Gays and lesbians, liberals, feminists, and political opponents scapegoated for attack on America. I point the finger in their faces and say, 'You helped this happen.' Rev. Jerry Falwell, September 13, 2001

Less than two days after the horrible attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, and during an unprecedented period of national mourning, Rev. Jerry Falwell went on T.V. to blame gays and lesbians, liberals, feminists, and other assorted political adversaries for the terrible carnage, devastation, and mass deaths.

"Misquoted" Claims Refuted by Videotape
Falwell's remarks were heard by millions of listeners who watched The Seven Hundred Club. While Falwell later claimed his remarks were taken out of context, tapes and transcripts of the program tell a different story:

JERRY FALWELL: The ACLU's got to take a lot of blame for this.

PAT ROBERTSON: Well, yes.

JERRY FALWELL: And, I know that I'll hear from them for this. But, throwing God out successfully with the help of the federal court system, throwing God out of the public square, out of the schools. The abortionists have got to bear some burden for this because God will not be mocked. And when we destroy 40 million little innocent babies, we make God mad. 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."

PAT ROBERTSON: Well, I totally concur, and the problem is we have adopted that agenda at the highest levels of our government. And so we're responsible as a free society for what the top people do. And, the top people, of course, is the court system.

JERRY FALWELL: Pat, did you notice yesterday the ACLU, and all the Christ-haters, People For the American Way, NOW, etc. were totally disregarded by the Democrats and the Republicans in both houses of Congress as they went out on the steps and called out on to God in prayer and sang "God Bless America" and said "let the ACLU be hanged"? In other words, when the nation is on its knees, the only normal and natural and spiritual thing to do is what we ought to be doing all the time - calling upon God.

PAT ROBERTSON: Amen.

Watch a Video Tape of the Shocking Remarks

Falwell Cries Crocodile Tears
About a week later, a visibly shaken Falwell told Diane Sawyer on the nationally televised Good Morning America show that he "misspoke." Sawyer, who did not seem to be impressed, cut to a video clip of the remarks and suggested that his remarks were "intolerant." Falwell squirmed while watching the tape and replied, "In that particular interview you just showed, I did do that. . . "I did not intend to do what obviously I did do. I am sorry."

Perhaps Falwell's most uncomfortable moment was when Sawyer quoted from a ad run in the New York Times by TomPayne.com, which said in part, "We needn't look halfway around the world for intolerance and zealotry. We have them right here at home." Sawyer then told Falwell, "And your picture is there with Reverend Roberts as the American Taliban. And their point is that you demonize entire groups of people and that's exactly what the Taliban do."

Falwell, who has surpassed a billion dollars in personal wealth, reportedly has a lucrative television deal with ABC. Critics have charged that ABC compelled Falwell to attend the Sawyer interview, which was seen an attempt at damage control.