Here\u2019s today\u2019s dispatch from the crossroads of faith, media and culture.<\/p>\n
No ducking this controversy.<\/strong> It seems like everyone,\u00a0including over a million Facebook<\/strong> users<\/a>, is weighing in on A&E<\/strong>‘s decision to suspect Duck Dynasty<\/em><\/strong> star Phil Robertson<\/strong> following perceived anti-gay comments made to GQ Magazine<\/strong>. Here’s a sampling. Then I’ll throw in my two cents.<\/p>\n A&E<\/strong>: \u201cWe are extremely disappointed to have read Phil Robertson\u2019s comments in GQ, which are based on his own personal beliefs and are not reflected in the series Duck Dynasty…His personal views in no way reflect those of A&E Networks, who have always been strong supporters and champions of the LGBT community. The network has placed Phil under hiatus from filming indefinitely.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Richard Land<\/strong>, President of the Southern Evangelical Seminary<\/strong>: This confirms what I and others have said all along \u2013 this debate about homosexuality has never been about tolerance or \u2018live and let live.\u2019\u00a0 It\u2019s always been\u00a0about the GLBT community wanting their lifestyles affirmed as healthy,\u00a0normal, and moral,\u00a0and ostracizing anyone who disagrees with them as the equivalent\u00a0of supporters\u00a0of the KKK. Now we have the gay thought and speech police attacking the star of a reality show for essentially\u00a0paraphrasing 1 Corinthians 6.\u00a0 This is an assault on everyone with traditional religious beliefs whether they realize it yet or not. It is vital that everyone who holds traditional Christian beliefs about this subject, and everyone who believes in freedom of speech, and\u00a0particularly\u00a0religious speech, stands up and is counted.<\/em><\/p>\n Bill O’Reilly (via Mediaite<\/a>):<\/strong> Mr. Robertson, I believe, made a mistake by the condemnation line. And here\u2019s why. It\u2019s not about the Bible, or believing or not believing in the Bible. It\u2019s singling out a group, it could be anyone, and saying to that group, \u2018Hey, you\u2019re not worthy in the eyes of the lord\u2026 because of who you are.<\/em> (Mr. O’Reilly also criticized the A&E suspension as an attempt to \u201cmarginalize a Christian who has a big platform.\u201d)<\/p>\n Glenn Beck<\/strong> wants it known <\/a>that if A&E loses the show, he wants it on his network: We\u2019d like you at TheBlaze. We\u2019re not ashamed, we won\u2019t fold\u2026 Duck Dynasty, we would be proud to have you.<\/em><\/p>\n Richard Ambrosino<\/strong>, a well-regarded gay writer, has this interesting perspective<\/a>: Why is our go-to political strategy for beating our opponents to silence them? Why do we dismiss, rather than engage them? One of the biggest pop-culture icons of today just took center stage to \u201ceducate\u201d us about sexuality. I see this as an opportunity to further the discussion, to challenge his limited understanding of human desire, to engage with him and his rather sizable audience \u2014 most of whom, by the way, probably share his views<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 and to rise above the endless sea of tweet-hate to help move our LGBT conversations to where they need to go. G.K. Chesterton said that bigotry is \u201can incapacity to conceive seriously the alternative to a proposition.\u201d If he is right \u2014 and he usually is \u2014 then I wonder if the Duck Dynasty fiasco says more about our bigotry than Phil\u2019s.<\/em><\/p>\n The Parents Television Council<\/strong> made this excellent point (reported by Deadline<\/strong><\/a>): No matter your feeling on Mr. Robertson\u2019s comments and A&E subsequent decision to suspend him, there is no doubt that millions of fans of the show are upset with A&E\u2019s decision on this case,\u201d PTC said. \u201cNow imagine if those consumers had the ability to make a free market-based economic decision to no longer subscribe to A&E today. In a free market, consumers can \u2018vote with their wallets\u2019 rather than have to resort to postings on social media to make their feelings known. Conversely, in a free market, those who agree with A&E\u2019s decision could actively seek out more of their programming and pay for it.<\/em><\/p>\n IMHO:<\/strong> Count me in agreement with Bill O’Reilly, Richard Ambrosino and the PTC. Christians, I believe, would be wise to avoid the appearance of attempting to judge who’s going to hell. In my understanding of The Bible<\/strong>, judging people is one thing we definitely shouldn’t be about. Mercy, compassion and humility should be our calling cards. That said, I don’t think it was Mr. Robertson’s intention to judge any person — but simply enunciate his beliefs about sinful behavior (which also, BTW, included heterosexual promiscuity).