December 19, 2013
More Conservatives Show Support for 'Duck Dynasty' Star
Jason St. Amand READ TIME: 4 MIN.
More ultra-right conservatives are showing their support for Phil Robertson after A&E suspended him from the hit reality show "Duck Dynasty" for making anti-gay comments.
After Sarah Palin, officials from the National Organization for Marriage, Bryan Fischer and other anti-gay pundits defended Robertson, who compared homosexuality to bestiality, more right-wingers are flocking to his side, like Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.
"Free Speech Matters. The reason that so many Americans love 'Duck Dynasty' is because it represents the America usually ignored or mocked by liberal elites: a family that loves and cares for each other, believes in God, and speaks openly about their faith," Cruz wrote on his Facebook.
"If you believe in free speech or religious liberty, you should be deeply dismayed over the treatment of Phil Robertson," he added. "Phil expressed his personal views and his own religious faith; for that, he was suspended from his job. In a free society, anyone is free to disagree with him--but the mainstream media should not behave as the thought police censoring the views with which they disagree.
"And, as PC enforcers often forget, tolerance is a two-way street," Cruz wrote.
The post currently has over 46,000 likes and 13,000 shares.
Cruz isn't alone in his sentiments, however. Family Research Council President Tony Perkins released a statement on Thursday, regarding the reality stars anti-gay comments, specifically calling out A&E officials decision to suspend Robertson.
"A&E's suspension of Phil Robertson shows Hollywood wants to avoid reality. The reality is that the Robertson family are Bible-believing Christians who don't cherry pick what the Bible teaches," Perkins said.
"Phil Robertson has been targeted simply because he expressed his religious beliefs, but there is a clear double standard that is being applied. Nothing was done when homosexual activist Dan Savage screamed profanities at Christian high school students and called them 'pansy-(expletive deleted).' However, when Christians simply say homosexuality is wrong and they don't agree with it, there are demands that they be fired and silenced.
"We have also seen wedding florists, bakers, photographers hauled into court, fined and even ordered to violate their religious beliefs by participating in same-sex weddings," he continued. "It is time for all Americans to take a stand against the cultural elites who want to destroy the livelihood of people and remove God and His truth from every aspect of public life.
"The increasing awareness of this collateral cultural and religious carnage that accompanies the redefinition of natural marriage will continue to cause the debate over same-sex marriage to intensify, not abate, despite the media's relative silence and homosexual activists increasing campaign of intimidation," Perkins said.
Officials from the anti-gay group Liberty Counsel unsurprisingly feel the same way as other ultra-conservatives. In a press release, the organization wrote, "Liberty Counsel stands behind 'Duck Dynasty' star Phil Robertson. To fire someone because of his religious beliefs is outrageous and anti-American. A&E has pandered to the wrong group. The television network should apologize for censoring Phil Robertson."
They went on to say that "very person is created in the image of God and deserves respect, sinful people do sinful acts that cannot be condoned."
Robertson's comments came from a recent GQ interview where he said:
"It seems like, to me, a vagina -- as a man -- would be more desirable than a man's anus," the reality star told GQ. "That's just me. I'm just thinking: There's more there! She's got more to offer. I mean, come on, dudes! You know what I'm saying? But hey, sin: It's not logical, my man. It's just not logical."
"Everything is blurred on what's right and what's wrong. Sin becomes fine," he went on to say. "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. 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."
A&E released a statement containing the reality star's apology but officials from the cable station soon announced he was suspended and "Duck Dynasty" would go on a hiatus.