{"id":40128,"date":"2013-12-19T23:29:55","date_gmt":"2013-12-20T06:29:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2013\/12\/19\/regarding-the-phil-robertson-duck-dynasty-kerfuffle.html"},"modified":"2013-12-20T05:38:12","modified_gmt":"2013-12-20T12:38:12","slug":"regarding-the-phil-robertson-duck-dynasty-kerfuffle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2013\/12\/19\/regarding-the-phil-robertson-duck-dynasty-kerfuffle.html","title":{"rendered":"Regarding the Phil Robertson "Duck Dynasty" kerfuffle"},"content":{"rendered":"
1. Various grandstanding GOP pols notwithstanding, nobody's First Amendment rights are in question here. A&E are neither Congress nor the government in general. \u00a0Private individuals are not required to tolerate any and all views, and when it comes to a company that feels that an employee is behaving in a fashion that will lose them business, it's their prerogative to do something about it.<\/p>\n

2. If Robertson is actually "fired" (or the show canceled), there may be some ground for suit regarding discrimination for religious reasons. A&E probably has a pretty strong case that Robertson's remarks harmed the network by attacking segments of its viewership — the courts tend to favor employers in such cases.<\/p>\n

3. I find Robertson's opinions in the GQ interview (http:\/\/goo.gl\/q5tHkV<\/a>) objectionable, offensive, and doltish in several areas. Not content in simply condemning homosexuality based on Scripture, he plays at scratching his head over what turns gay men on and how illogical it is, especially since it's just a step from there to bestiality. \u00a0He also goes on at length about how all the black farm workers he knew back in the olden days in the South were really happy and cheerful and sang in the fields, at least until all the civil rights and welfare stuff came along. Also, the reason Japan attacked Pearl Harbor is because "the Shintos" didn't worship Jesus. Etc.<\/p>\n

4. As much as I object to his comments, \u00a0I would probably not have suspended Robertson for them, given that they basically hired the guy and his family as speak-truth-to-power old-timey back-woods Christians and hunters and duck call crafters.<\/p>\n

5. On the other hand, A&E's execs have a better sense than I (or anyone else) of the various costs and risks keeping Robertson around after his GQ interview, vs the costs and risks of doing something about it. \u00a0<\/p>\n

6. People who think A&E is a bunch of poopy-heads about this are certainly free to boycott A&E's programming, just as those who support A&E's actions are free to watch more A&E programming to drive its aggregate ratings up. Social opprobrium through boycott is a long-standing\u00a0\u00a0tradition, regardless of the political persuasion of the boycotters.<\/p>\n

As for me, A&E has long since turned in to a trash network full of reality shows (including "Duck Dynasty") that I have absolutely no desire to go out of my way to watch; that has nothing to do with their stance on this issue one way or the other, just the type of shows \u00a0they run.\u00a0<\/p>\n

#DuckDynasty<\/a> \u00a0\ufeff<\/div>\n

\n

\n \n <\/div>\n

‘Duck Dynasty’s’ Phil Robertson on Indefinite Hiatus Following Anti-Gay Remarks<\/a>
\n A&E has placed Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson on indefinite hiatus following anti-gay remarks he made in a recent profile in GQ.\n <\/p>\n


This post has been reshared 1 times on Google+<\/a>
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1. Various grandstanding GOP pols notwithstanding, nobody's First Amendment rights are in question here. A&E are neither Congress nor the government in general. \u00a0Private individuals are not required to tolerate any and all views, and when it comes to a company that feels that an employee is behaving in a fashion that will lose them … Continue reading “Regarding the Phil Robertson "Duck Dynasty" kerfuffle”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[106,35,350,75,378,40],"tags":[515],"class_list":["post-40128","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-plusposts","category-big-business","category-civil-liberties","category-media-performers","category-intolerance-persecution","category-media-tv","tag-duckdynasty"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":134457,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2017\/08\/27\/mired-kingdom-world.html","url_meta":{"origin":40128,"position":0},"title":"Mired in the Kingdom of This World","author":"***Dave","date":"Sun 27-Aug-17 1:35pm","format":false,"excerpt":"This is a fascinating interview with Terry Heaton, a TV producer who in the 80s and 90s helped get Pat Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network off the ground, building up the 700 Club and all that jazz to become media empires ... and deeply entangled with Republican politics. Today, he regrets\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "~PlusPosts"","block_context":{"text":"~PlusPosts","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/blogging\/plusposts"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/pat-robertson.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3398,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2002\/12\/02\/motes_in_the_ey.html","url_meta":{"origin":40128,"position":1},"title":"Motes in the eye","author":"***Dave","date":"Mon 2-Dec-02 1:43pm","format":false,"excerpt":"There's a lot I could say about Pat Robertson's recent statements about Islam being an inherently violent and hateful religion. But not only does Robertson spell out his hypocrisy in...","rel":"","context":"In "Religion"","block_context":{"text":"Religion","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/religion"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":134896,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2017\/10\/03\/needs-gun-control-just-need-show-respect-donald-trump.html","url_meta":{"origin":40128,"position":2},"title":"Who needs gun control? We just need to show respect for Donald Trump!","author":"***Dave","date":"Tue 3-Oct-17 7:28am","format":false,"excerpt":"At least that's evangelical leader, former GOP Presidential Candidate, and 700 Club host Pat Robertson's explanation for the Las Vegas shooting Violence in the streets, ladies and gentlemen. Why is it happening? The fact that we have disrespect for authority; there is profound disrespect for our president, all across this\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "~PlusPosts"","block_context":{"text":"~PlusPosts","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/blogging\/plusposts"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Pat-Robertson-2017.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":26898,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2012\/03\/08\/even-a-broken-clock-is-correct-twice-a-day.html","url_meta":{"origin":40128,"position":3},"title":"Even a broken clock is correct twice a day","author":"***Dave","date":"Thu 8-Mar-12 6:38am","format":false,"excerpt":"Given my opposition to so many of Pat Robertson's dubious proclamations, I'm reluctant to embrace this one. I'll be curious as to how the Religious Right responds, though. #ddtbReshared post from +Bob ShraderIf Pat Robertson is calling for legalization of marijuana, then Bob Dylan was right -- \"The times, they\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "~PlusPosts"","block_context":{"text":"~PlusPosts","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/blogging\/plusposts"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":10857,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2007\/06\/12\/serendipity_5.html","url_meta":{"origin":40128,"position":4},"title":"Serendipity","author":"***Dave","date":"Tue 12-Jun-07 8:38am","format":false,"excerpt":"Observed schedule on the ABC Family Channel: Whose Line Is It Anyway? The 700 Club America's Funniest Home Videos Now, I'm sure it's just a coincidence that Pat Robertson's...","rel":"","context":"In "Religion"","block_context":{"text":"Religion","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/religion"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":22723,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2011\/09\/19\/christianity-humanity-divorce-and-alzheimers.html","url_meta":{"origin":40128,"position":5},"title":"Christianity, humanity, divorce, and Alzheimer’s","author":"***Dave","date":"Mon 19-Sep-11 11:04am","format":false,"excerpt":"So let me set up the disclaimer here that might well render my opinions here completely uninformed and moot. \u00a0I do not have a spouse with Alzheimer's, nor have I. \u00a0I have had a spouse (not my present one) with significant mental \/ emotional issues, but it's definitely not the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Love & Marriage"","block_context":{"text":"Love & Marriage","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/personal\/love-and-marriage"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40128","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40128"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40128\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40129,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40128\/revisions\/40129"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40128"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40128"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40128"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}