Michelangelo Signorile Vs HRC

"It's not really a reversal [to reinstate Phil Robertson]. We think it's actually a positive outcome, and we want to thank A&E for their attentiveness and collaboration over the course of the last few weeks. We've received assurances also that the Robertson family is now open to working with African-American and (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people to address the real harm that such anti-gay and racist comments can cause. That's been our 'ask' since Phil's comments ran in GQ, and while it's a positive step, it certainly cannot and should not be the last one." - HRC vice president Fred Sainz, speaking to CNN.

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Posted in: Duck Dynasty,homophobes,HRC,Michelangelo Signorile,Phil Robertson,reality shows,religion,television

Fox News: The Reinstatement Of Phil Robertson Is Victory For Religous Liberty

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Posted in: Duck Dynasty,Fox News,GLAAD,homophobia,Phil Robertson,reality shows,religion,Tea Party,television

Signorile On "Hollywood Hypocrisy"

"Too many people are dismissing the action of A&E at reinstating Phil Robertson so soon after suspending him from Duck Dynasty. It's just a TV show, they say, and we have all of these wins on marriage equality -- and look at Utah! But this is not about, 'Oh, we're 'winning,' so who cares about Duck Dynasty?' As long as our so-called 'friends' in Hollywood promote and tolerate this kind of hate for money, we've not won much. Tomorrow they'll throw an AIDS benefit to assuage their guilt, or come out and say some wonderful things about LGBT people, while making millions of dollars by promoting hate against us, shrouded in religious beliefs, and raising America's kids on hate. And the racism they're promoting with Phil Robertson, who posited that blacks were happier under Jim Crow, while they claim to be so inclusive and anti-racist, is appalling, and shows the height of Hollywood hypocrisy." - Michelangelo Signorile, writing for the Huffington Post.

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Posted in: Duck Dynasty,Hollywood,Michelangelo Signorile,reality shows

GLAAD Reacts To A&E's Decision

Via press release: "Phil Robertson should look African American and gay people in the eyes and hear about the hurtful impact of praising Jim Crow laws and comparing gay people to terrorists. If dialogue with Phil is not part of next steps then A+E has chosen profits over African American and gay people – especially its employees and viewers."

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Posted in: Duck Dynasty,GLAAD,Phil Robertson,reality shows

Tony Perkins Celebrates

"The attacks on Phil Robertson revealed to the American people that the push to redefine marriage is less about the marriage altar than it is fundamentally altering America's moral, political and cultural landscape. A&E Network's reversal in the face of backlash is quite telling to the American people who are growing tired of GLAAD and cultural elites who want to silence people and remove God and His word from every aspect of public life.

"The goal of GLAAD is to silence anyone who dare challenge the idea that homosexuality is normal. However, the Robertson family's refusal to cower to GLAAD's bullying and the ensuing backlash to the suspension, unlike anything since Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day, finally forced A&E Network to withdraw the suspension. We've also seen these intimidation tactics used against wedding florists, bakers, photographers who have been hauled into court, fined and even ordered to violate their religious beliefs by participating in same-sex weddings.

"Where is the fairness there? Where's the tolerance? There is none. This is why hundreds of thousands of Americans had enough and took a stand by signing petitions in support of Phil Robertson and the right of Christians to quote the Bible." - KKK-affiliated hate group leader Tony Perkins, via press release.

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Posted in: bigotry,Christianists,crackpots,Duck Dynasty,FRC,hate groups,homophobia,Phil Robertson,reality shows,television,Tony Perkins

Robertson Family Reacts To Reinstatement

Posted to the Facebook page of Fox News reporter and asshat supreme Todd Starnes:

"The family is excited to keep making a quality tv show for our dedicated fans, who have showed us wonderful support. We will continue to represent our faith and values in the most positive way through Duck Dynasty and our many projects that we are currently working on. The outpouring of support and prayer has encouraged and emboldened us greatly."

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Posted in: Duck Dynasty,homophobia,Phil Robertson,reality shows

A&E Caves On Phil Robertson

More from the Denver Post:

In a statement Friday, A&E said it decided to bring Robertson back after discussions with the Robertson family and "numerous advocacy groups." The channel had put Robertson on what it called "hiatus" following his comments in a magazine article about how the Bible informs his view of gays. His comments were slammed by groups including GLAAD, the gay media watch organization. But A&E's decision drew a backlash from those who said they supported Robertson's comments and others who defended him on the basis of freedom of speech.

Here is A&E's full statement:

As a global media content company, A+E Networks' core values are centered around creativity, inclusion and mutual respect. We believe it is a privilege for our brands to be invited into people’s home and we operate with a strong sense of integrity and deep commitment to these principals. That is why we reacted so quickly and strongly to a recent interview with Phil Robertson.

