Duck Dynasty brouhaha

[alphanguy74]

Well, might as well open this one up. This guy sums it up pretty well:

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[DRW50]

Everything about this person disgusts me, most of all the knowledge that he is a hero and martyr after comparing gays to terrorists and saying black people were only happy before welfare. If anyone here who has better knowledge of the Bible than I do can tell me which passages talk about how black people were only happy when they were picking cotton, let me know. And let his family know too, since they claim comments like that are Bible-based.

Some idiot politician said he was just like Rosa Parks, which made me laugh, because Phil Robertson probably thinks of her as a failure.

You can always tell the value of someone by who is defending them.

All those out there who want to open a vein for this very, very wealthy man and his family, good for you, but I wish you'd spend that time and money on people who actually need it.

[JackPeyton]

I have a lot of feelings and thoughts on this, however im not very good at expressing them. I did find this article, that sums up how i feel greatly though. Esp this part: "All of this is emblematic of free speech. Free speech allows citizens to say things that are offensive and unpopular and it allows other citizens to disagree, as well as to choose whether to provide an ongoing platform for those remarks. If anything, the claim that Robertson’s free speech has somehow been inhibited is just a straw man to avoid addressing the merits of what he actually said: that all gay people are going to Hell and that African Americans don’t deserve a seat at the lunch counter."

http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2013/12/19/3091261/duck-dynasty-free-speech/

[Max]

I believe that hate speech is free speech, so Phil Robertson certainly has the right to say the things he did. But obviously boycotting is a form of speech as well, so people have every right to express their disgust at his comments and boycott A&E.

What upsets me the most is the behavior of A&E. They made tons of money off of Duck Dynasty when it was popular, and now--all of a sudden--the network is turning its back on the show. I don't think A&E should have it both ways: they certainly knew that the Robertsons were right-wing extremists, but chose to make them celebrities because doing so was in that network's best interest. Now, because boycotts are threatening the network, A&E is making an about-face. Since A&E reaped the benefits of Duck Dynasty, they should also suffer the consequences (and not suspend anyone from the show, but instead be hurt economically from boycotts).

Ironically, I think that the Robertsons themselves will be fine. They will certainly benefit from the big increase in name recognition, since I had never actually heard of them (or Duck Dynasty) before this controversy.

[Max]

Jack, the First Amendment protect an individual's right to say such disgusting things. But if any Robertson defender (and I certainly am not one of them) suggests that the merits of such statements can't be addressed, then he or she is certainly wrong (as that is also a violation of free speech).

If somebody is just hiding behind free speech because they truly hold these bigoted views, that is wrong, and (IMO) it would be better if people just came out and expressed their hatred (so that everyone would know who is a true bigot). However, I believe that there are many who don't hold bigoted views even though they feel that others have the right to express them.

[alphanguy74]

You see, this "claim" that the bible verse he quotes talks about homosexuals is false, it's nothing but a modern fallacy in translation, AND in previous editions of the bible from the early 1900's, the word was translated as "Effeminate" not homosexual. But even THAT was wrong... this gives the background pretty short and concise.

http://www.wouldjesusdiscriminate.org/biblical_evidence/no_fems_no_fairies.html

[Max]

I just wanted to add that, for the same reasons, MSNBC should not have fired Martin Bashir (who said vile things, although it certainly wasn't hate speech against an entire group of people) or Alec Baldwin. The reason why I am disgusted with A&E is because of my larger point about corporate cowardice: When a corporation hires an extremist, it shouldn't be surprised when the extremist says something highly offensive. Fairness dictates that a corporation that made money off of an extremist should also lose money once the going gets rough (rather than bail when trouble comes).

[DRW50]

Interesting article about the Bible verse. I think most people use the "abomination" quote.

I think A&E assumed their publicist would keep Robertson under control. The reporter waited until they were alone, on ATVs, to ask these questions.

I do think everything about these guys seems fake, at least their public appearances. I cringed when I saw that they go everywhere with those beards and the camo. It seems like rampant insecurity and posturing. A lot of Southern men would feel that they need to clean up a little when they're at a big public occasion. These guys don't even bother to comb their hair.

[Nate4]

I wish some people would realize A&E have the right to ban him (just like he has the right to free speech)

[Max]

I honestly was surprised that this family holds such appeal, because the Robertson men sure don't look like typical Southern gentlemen. Phil Robertson both looks and sounds like Charles Manson.

[Max]

Nate, A&E certainly has the right to ban Robertson, and I apologize if I gave you the impression that I thought otherwise. I personally think that they should keep him and suffer the consequences, rather than ban him and get off easy. It would be nice if corporations did bans like this out of the goodness of their hearts, but they only do them in order to save their asses.

[NothinButAttitude]

Exactly. A&E has a right to boot his racist, backwoods ass when his hate speech threatens to ruin their network. He's just like every other Bible Thumper on this planet--an idiot that has no clue about the "word." If he takes the word so literal, he'd realize he's got a one way ticket to hell too because the Bible states you shouldn't wear cotton or eat shellfish. People need to learn the Bible has a lot of verses that were devised and revised by church/government figures for spread their propaganda.

[Max]

Again, A&E certainly has the right to do what it wants, but I'm bothered by the fact that the network is doing this precisely because it wants to avoid ruin. If Robertson had no history of extremism (and then made these comments), then I wouldn't be upset at the network in the least. However, A&E knew the man was crazy, hired him anyway, made lots of money, and now wants to bail.

[NothinButAttitude]

And that's what networks do . . . Make money off morons.

[DRW50]

I didn't want to say it, but yes.

They're parodies of parodies of what Southern men are supposed to be. Everything about this show is like that. I find it degrading and sad.