The Rev. Billy Graham got nailed last week: On Tape: Billy Graham Tells Nixon of Jewish ‘Stranglehold’ on U.S. Media but what bugs me is his feeble apology:
“Although I have no memory of the occasion, I deeply regret comments I apparently made in an Oval Office conversation with President Nixon … some 30 years ago. They do not reflect my views and I sincerely apologize for any offense caused by the remarks. Throughout my ministry, I have sought to build bridges between Jews and Christians. I will continue to strongly support all future efforts to advance understanding and mutual respect between our communities.”
If he’s sincere, what he should say is something about how he’d arrived at his prejudicial thinking back then, and how it’s changed over the years… something that a religious leader like Graham should know how to do.
I got this exact same lecture about Jews and the media repeatedly from my dad while I was growing up. And during my first week of high school, I regurgitated his beliefs in social studies class and got taken to task by both the teacher and my classmates. It was my first clue that everything my dad had taught me about politics, culture, religion, etc. might not be true.