According to an article in The Washington Post, Jerry Falwell has apologized for his recent tweet about wearing a mask that depicted a person in black-face.
Faced with outrage from black alumni and the resignation of at least three African American staffers, Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. has deleted and apologized for a two-week-old tweet that showed a face mask decorated with a photo of a person in Ku Klux Klan robes and another in blackface.
The images were intended to mock the mask requirement implemented by Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D), who nearly resigned his office last year amid revelations that the racist photo had been featured on his medical school yearbook page.
But it upset many of the African American students, staff and alumni at Liberty, in Lynchburg, Va., which was founded in 1971 by Falwell’s father, Jerry Falwell Sr., and is one of the largest Christian universities in the world.
Three black staff members had resigned, including the director of diversity, and black alumni and board members were justifiably hurt and angry.
I do not think for a minute that this apology has any sincerity behind it. Falwell is a true Trump protege, and rule one is “never apologize.” But this means the resignations and objections had a real impact. Falwell saw the possibility that Liberty could really be damaged by this, and he had no choice.
Another sign that the national climate is changing?