While Phil’s comments made in the interview reflect his personal views based on his own beliefs, and his own personal journey, he and his family have publicly stated they regret the “coarse language” he used and the mis-interpretation of his core beliefs based only on the article. He also made it clear he would “never incite or encourage hate.” We at A+E Networks expressed our disappointment with his statements in the article, and reiterate that they are not views we hold.

But Duck Dynasty is not a show about one man's views. It resonates with a large audience because it is a show about family… a family that America has come to love. As you might have seen in many episodes, they come together to reflect and pray for unity, tolerance and forgiveness. These are three values that we at A+E Networks also feel strongly about. So after discussions with the Robertson family, as well as consulting with numerous advocacy groups, A&E has decided to resume filming Duck Dynasty later this spring with the entire Robertson family.

We will also use this moment to launch a national public service campaign (PSA) promoting unity, tolerance and acceptance among all people, a message that supports our core values as a company, and the values found in Duck Dynasty. These PSAs will air across our entire portfolio. In addition, an A&E source says the family and the network are going to work together to promote tolerance moving forward.

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Posted in: bigotry,Duck Dynasty,homophobes,Phil Robertson,reality shows,religion,television

Tweet Of The Day - Annise Parker

They're going nuts over in Teabagistan. Enjoy.

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Posted in: Annise Parker,Duck Dynasty,gay politicians,Houston,Phil Robertson,reality shows,Texas

Bristol Palin: Leave Phil Robertson Alone

"Everyone needs to leave Phil Robertson alone for expressing his beliefs. I think it’s so hypocritical how the LGBT community expects every single flippen person to agree with their life style. This flies in the face of what makes America great – people can have their own beliefs and own opinions and their own ways of life. Everyone needs to treat others like God would, with love. It goes both ways. I hate how the LGBT community says it’s all about 'love' and 'equality.' However, if you don’t agree with their lifestyle, they spread the most hate. It is so hypocritical it makes my stomach turn. They need to learn how to respect others’ opinions and not just jump to the conclusion that everyone who doesn’t support homosexuality and gay marriage is homophobic. They take the easy way out every time anyone speaks out about their beliefs on the Bible. If I were Duck Dynasty, I would take my show to another channel. So much disrespect." - Bristol Palin, writing for Patheos.  (Tipped by JMG reader Dave)

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Posted in: Bristol Palin,Duck Dynasty,Phil Robertson,reality shows

HomoQuotable - Michelangelo Signorile

"The Duck Dynasty controversy has become so ugly so fast. It's time to just call it what it is. Religious zealots like Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson are using the Bible to defame a group of people and excuse horrible actions against that group in the name of their Bible, refusing responsibility for the hate their words condone and inspire. And much of the media seems to be going along with it because the Robertsons, a Louisiana family with a reality TV show on A&E, are home-spun country people whom everyone seems to love. I'm seeing way too much defense of this crap as free speech -- as if every corporation is forced to allow its employees to spew vile and offensive defamation against people. Try telling your boss that he or she is like a pig-f**ker and see how long you keep your job. Just tell him or her it's in the Bible, and see if that keeps you from getting shown the door immediately without collecting your stuff." - Michelangelo Signorile, writing for the Huffington Post.

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Posted in: Duck Dynasty,employment,freedom of speech,homophobia,HomoQuotable,Michelangelo Signorile,Phil Robertson,reality shows,religion

Quote Of The Day - Matt Taibbi

"Conservatives have always had trouble grasping the difference between public censorship and private enterprise. With a few exceptions, like whistleblower laws and National Labor Relations Board protections against being fired for off-site discussions about work conditions (exceptions that, in almost every case, conservatives bitterly opposed), there is no legal or constitutional right to free speech on private property. You can be fired for calling your boss a dick, and you can just as easily be let go by a profit-seeking media company for imperiling its relationship with advertisers. And incidentally, this is the way true conservatives, and especially true hardcore speech advocates, have always wanted it. Could you imagine the uproar if someone passed a law saying that Martin Bashir couldn't be bounced from a broadcast job for saying Sarah Palin was a good candidate to have feces shoved in her mouth? Now that would be censorship. Remember, nobody heard a peep from Sarah Palin about free speech after that episode." - Matt Taibbi, writing for Rolling Stone. (Tipped by JMG reader David)

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Posted in: censorship,Duck Dynasty,freedom of speech,Matt Taibbi,Phil Robertson,reality shows,religion,Sarah Palin

America Needs 150M Phil Robertsons

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Posted in: AFA,Bryan Fischer,crackpots,Duck Dynasty,hate groups,Phil Robertson,reality shows,religion

Jon Stewart Vs Fox News On Duck Flap

Another recap from Mediaite:

The Daily Show host took the opportunity to deliver a scathing take down of the “free speech absolutists” at Fox News. “Look, I think what the guy said is ignorant,” Stewart said, “but I also have an inclination to support a world where saying ignorant shit on television doesn’t get you kicked off that medium.” But does Fox News truly believe you shouldn’t “pressure people to have to adhere to cultural norms of speech?” This led to an epic “War on Christmas” montage, after which Stewart explained that Fox’s “belief in free speech doesn’t extend to the holidays where the word Christmas is mandatory.”

