The Duck Dynasty family is slowly but surely beginning to experience the downside of fame: Anything you do or say will be scrutinized and fans can and will turn on you if they don’t like your views. Phil Robertson, the patriarch of A&E’s hit show, recently gave an interview to GQ magazine and shared his views on homosexuality. Unfortunately, the usually likable bearded man seemed to showcase his ignorance and spread blatant hate instead of spreading the word of Jesus, as he intended.
“It seems like, to me, a vagina — as a man — would be more desirable than a man’s anus. 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,” he said.
According to Phil, homosexuality is just the beginning of the world’s “modern immorality.” “Everything is blurred on what’s right and what’s wrong. Sin becomes fine. Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there.” He claimed homosexuality leads to bestiality and condemned adulterers, drunks, slanderers, swindlers, and the greedy. “They won’t inherit the kingdom of God. Don’t deceive yourself. It’s not right,” he told the magazine.
GLAAD immediately released a statement as soon as they heard the homophobic remarks. “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. 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.”
A&E has not made an official statement, but they did release a statement by Phil Robertson himself after he began to feel the effects of the backlash. “My mission today is to go forth and tell people about why I follow Christ and also what the bible teaches, and part of that teaching is that women and men are meant to be together. However, I would never treat anyone with disrespect just because they are different from me. We are all created by the Almighty and like Him, I love all of humanity. We would all be better off if we loved God and loved each other.”
Homosexuality was not the only controversial topic Phil discussed during the GQ interview. He also talked about growing up in pre-civil rights Louisiana. He claimed he never saw the mistreatment of any one black. He worked with them because he himself was “white trash.” “I never heard one of them, one black person, say, ‘I tell you what: These doggone white people’ – not one word!… Pre-entitlement, pre-welfare, you say: Were they happy? They were godly: they were happy; no one was singing the blues.”
I have never seen an episode of Duck Dynasty, but Mr. Robertson’s statements do not shine him in the best light. I personally disagree with him and he seems to be misinformed and unaware of the current social issues within our culture that continue to oppress certain groups of people and make them feel inferior and unequal. What are your thoughts on Phil Robertson’s statements and, if you were once a faithful duck caller, will you continue to watch the show after learning about his unaccepting perspectives?
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