<\/p>\n I really have to respect Mr. Ambrosino’s decision to sidestep the current cultural trap of “He who is most offended wins.” It is possible, as I believe even Mr. Robertson stated in the GQ article that started the brouhaha, for people to care about and love each other even if they vehemently disagree about fundamental issues. There are people who I believe care deeply about me who, nonetheless, think the Catholic Church is a haven for all sorts of twisted control freakiness and priestly perversions. They can think that.\u00a0 It doesn’t make them “haters.” I understand they have their perspectives and I have mine. We can all be good people — and by listening to, and not condemning, those with whom we disagree maybe we can even become better people.<\/p>\n Basically, I don’t like bullying — whether they come from the right or the left, from believers or non-believers. I will say that the right and believers, in my view, tend to get called on it more than those on the other side of the spectrum — which tends, I think, to keep them a little more in check.\u00a0 GLAAD has enjoyed its place atop the PC Pyramid for some time now and has, IMHO, unfortunately, become the type of bully it was organized to combat. They’re certainly free to call out anyone for what they say. But it seems like they’re too often out to get someone fired — and that’s just uncool.<\/p>\n Finally, I think the PTC makes an excellent point about how the controversy relates to the issue of cable bundling (a sort of consumer bullying by media giants). Let individuals in the marketplace decide issues of who really crosses the line in public discourse. But, to do that, you need an actual free market. The current system is anything but.<\/p>\n One more thing: A&E is partially owned by Disney<\/strong> which owns (the (struggling) ABC<\/strong>. If A&E execs really are so committed to their stand, maybe they can let ABC take it. It’s high-rated show would work great leading off Wednesday night. Imagine this lineup: 8:00 – Duck Dynasty<\/em>, 8:30 – The Middle<\/em><\/strong>, 9:00 – Modern Family<\/em><\/strong>. The slogan for the night could be “There’s room for everyone.”<\/p>\n Anyway, I’ve received this press release from a group called Faith Driven Consumer<\/strong><\/a>:<\/p>\n \u00a0IStandWithPhil.com<\/a> Petition Drive Calls for Phil Robertson\u2019s Immediate Return to Duck Dynasty<\/strong><\/p>\n Petitioners ask A&E to cease its discriminatory censorship of Mr. Robertson and to treat people of faith with equality, fairness, and true tolerance<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n (Raleigh, NC \u2013 December 19, 2013) \u2014 Faith Driven Consumer, an organization connecting Christian consumers with faith-compatible companies, has launched the\u00a0IStandWithPhil.com<\/a>\u00a0 petition drive, which calls for The A&E Network to immediately reinstate Mr. Phil Robertson to its #1 hit show,\u00a0Duck Dynasty<\/em>.\u00a0IStandWithPhil.com<\/a>\u00a0is garnering strong support from Faith Driven Consumers with its call for tolerance, fairness, and respect for differing viewpoints in America\u2019s rainbow of diversity.<\/p>\n \u201cSimply put, Phil Robertson is being censored and punished for quoting the Bible, and A&E\u2019s treatment of him is punitive and highly discriminatory, \u201d said Chris Stone, founder of Faith Driven Consumer. \u201cEveryday people will not stand for this, they know bullying and violation of religious freedom when they see it. A&E\u2019s actions are censoring Faith Driven Consumers and eliminating them from an entertainment choice that they have overwhelmingly supported.\u201d<\/p>\n IStandWithPhil.com<\/a>\u00a0is leading the charge in the call for fairness and equality as we defend the fundamental American right to free speech and tradition of tolerance.\u201d<\/p>\n The\u00a0IStandWithPhil.com<\/a>\u00a0online petition drive cites the A&E network\u2019s \u201cintolerant, discriminatory, and punitive\u00a0treatment\u201d of the\u00a0Duck Dynasty<\/em>\u00a0star, noting that \u201cA&E’s\u00a0position, which in your own words is \u2018championing\u2019 the gay and lesbian community\u2026excludes the views of Faith Driven Consumers and effectively censors a legitimate viewpoint held by the majority of Americans.\u201d\u00a0IStandWithPhil.com<\/a> \u00a0calls for respect for the millions of viewers of the show, and demands that the network immediately reinstate Mr. Robertson and \u201cformally apologize to him, his family, and the millions of viewers who tune in every week, stand by him, and share his worldview.\u201d<\/p>\n The complete petition can be seen here:<\/p>\n