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closeWe don't believe former Democratic National Committee chairman Don Fowler actually believes that the arrival of Hurricane Gustav just as the Republican National Convention was about to commence means that God favors the Democrats. But his remark to that effect was insensitive, and he was right to apologize.
Fowler, of Columbia, was flying from Denver to Charlotte last Friday when he made casual reference regarding the likelihood that Gustav would make landfall in the next few days.
"That just demonstrates that God is on our side," Fowler said to a fellow passenger later identified as U.S. Rep. John Spratt, D-S.C. On Sunday, Fowler explained to The Associated Press that he was making fun of comments by the Rev. Jerry Falwell, who, after the 9-11, said the terrorist attacks were God's retribution for abortion, homosexuality and other sins.
Nonetheless, Fowler apologized: "This is a point of national concern. I think everybody of good will has great empathy and sympathy for people in New Orleans."
The context of Fowler's remarks would be clear to anyone who remembers Falwell's frequent claims that a vengeful God sends storms and destruction to punish sinners. He predicted in 1998, for example, that God would send hurricanes to ravage Orlando, Fla., because Disney World had allowed gay organizations to put up multicolored rainbow flags in support of sexual diversity.
But the day that a major hurricane is bearing down on the Louisiana coast is no time to joke around. We're sure Fowler regrets the remark -- as well as the fact that the world now is a fishbowl in which even casual statements on airplanes can be recorded.
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