Well here we are again, another reason for the hard-core righties to get all up in arms, again, about something they are getting wrong.
It wasn’t so long ago that the hard Christian right became enraged over the fact that gays and lesbians were planning to protest Chick-Fil-A after it’s CEO made what they felt were anti-homosexual statements. Of course the uninformed cry rose to heaven that the CEO’s freedom of speech was being infringed upon. Rubbish!
No one can have their freedom of speech infringed upon by other individuals, or for that matter by their employers. Which brings us to the latest misguided cause for the TEA types.
If you haven’t heard about the patriarch of the Robertson family, Phil Robertson, from the mega-hit, “Duck Dynasty” on A&E network, and the fact that he has been suspended from the show, again for what some feel were anti-homosexual comments in an interview with a magazine, then you should come out from under your rock once in a while.
Look, in my opinion it doesn’t matter a wit what he said, personally I have never watched a single episode of the show, but I do know that Mr. Robertson holds himself out as a Christian, and is very outspoken about his views. I am sure that this is what has made the show so popular with many on the right. So who is surprised that he would have views about homosexuality that would offend our more liberal friends? Well obviously A&E Network has been totally blindsided, so much so they felt the need to suspend Mr. Robertson.
Since the suspension, social media has been ablaze with the story, and the dominate theme has been that Mr. Robertson’s freedom of speech rights have been infringed upon. Again, rubbish!
Why is it that so many people on the right who claim to be constitutionalist, who claim to have read, and to understand the Constitution, seem to always get it wrong?
Let us first look at the 1st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution where it speaks of our freedom of speech, it says,
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
Notice the very first word in this amendment, “CONGRESS”, shall make no law! Notice how it doesn’t say, A&E shall make no law, or A&E shall have no rules, or A&E shall have no policy. You see, since A&E can’t make laws, A&E can’t infringe upon anyone’s right of freedom of speech.
Phil Robertson is an employee of A&E Network, or at the very least has a contractual agreement with the network, therefore if he behaves in a manner that the network feels will have a negative impact on their product, they have the right to sever that relationship to protect their interest. As long as the actions taken by A&E do not run contradictory to the contract between the network and Mr. Robertson, then they are within their rights.
I would ask my TEA time constitutionalist friends out there to explain how Mr. Robertson’s freedom of speech has been infringed upon? No law was passed by congress, he is free to say his mind anywhere and anytime he chooses, if he can find an outlet for that speech. The Constitution does not guarantee us an audience for our thoughts, merely the right to express them.
Imagine that you work for a company, and while representing that company you make comments that would have a negative impact upon the company, would that company have the right to discipline you? I believe so.
The other side of this equation is, if you believe that Mr. Robertson has a right to express his views on homosexuality, then shouldn’t you also feel that A&E has a right to express theirs? Mr. Robertson believes that homosexuality is a sin, and so he said so. A&E believes that homosexuals are a large enough market share that his statements could hurt their bottom line, and so they suspended him. It seems that once again the TEA types only see constitutionality from one side, they would defend Mr. Robertson’s freedom of speech, with extreme indifference to A&E’s freedom to run their business as they see fit. Hypocrites as always.
The same as the Chick-Fil-A dust-up ran its course, to the benefit of the fast food chain I might add, so shall this have to run its course. Those who think A&E has badly treated Phil Robertson can refuse to watch the network, and if after a time the network decides to reinstate Mr. Robertson, either from pressure from the right, or due to a financial consideration, then those who feel his statements were hurtful can choose to boycott the network, the show and or the sponsors.
I just wish our TEA time friends would take a little time to actually read the Constitution and to understand it before they go off on some tangent about the infringement of our rights. When they get it wrong on such a large-scale, they make all conservatives look bad.
Clearly A&E has the right to fire any employee. This does not limit Mr Robertson’s 1st amendment rights. Mr. Robertson can say anything he wants. The 1st amendment restricts the power of the federal government but it does not say that a private concern has to employ anyone who states anything that is contrary to the business concerns eventual goals.
With all of that being said, This is one of the dumbest business decisions I have ever seen. Duck Dynasty is the highest rated show on Cable TV. This decision is all symbolism and no substance. A&E already has all but one show recorded for next season. Phil Robertson can hunt until March before his so called suspension actually has an impact on the show.
Does anyone actually believe that another network will not pick up Duck Dynasty?
In their attempt to be politically correct, A&E has exposed themselves as pure hypocrites.
They are going to run a Duck Dynasty marathon. Phil Robertson may not show up on one show.
A&E has demonstrated that they want to be politically correct and still keep their goose that lays the golden egg.
It won’t work.
The grass roots protest will impact A&E in significant ways that they can’t imagine. A&E chose to cave in to the homosexual lobby. They will regret this once, but it will be continually.
