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Jerry Falwell is dead, and the remembrances flood in.

The Right praises his strength, depicting a rosy Horatio Alger story of a self-made man of deep convictions, who built an empire and transformed a nation. His only flaw in this retelling being, perhaps, that he was too outspoken in his beliefs for his own good. Altogether, he makes an imposing figure in this light: a statuesque patriarch who united the religious right. A proponent of strong morals for a strong nation. A hero.

It is difficult to reconcile that view of the man, however, with the one presented by the other side. Or by Falwell himself over the years.

He was a deft leader, a cunning politician, and a charismatic speaker. He took money in the name of religion and funneled it into politics. He spoke of love in one sentence, only to disseminate hate in the next. For a self-certified man of Christ, he cast a discomfiting number of stones. Ultimately, for all of his rhetoric, Jerry Falwell did more to divide Americans than unite them.

The most appropriate remembrance to surface today is an old quote from Larry Flynt. The pornography baron, who Falwell once unsuccessfully sued for defamation, seemed to have an uncanny understanding of the way this man operated. He had this to say:

“My mother always told me that no matter how much you dislike a person, when you meet them face to face you will find characteristics about them that you like. Jerry Falwell was a perfect example of that. I hated everything he stood for, but after meeting him in person, years after the trial, Jerry Falwell and I became good friends. ... I always appreciated his sincerity even though I knew what he was selling and he knew what I was selling."

From one hustler to another, at least, there is consensus.