Phil Robertson, star of A&E’s hit reality series Duck Dynasty, compared homosexuality to bestiality, prostitution, adultery, alcoholism, and terrorism, and claimed LGBT people were illogical “sinners” in an interview with GQ magazine…. “Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there. Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men,” he says. Then he paraphrases Corinthians: “Don’t be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers — they won’t inherit the kingdom of God. Don’t deceive yourself. It’s not right.”
Yawn…another bigot and homophobe arrogantly abuses his celebrity and goes public with his ignorance and hatefulness. You’d think that someone who owes his career and financial success to appealing to as wide an audience as possible would understand that discretion is most certainly the better part of valor. Not that anyone should really care what the star of a show celebrating proud rednecks would think…about anything. This being America, though, we do love our celebrities and we tend to imbue them with status and respect often wholly inappropriate and unbecoming. In Robertson’s case, it turns out that he’s about as objectionable, bigoted, and homophobic as they come.
And he’s proud of it.
I’ve never seen Duck Dynasty, nor do I plan to. My generalized disdain for reality television has left me blessedly ignorant of the details of the series. I have no idea who Phil Robertson is, other than that as one of the stars of the show, various media outlets are eager to interview him. Judging from the previews I’ve seen of Duck Dynasty, I wouldn’t presume to think Robertson’s smart enough to understand the wisdom inherent in keeping his religious and moral opinions to himself. Nor would I expect him to grasp the reality that alienating part of the show’s potential audience is not a prescription for continued success.
But, hey…it’s OK, because Robertson loves everyone and would NEVER judge anyone:
“We never, ever judge someone on who’s going to heaven, hell. That’s the Almighty’s job,” he told GQ. “We just love ‘em, give ‘em the good news about Jesus — whether they’re homosexuals, drunks, terrorists. We let God sort ‘em out later, you see what I’m saying?”
Robertson is no different from so many on the Far Right who believe that their Christian faith gives them the right…nay, the responsibility…to denigrate and persecute those whose lifestyle they disapprove of. Evidently, the “good news about Jesus” happens to conveniently dovetail with their prejudices. How convenient to be able to claim that God’s on your side, eh?
I could care less about what Robertson thinks about anything, and he’s certainly free to his bigotry, homophobia, hypocrisy conveniently swaddled in his flavor of Christianity. When he broadcasts those views to a wide audience, he deserves to be reminded that there are consequences that flow from his bigotry. Most Americans don’t share his narrow-minded self-righteousness and are willing to live and let live. Most Americans understand that even if they don’t understand or support homosexuality, that’s on them; they don’t have the right to force their belief and prejudices on those who think, believe, live, and/or love differently.
GLAAD immediately reached out to A&E and have asked the network to clarify where it stands on Robertson’s comments, which the LGBT organization called “some of the vilest and most extreme statements uttered against LGBT people in a mainstream publication,” noting the comments were “littered with outdated stereotypes and blatant misinformation.”
“Phil and his family claim to be Christian, but Phil’s lies about an entire community fly in the face of what true Christians believe,” said GLAAD spokesperson Wilson Cruz. “He clearly knows nothing about gay people or the majority of Louisianans — and Americans — who support legal recognition for loving and committed gay and lesbian couples. Phil’s decision to push vile and extreme stereotypes is a stain on A&E and his sponsors, who now need to reexamine their ties to someone with such public disdain for LGBT people and families.”
If Robertson wants to go back to his swamp and preach the Gospel of hate and homophobia, then good on him. This is still a free country, and when I last checked, the 1st Amendment was still in force. Most Americans- those who live outside his Louisiana swamp and watch Duck Dynasty, thus paying his no doubt exorbitant salary- don’t share Robertson’s abhorrent beliefs. If he’s a “Christian,” that goes a long way toward explaining why I don’t believe in God.
Kudos to A&E for swiftly doing the right thing and suspending Robertson. I suspect the suspension isn’t likely to change his mind, but it should send the message that some personal, private opinions should remain exactly that. Having a popular television show doesn’t provide a platform from which to spread hate and homophobia.
Perhaps it’s time Phil Robertson went back to his swamp and his previous (and deserved) anonymity. He can live his hateful brand of “Christianity” all he wants…and it won’t show up in GQ.
While he’s at it, he might try dusting off his Bible and reading up on the teachings of the Jesus Christ he professes to follow. He might just learn a thing or two.
