John Van Nostrand: Delayed but still got results

Apr. 18—Every so often you may hear someone say an elected person's actions won't see the full effect until years later. Or that concept might be more obvious and fluid as we watched President Trump overturn some things President Obama did only to see President Biden overturn somethings Trump decided.

Jerry Falwell falls into that category of having a level of influence. But he is not around to see what he probably should get some credit for as he died in 2007.

In 1979, Falwell, a conservative Christian pastor, started the Moral Majority movement with the motivation to influence politics and certain aspects of society. Falwell and others were either upset, tired, or both at what had happened in the previous 10 to 20 years as riots were over racial injustices, rampant, illicit drug use, sexual orientation, the feminist movement of the 1970s and that darn freedom of press which covers publications and other genres of media I won't mention. Falwell wanted his Moral Majority strategy to be the fuel to influence politics and society for his interests.

Looking at some states' politics, including Iowa, and the federal government, I think he got some things he wanted, but not everything. I still have some unknowns about Falwell. I'd also like to know how much of those decisions have been specifically because what the Moral Majority strived to attain. Prepare for some questions.

Falwell may have struggled with some of those incidents we have had in recent years. Falwell's critics accused him of wanting American women to be more like Laura Petrie. But put women in a different context. It looks like the NFL team in Washington is on the verge of being sold to new owners for a lot of zeroes. Would Falwell have voiced something against the Washington team sellers for profiting knowing how some in administration treated women employees and was expected of them during business and social events? How much would the #metoo movement have changed Falwell's platform?

I would not be surprised to see Falwell, who co-founded what is Liberty University in Virginia, a college further right than on the side of the country located, at the state legislative sessions. As I overheard a few weeks ago, "There are only two strategies in some state governments getting attention; the right and the ultra-right." The overturn of Roe vs. Wade would have been a monumental event for Falwell as it was for certain others.

He would probably expound on determining if young school children should hear the word "homosexual" and what books should not be allowed in libraries. I think Falwell would have defended the statue of David and its purpose; which has been another moment of embarrassment in education. Liberty and Falwell's son Jerry Jr. have had their own issues.

I don't think Jerry would have cared about Bud Light beer being tarnished by those upset a transgender woman was used to sell the product. Falwell would probably want both beer and transgenders to get lost in the crowd anyway. But would he have supported Riley Gaines and protection of biological-women competition in sports? I think he would have.

Where would Falwell stand with the Catholic church and its continuing problem of abuse between church staff and youth members? His theology didn't match the Catholics. Wasn't even close. But would he have found a Biblical approach to offer help the Catholics and the victims and other entities with similar problem? If you want to persuade people to do what you think are the right things, those borders of difference should go away. I would hope he would have taken some offense at the Christian Nationalist movement. He may have seen that as a rivalry.

Falwell would have had plenty of material today to show who he and the Moral Majority really, genuinely cared about. Falwell wanted good for the country but on his terms.

I can't imagine he would have supported Trump because of his prior-2016 actions; but then, I was surprised at who I personally knew who had Falwell-like characteristics, and did.

The Moral Majority started to decline in the late 1980s. Other conservative pastors were getting national attention, and not all of it was good. Contributions started to wane. There seemed to be some friction and the "moral" couldn't stand.

If I would have been Rip Van Winkle the past 35 years and woke up today to see what has happened in Iowa and across the country, I would have told you the Moral Majority is still in existence and has done well.

Some people do get what they want. They just might have to wait for it.