permitted on or off campus, nor is body piercing.


• Standard of Dress for WOMEN Hair and clothing styles related to counterculture (as determined by the Deans' Review Committee) are not acceptable. Dresses and skirts should be no shorter than the top of the knee (sitting or standing). Skirt slits should be modest; open slits should be no higher than the top of the knee, closed slits should be no higher than two inches from the top of the knee. Shoulder straps should be no less than two inches wide. Anything tight, scant, backless, seethrough, low in the neckline or revealing the midriff (in any position) is immodest and unacceptable. Slips should be worn under thin material. Body piercing is not permitted. Earrings and plugs are permitted in ears only.


• A student may not be alone with an individual of the opposite sex in the academic classrooms or offices. Students may not enter the residence halls of the opposite sex. After dusk, a student may not be alone with an individual of the opposite sex in any unlighted area. . . . [PowerPoint Presentation]


• Sunbathing is not permitted on campus.


• All posters and pictures in the residence halls should coincide with the standards and policies of the University, i.e., all posters and pictures should conform to the University's music, movie, dress and conduct standards. . . . [Staff] will check rooms on a regular basis to give guidance, answer questions and ensure compliance.


• No music (vocal or instrumental), television, videos and other media, which is offensive (i.e., lewd lyrics, anti-Christian message, etc.) to Liberty's Christian stand will be permitted [in residence halls].


• Single students are not allowed to visit in apartments of the opposite sex or to entertain visitors of the opposite sex in their own apartment unless there are three (3) or more persons present.


• "University personnel may periodically visit the private residence of off campus [sic] students to assist in resolving off campus problems and to ensure compliance to University regulations."


• Movies Liberty University has always attempted to maintain a conservative standard in its approach to the arts and entertainment. Current policy for movie viewing allows for attendance at theaters but prohibits viewing of movies rated "R," "NC-17," or "X." . . . It should be remembered that in no way is Liberty University endorsing the movie industry's rating system as appropriate or Christ honoring.


• Music . . . Students should learn to choose music that honors the Savior and is in harmony with God's word. Music which is offensive (i.e., lewd lyrics, anti-Christian messages, etc.) to Liberty's Christian stand is not permitted. . . .


• Distribution of Literature Distribution of literature is permitted on campus only when prior administrative approval has been secured from the Student Life Office or University Services. Distribution of literature in the residence halls requires written approval from the Residence Life Office.


• Demonstrations, Petitions and Picketing Student participation in on-campus demonstrations,petitions or picketing is prohibited unless approved by Liberty University administration. The administration may also prohibit or restrict student participation in demonstrations, petitions or picketing at places other than on campus, where such participation would contradict or otherwise compromise the principles and policies of Liberty University.


• Mandatory Drug Testing Program In the Fall semester of 1988, the University instituted an on-going program of mandatory random drug testing for students. . . . Attendance is a privilege. As a private educational institution, Liberty University is free to control the admission and attendance of students. In consideration for the benefit of attending a University where a diligent effort shall be made to detect and remove those involved with illegal drugs, a student hereby agrees . . . [t]o cooperate fully with Liberty University's drug testing program, including the clinically-supervised furnishing of urine or blood samples at a time and place determined by the University for the purpose of laboratory analysis.


• Respect while Dating/Social Behavior All students are asked to display mature Christian behavior in social interaction. . . . Handholding is the only appropriate form of personal contact. Improper personal contact or other forms of public display are considered in poor taste. After dusk, students should not be alone with an individual of the opposite sex in any unlighted area . . . . This is considered improper social behavior.


• Summary of Standards and Consequences The following information, including basic standards and their typical consequences, is not comprehensive:
  
  
  • Dress/hair code violation: male or female [4 Reprimands + Written Warning]
  
  
  • Horseplay (plus financial restitution) [same]
  
  
  • Attendance at a dance [6 Reprimands + $35 Fine]
  
  
  • Participation in an unauthorized petition or demonstration [Participation in an unauthorized petition or demonstration]
  
  
  • Association with those consuming alcohol [Reprimands + $100 Fine + 18 hours of Disciplinary Community Service + 50% Scholarship Reduction]
  
  
  • Abortion [30 Reprimands + $150 Fine (regardless of previously paid fines) + 30 hours of Disciplinary Community Service + 100% Scholarship Reduction + Possible Administrative Withdrawl]
  
  
  • Immorality [same]
  
  
  • Involvement with witchcraft, seances or other satanic or demonic activity [same]
  
  
  • Possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages [same]
  
  
  • Refusal to submit to an Alco-Sensor test and/or drug test [same]
  
  
  • Spending the night with a person of the opposite sex [same]
  
  
  • Two or more individuals of the opposite sex together in motel room [same]

Now I have nothing against any private institution's right or ability to try to get its students to voluntarily submit to a code of conduct that would cause me to inflict grevious self-injury. I would just hate to have to conclude that this sort of regulation is the only way to convince god to re-install the Shield of Christ

1:17 AM: Pat Robertson's Age-Defying Shake of Christ!!!!

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[i tried to log in (user bobjones; pw bobjones) but it never worked. i blame the ACLU.]

september 15, 2001

5:27 PM: 9/11: "The ACLU's got to take a lot of blame for this."

Jerry Fallwell and Pat Robertson claim that the terrorist attacks on 9/11 occured because "God Almighty is lifting His protection from us. Once that protection is gone, we are vulnerable because we are a free society."

Yet Robertson whines that his remarks were taken out of context: "In no way has any guest on my program suggested that anyone other than the Middle East terrorists were responsible for the tragic events that took place on Tuesday."

This is, of course, disingenuous: He claimed that the Force Field of Christ used to protect America. Then he argued that it was lifted because we "insulted" God through secular humanism, pornography, abortion, etc. So who is responsible for turning off the force field, if not "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," and all the other groups that he and Falwell blamed on the 700 club?

It's funny that Falwell could say "I point the finger in their face and say 'you helped this happen,'" while Robertson insists that none of his guests (i.e., Falwell) ever blamed anyone but the terrorists. They must be very certain of their salvation, not to mention very dismissive of their followers' intelligence.

[archives]

Projects

06.2001 old class notes and outlines -- a modest attempt at recreating the fabled order of the mouse -- are available here.

05.2001 i'm posting my response to an editorial at the minnesota daily that i believe (a) erroneously relies on partisan arguments, and (b) therefore ignores the weight of the free speech issue at hand. [followup: it was published, but not on line.]

02.2001 the final draft of the 2000 civil rights seminar group project, which we submitted to professor powell on feb.2, is available in MS-Word (1757k) and PDF (1047k) formats. the final version had a new conclusion, fragmentation statistics, illustrations, and a title--although, to save space, the PDF version doesn't have some of the illustrations.

01.2001 my paper on paracopyright and the DMCA ('american notes') is based here.

Miscellany

09.2001 information about me.

07.2001 amazon.com booklist (“books for bricks in the law school wall”) and wishlist.

06.2001 blasts from the past (at least for my old section A cohorts): what i remember from my first year of law school, and what i remember from my final years of law school.

04.2001 thanks to the folks at cryptome, i'm mirroring the princeton SDMI attack information.

03.2001 randomly enough, the memoirs of one of my ancestors, msgr. william j. kerby.

Images

images from my career as a summer associate at dewey ballantine.	images from graduation.

mike skoglund 2001 -- license.

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