Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson gave one of the most offensive interviews ever to GQ

[tulip]

Bottom line: yes, it is his right to think/say what he wants, but it is also his employer's right to fire him for it. Nowhere is there any protection of your employment in the right to free speech.

[sluce]

Yet his employer was well aware of his stance and has made millions off of his staunch Christian views. They have edited stuff so the public would not see his opinions. So was it all just fine and dandy as long as the public didn't know?

[Laurent]

Yet his employer was well aware of his stance and has made millions off of his staunch Christian views. They have edited stuff so the public would not see his opinions. So was it all just fine and dandy as long as the public didn't know?

Exactly what I've been thinking. If they're putting restrictions on Phil about outside interviews it's most likely because they know that he's sure to talk about what they already know they don't want him talking about. A&E was apparently okay with it as long as they could edit it out and hide it from public view.

[JustJen]

Bottom line: yes, it is his right to think/say what he wants, but it is also his employer's right to fire him for it. Nowhere is there any protection of your employment in the right to free speech.

Does this protect him?

Religious Discrimination

[Annie B]

TMZ just posted a video stating A&E knew about his stance. Sorry, I do not know how to embed.

Phil Robertson Publicly Bashed Gays for Years -- A&E Knew All About It | TMZ.com

I do not understand that way of thinking...

TMZ is blowing SO much smoke up their ass, lead strongly by Harvey Levin. Anyone who disagrees with this guy is a major player hater, their religion agrees that teh gays fuck animals philosophy, so it's totally cool beans for him to repeat that, everyone calling bullshit is being hater bitches. I am waiting for the next show when they call the haterz "oh so jelus" of the Duck Dynasty peeps.

[Clubber Lang]

Not pickin up what you're puttin down. TMZ is blowing smoke up who's ass?

[nana51]

Yeah^^^what are you saying. Speak plainly for us old folks.

[faithanne]

I'm glad I live in a country without freedom of speech. And I'm being 100% sincere when I say that.

[sluce]

And I cannot imagine living in a country that had the ability to silence my voice.

[CookieMueller]

I'm sure A&E did know about all his opinions but I'm sure those big ratings justified it and hey, maybe even some of those executives agreed with it. It's all about public perception. I'm not so sure A&E "suspended" him BECAUSE of his beliefs but rather because of the way he expressed them in a public setting. There's absolutely no need for him to go get on a soapbox about that stuff because he's on a comedy show. There's a time and a place for your controversial opinions. When the show ends and you start doing public speaking engagements or bachelor parties or WHATEVER, then it's your name and your reputation on the line, when you're on my network, try to have some decorum. When you have children you know they're gonna be saying 'fuck' and 'shit' by the time they're going to school but you really hope they're smart enough not to say that stuff in front of company, for fuck's sake! That's basically what this is. The guy embarrassed A&E in front of the "LIBERAL MEDIA" and now they gotta send him to his room to prove they don't condone it (even though they'll let him play xbox when they leave)

[tulip]

Does this protect him?

Religious Discrimination

Good question. But, it wasn't really for practicing his religion. It was for negatively impacting their brand. I'm sure their was some clause in their contract that allowed them to do this.

Honestly, I never watched the show and I don't care if he's on or off TV. And yes, I completely believe A & E knew EXACTLY what this guy was like and what he stood for and until they were not able to control his un-PC views, they were fine with it. Once it got out through a different media and it could negatively impact their channel, then they had a problem with it.

There's been this big uproar over whether it was right for the channel to suspend him. I'm not saying they should have or should not have (I wouldn't have put him on in the first place, but I'm not a TV exec wanting to make boatloads of money), but it was their right to do so. I'm sure they are allowed to do this under the details of the contract.

[tulip]

Yet his employer was well aware of his stance and has made millions off of his staunch Christian views. They have edited stuff so the public would not see his opinions. So was it all just fine and dandy as long as the public didn't know?

Pretty much. I"m not saying I agree with it, but yes, I think that's where they are coming from. They want to make money and if it hurts their brand.

(Sorry for the double post -- I don't know how to double quote!)

[Kathie_Moffett]

...Lots of people I know have beliefs I find ignorant, wrong, sheep-like, etc. yet they are still kind and respectful to everyone else.

Coexisting and being kind to others does not require agreeing with them on all points. Is it not enough that a person behaves themselves? They have to think a certain way, too? In the name of tolerance?

Lovely.

And I cannot imagine living in a country that had the ability to silence my voice.

I can't either! I mean me! and you!

My favorite response:


George Takei


Many fans asked for my thoughts on the "Duck Dynasty" controversy. They pressed and pressed, but I refused to quack.

But I can't duck this issue forever. I don't really care feather someone on a reality show said something about gays that didn't fit the bill. He's entitled to his opinion, even if it's for the birds. But the network also is worried about flocking with its base, so if it feels it should drake him over the coals for making his fowl comments, so be it.

So that's migrate opinion.

[laynes]

^^^ I love George! Always so gracious and eloquent in his responses.

My FB page was full of Phil discussions yesterday. Why the hell are people offended by this? It's a guy on tv, who you don't know, saying his beliefs. It's not your Uncle Bob at the Christmas Dinner table. Who gives a fuck what a reality tv star says? And yes, because you're offended please resort to name calling which is in itself, offensive.

Seriously, this country needs to man up. I'm losing my patience for people that go out of their way to be offended by shit. Lighten up. At the end of the day this doesn't affect anyone. Are people's feelings really hurt by this? Do you think cops cry when they listen to an Ice T or Ice Cube song? Do women protest when Eminem hates on them in his songs? And by the way, how does this guy get suspended but assholes like Michael Vick and Chris Brown keep their jobs. You know what fucking offends me? Killing dogs and beating women.

Some old guy who grew up in the south country who is a born again Christian is obviously going to have VERY VERY different beliefs than I do. It takes all kinds America. Get over it. He's not influencing anyone that doesn't already feel this way.

Sorry for the rant. I just realized I'm out of coffee.

[BITTER]

On growing up in pre-civil-rights-era Louisiana:
“I never, with my eyes, saw the mistreatment of any black person. Not once. Where we lived was all farmers. The blacks worked for the farmers. I hoed cotton with them. I’m with the blacks, because we’re white trash. We’re going across the field…. They’re singing and happy. I never heard one of them, one black person, say, ‘I tell you what: These doggone white people’—not a word!… Pre-entitlement, pre-welfare, you say: Were they happy? They were godly; they were happy; no one was singing the blues.”

Singing and happy. I wonder what song these two gentleman were singing (lynching scene not for the faint of heart):



Image of lynching may be disturbing:
http://bradley.chattablogs.com/black%20lynching.jpg


And this was the scene in 1960s Louisiana - was he asleep?