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Posted in: Duck Dynasty,Fox News,Jon Stewart,reality shows

Bill O'Reilly: Robertson Shouldn't Judge

Mediaite recaps last night's show:

More than 24 hours after the news broke that A&E was suspending Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson over comments he made about homosexual sex, Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly finally weighed in with his opinion on the matter. But unlike some other conservative commentators who defended Robertson, O’Reilly surprised his guest Laura Ingraham by going the other way and practically applauding A&E’s decision. “Mr. Robertson, I believe, made a mistake by the condemnation line,” O’Reilly said. “And here’s why. It’s not about the Bible, or believing or not believing in the Bible. It’s singling out a group, it could be anyone, and saying to that group, ‘Hey, you’re not worthy in the eyes of the lord… because of who you are.”

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Posted in: Bill O'Reilly,Duck Dynasty,Fox News,Laura Ingraham,Phil Robertson,reality shows,religion

Robertson Family: We All Might Quit

From a statement released last night by the entire cast of Duck Dynasty:

We want to thank all of you for your prayers and support. The family has spent much time in prayer since learning of A&E's decision. We want you to know that first and foremost we are a family rooted in our faith in God and our belief that the Bible is His word. While some of Phil’s unfiltered comments to the reporter were coarse, his beliefs are grounded in the teachings of the Bible. Phil is a Godly man who follows what the Bible says are the greatest commandments: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Phil would never incite or encourage hate.We are disappointed that Phil has been placed on hiatus for expressing his faith, which is his constitutionally protected right.We have had a successful working relationship with A&E but, as a family, we cannot imagine the show going forward without our patriarch at the helm. We are in discussions with A&E to see what that means for the future of Duck Dynasty. Again, thank you for your continued support of our family.

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Posted in: Duck Dynasty,Phil Robertson,reality shows,religion

HomoQuotable - Andrew Sullivan

"Robertson is a character in a reality show. He’s not a spokesman for A&E any more than some soul-sucking social x-ray from the Real Housewives series is a spokeswoman for Bravo. Is he being fired for being out of character? Nah. He’s being fired for staying in character – a character A&E have nurtured and promoted and benefited from. Turning around and demanding a Duck Dynasty star suddenly become the equivalent of a Rachel Maddow guest is preposterous and unfair.What Phil Robertson has given A&E is a dose of redneck reality. Why on earth would they fire him for giving some more?" - Andrew Sullivan, writing for his blog.

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Posted in: Andrew Sullivan,Duck Dynasty,HomoQuotable,reality shows

Coach Dave Defends Phil Robertson

And he does the entire clip in really bad Robertson drag.

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Posted in: 5150,Coach Dave,crackpots,crazy people,Duck Dynasty,get the net,Phil Robertson,reality shows,religion

Tony Perkins Defends Phil 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. 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. 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." - KKK-affiliated hate group leader Tony Perkins, in a statement published to the blog the Family Research Council.

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Posted in: Christianists,Duck Dynasty,FRC,hate groups,homophobes,KKK,Phil Robertson,reality shows,religion,Tony Perkins

Ted Cruz Defends Phil Robertson

"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. If you believe in free speech or religious liberty, you should be deeply dismayed over the treatment of Phil Robertson. 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." - Ted Cruz, writing on his Facebook page.

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Posted in: crackpots,Duck Dynasty,homophobes,Phil Robertson,reality shows,Tea Party,teabaggers,Ted Cruz

Quote Of The Day - John Nolte

"Make no mistake about the anti-Christian leftists in Hollywood, the mainstream media, and GLAAD; the goal here is to put on a bitter Show Trial until A&E caves even further and yanks 'Duck Dynasty' off the air. The problem for A&E and the political left, though, is that in today's world, the boys of 'Duck Dynasty' hold all the cards. What the Left is going to do over the next few weeks is launch a McCarthyistic campaign to toxify 'Duck Dynasty' right out of Hollywood. The political left and the media already hated the show for daring to be proudly Southern, proudly Christian, and a monstrous hit; so the bonus of toxifying Christianity as de facto bigotry while killing the show is seen as something of two-fer among this crowd. But whether this anti-Christian jihad is successful or not, it can only backfire." - John Nolte, writing for Breitbart.

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Posted in: Breitbart,Duck Dynasty,homophobes,Phil Robertson,reality shows,religion,Tea Party,teabaggers