Hmmmmmm
I am not sure what sort of appeal “DuckDynasty” had among the homosexual and black communities. So I am not sure what harm, if any loosing their demographic would have in A&E
Call me cynical, but by this whole controversy, it appears that the far right has shown themselves to be stupid hypocrites, (see Sarah Palin’s remarks on this VS Martin Bashir) . It’s obvious that the far right does not understand or know the Consitution at all. They are more sheeple than most.
It appears that if a faked up redneck from the swamps chooses to say non-PC things about gays and blacks, my next question would be to say- why would one expect otherwise?
He is what he is and was never shy about it
That said- does one really think A&E will suffer? Hell NO
the far right will rally around the family and demand A&E take him back,
the black and gay community will appreciate A&E being sensitive and might even pick up an A&E show- maybe even be curious enought to watch these fools
And in the long run, Duck Dynasty and A&E will continue to profit from a ginned up non-controversy.
It’s a false flag- one can equate it to a divorce, only the attorneys win.
And frankly, who give a fart about what some flaming redneck on TV thinks about gays and black people
Life in beginning to imitate art people- time to turn the tube off!
This is not a constitutional nor political issue. It is an ethics issue. Just as in business beyond Sussex county the A&E contract that puts all that money in the Duckheads wallet prolly included an ethics chapter on public image and conduct beyond the filming or pertraying of the show. Duckhead signed it away knowingly or not when he accepted the dump truck full of money.
So again it is a contractual business issue, not a call to arms the hard right or hard left would have you believe.
WP, agreed. Unfortunately there are those on the right who have again taken this as an opportunity to rouse the rabble. Just today I was listening to HATE Radio to their weekend guy Jake Smith, and either he is completely uniformed, or is intentionally misinforming his listening audience. Or maybe a little of both. Of course he was spouting rubbish about how this is another example of how our nation is losing its rights. He like so many “rights baiters” was claiming that Mr. Roberts’ rights were being taken away from him.
I must have missed the part where A&E either arrested Mr. Roberts for the things he said. You see these so called constitutionalist never take the time to actually understand the heritage of the document, they simply twist it to fit their own needs.
We would all be better served if these people would do more reading of the founding documents, and less waving of those documents.
Jake Smith actually said that the government should “enforce” our 1st Amendment rights in cases such as Mr. Roberts.
One has to question the logic these people use. They seem to distrust the government and want the government out of their lives, and yet they would have no problem with the government coming in and forcing a private company, A&E, into employing Roberts against their will.
Does Mr. Smith not see that that is exactly the type of government intrusion that a conservative should speak out against, and not in favor of? Does he not understand that if the government can force an employer to keep or hire someone against their will, then you have just given the government the ability to force that same employer to fire someone.
This is just another knee jerk reaction. Based on no real understanding of our constitution, but simply playing on the emotions of the uninformed.
I guess Mr. Smith only believes in the rights of conservatives, he has no intention of protecting the rights of those he disagrees with. That my friends is real tyranny.
Tyranny is never percieved by the person with the stick, or mouth. They believe that they are acting out of righteousness. A clear recipe for dissaster if we look at what history has to teach us.
I find it amazing how quickly the radical right Tea Party forgets about the free market arguments they were supposedly founded upon when one of their pet religious bigotries is criticized. In fact, it’s a great way to divide the normal Republicans who want to win and govern from the radical social warriors who just want to hate and fight.
This is a clear cut case of free market economics. He threatened A&E’s business, and they punished him for it. And people are now free to punish A&E by no longer watching the show. But these people who want to be the standard-bearers of the right now want Big Government to protect their “right” to be hateful free from any economic consequence.
The Robertson family has an estimated $400,000,000 million empire. Phil and family may have an on camera persona, but, I would have to imagine a much more intelligent and calculating than most would believe.
The family is either extremely lucky or are shrewed businessmen. I doubt anything said was by mistake.
Unfortunately this is another instance in what seems to be a never-ending list of the far right’s lack of comprehension in regards to the Constitution and how it is used to govern a nation and ensure the rights of individuals.
Ducky said his piece, as was his right. A&E suspended him, as was their right. The public may or may not decide to boycott A&E and/or their advertisers, as is their right. This is free market capitalism. Who could ask for anything more?
I am uncertain whether the far right suffers from hypocrisy or stupidity or both.
A&E’s token gesture is a joke. They are still raking in the big profits from the show, and will continue to rake them in.
It seems like they want to create the impression that they give a damn ,so that they can have their cake and eat it too.
If they are so incensed by Phil Robertson’s comments and beliefs, then why do they continue to accept this dirty money. Why don’t they (Disney & Hearst ) put their money where their mouth is, and redirect the profits to a cause or charity?
Well, as I said above, A&E made one of the dumbest business decisions of all time.
Today, A&E caved. This does not surprise me. The liberal establishment that runs firms like A&E knows how they make their money.
The idea that homosexuals were going to make up for the loss of 15 million viewers is laughable on its face.