British man arrested for making jokes about Mandela on the internet.

[HeyYou]

Phil was asked his views directly on a TV interview. To expect him to duck (sorry) the question is a bit much, don't you think? The whole flap over it was stupid, and turned out exactly as I expected. Phil didn't even miss one episode. A&E is more concerned about their bottom line, than public perception.

 

People have a right to speak their mind, and express their views. Others have a right to be offended. No one has the right to tell someone that they cannot express their views, because it may hurt someones feelings. That is NOT what the First Amendment is all about. If folks are offended because some bible-thumping redneck disagrees with the gay lifestyle, THEY are the ones with the problem. Not Phil.

[rizon72]

I've defended the gay lifestyle, stuck up for them in debates, but this entire Phil thing is just stupid from all sides. Especially considering what comes out from Hollywood is much worse but the media rarely focuses on it. The fact they are focusing on Phil doesn't make me wonder if they do it because he's a 'redneck' and religious. (Personally, I've gotten to where I'd rather hang out with that 'redneck' than my liberal friends. Usually the redneck is smarter.)

[MajKrAzAm]

Most Christian opponents of gay marriage oppose gay marriage; but they don't oppose the right of gays to advocate it. Yet groups like GLAAD seem to oppose the right of Christians even to argue their position.

 

One of the big mistakes conservatives have made is casting this conflict as one over free speech. The conflict is really over cultural values: the nihilism, atomization, and individualism of progressives vs. tradition, cohesion, and group allegiance. The former values derive from harm-based morality and the latter from balanced morality. I think that is really the only way to frame this issue.

[JimboUK]

Well I guess A&E reversed their decision to suspend Phil Robertson from the Duck Dynasty TV show today. I guess A&E is quite comfortable to run on a platform of personalities who share bigotry towards people who are homosexual... Makes one wonder if they made the right decision or not.... Not like I really watched any A&E programing either way But I could possibly see a lot of people who are homosexual might just stop watching A&E all together....

 

As is their right, anyway anyone who thinks silencing people will change attitudes towards homosexuality or anything else is a fool, it does quite the opposite.

[Tidus44]

Well I guess A&E reversed their decision to suspend Phil Robertson from the Duck Dynasty TV show today. I guess A&E is quite comfortable to run on a platform of personalities who share bigotry towards people who are homosexual... Makes one wonder if they made the right decision or not.... Not like I really watched any A&E programing either way But I could possibly see a lot of people who are homosexual might just stop watching A&E all together....

 

Thanks to the GOP - and so ends their efforts to address unemployment in 2013.

 

It does say something about the state of society though. People have no clue as to what rights and freedoms are or mean and are ruled by TV personalities.

[HeyYou]

Its real easy, if you ask a controversial question, you should expect a controversial answer. Doesn't that seem reasonable?

[mellowtraumatic]

 

 

No its not the same for these 2 examples , Phil Robertson was asked by another show what his opinion was on a certain matter , its not like on his own show he was using the show itself as a means of propagation for those views , which is what Martin Bashir did on his own show on MSNBC . Two entirely different things . Agree or disagree with what Phil Robertson said , it really comes down to is someone allowed to ask the question and is the respondent allowed to give an honest answer as he or she see's it . If not then certain questions will never be asked and honest answers will never be found and that's the problem with political correctness.

 

 

 

No, it's most certainly the same. When you're under contract for a show or movie, when you do any public appearance or interview, you're on the clock as a representative of the company who signs your checks. That's not your own time. If you act in a way that they think is going to be harmful to the company then they have every right to sack you. That being said, A&E have every right to bring him back if they like. They're going to make the decision that's best for them and them only.

 

I'm not altogether convinced it wasn't some publicity stunt. They've probably sold a ton of DD merchandise while all this was going on and the ratings for the new season that premieres in just a couple of weeks will be through the roof.

[HeyYou]

Wouldn't be the first time someone was fired for expressing un-politically-correct views. And not while technically 'representing the company' either. Fair few congressfolk have met the same fate.

 

What I find funniest is, A&E backtracking on their suspension of Phil, 'in support of gays'...... Closely followed by the organization that preaches tolerance, yet doesn't have any of their own. Hypocrits.

[colourwheel]

It wasn't just Phil's comments about homosexual people that has been put up for scrutiny, Phil has been caught on record making racially derogatory statements about blacks from the south (pre-civil rights) as well. Claiming Black people in the south were "happy" and "godly" because they were in the cotton fields singing in the mid 1900's. As if Phil had any idea what it was like to actually be a black man from the south at that time.... His intent might have not been made to provoke the black communities of the south but it sure caught their attention and is ironic it has not had as much publicity as the GQ interview....

 

I think A&E made a huge mistake backtracking on their decision to suspend Phil too. Duck Dynasty might be the most popular program they show case "currently" but like all programing not every TV show will last forever. This was a huge gamble A&E has made. They have basically cornered themselves into catering to a certain demographic block and automatically alienating other blocks. It won't come as a surprise to me to see their rating drop dramatically over time and maybe even see Duck dynasty come to a conclusion in the next few seasons.

Edited December 30, 2013 by colourwheel

[HeyYou]

The 'block' they are potentially alienating represents about 3% of the population. Not much of a demographic to worry about when millions of dollars in profits are at stake.

 

Phil didn't make any racially derogatory statements. He made observations from his own personal experience. Now, I will grant you, that his experiences do NOT sum up the total experience of blacks in pre-civil rights era USA, but then, I really would expect him to speak of things outside his experience.

 

The fact that the gays are all up in arms, and the blacks are noticeably silent, should tell you something as well. This is being blown WAY out of proportion on the overall importance scale. The blacks have it right, the gays just want the attention.