The Indianapolis Star is reporting that Jerry Falwell died earlier today. Falwell stands in interesting juxtaposition to the movement for LGBT rights. On the one hand, this is the guy who so famously opined "I really believe that 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 - all of them who have tried to secularize America - I point the finger in their face and say 'you helped this happen'" about the terrorist attacks on 9/11.

On the other hand, Falwell also had to this to say in 2005 about then-Supreme Court nominee John Roberts' work to defeat Colorado's antigay amendment: "Civil rights for all Americans, black, white, red, yellow, the rich, poor, young, old, gay, straight, et cetera, is not a liberal or conservative value," Falwell went on to say. "It's an American value that I would think that we pretty much all agree on."

Well, not everyone, apparently. Falwell took some flack from his fellow evangelical Christians for that last statement (not so much for his first one...) But hey! Who would've thought Jerry Falwell would ever agree LGBT people deserved even a modicum of respect for their essential humanity. One wonders whether Mr. Falwell might have moved even further away from his reflexive demonization of LGBT people and feminists had he lived longer. Not that I would have been holding my breath or anything.

RIP, Jerry Falwell.