# A&E suspends Phil Robertson over anti-gay remarks **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 19, 2013, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-suspends-phil-robertson-over-anti-gay-remarks/676747 "2013-12-19T18:37:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-suspends-phil-robertson-over-anti-gay-remarks/676747/21 "2013-12-19T21:30:31Z")
This is playing itself out in the private market. Let the principals fight this out amongst themselves. Heaven forbid the world be denied access to _Duck Dynasty_ in any way… Can someone get the entire Kardashian Klan to say something like this? Please? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-suspends-phil-robertson-over-anti-gay-remarks/676747/22 "2013-12-19T21:43:36Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > Comparative religion fail :). 😃 My thoughts exactly. He’s right, though, that if we look at societies with a strong Christian element (antebellum South, Mexico in the 16 century, Sudan, Europe during the Crusades), we find a model of pacifism and humane relationships among people. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-suspends-phil-robertson-over-anti-gay-remarks/676747/23 "2013-12-19T21:48:51Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > I’m slightly amused that you apparently think this mitigates the offensiveness of his comments. He more or less paraphrased what the theology of damn near EVERY Christian denomination says. He didn’t advocate violence. He didn’t say anything particularly hateful- he just said that he doesn’t understand something, and that he believes it to be sinful. Just because you don’t like it doesn’t make it hate speech. Had he said he thought they should be stoned or burned or advocated something else, then you’d be onto something, but the guy was just stating his rather mainstream Christian opinion when it comes down to it. His political comments about comparative religions are off-base, but hardly that bad- again, not hateful or violent, just off-base. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-suspends-phil-robertson-over-anti-gay-remarks/676747/24 "2013-12-19T21:51:16Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > I’m slightly amused that you apparently think this mitigates the offensiveness of his comments. He didn’t say it mitigated anything. ---
**Author:** ![bmoak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@bmoak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bmoak)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-suspends-phil-robertson-over-anti-gay-remarks/676747/25 "2013-12-19T21:51:44Z")
I’m surprised his recollections of how blacks were much happier and never complained back in the good ol’ days of Jim Crow haven’t gotten more attention. “I never, with my eyes, saw the mistreatment of any black person. Not once. Where we lived was all farmers. The blacks worked for the farmers. I hoed cotton with them. I’m with the blacks, because we’re white trash. We’re going across the field…. They’re singing and happy. I never heard one of them, one black person, say, ‘I tell you what: These doggone white people’—not a word!… Pre-entitlement, pre-welfare, you say: Were they happy? They were godly; they were happy; no one was singing the blues.” ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-suspends-phil-robertson-over-anti-gay-remarks/676747/26 "2013-12-19T21:54:53Z")
There are a lot of christian denominations that have no problems with gay people and those that do, I also consider offensive. If your theology considers gay people offensive, then I consider it offensive. I never said you have to. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-suspends-phil-robertson-over-anti-gay-remarks/676747/27 "2013-12-19T21:56:10Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > He didn’t say it mitigated anything. Please. It’s offensive to include gays in a list of sinners, period. Whether or not he’s drawing equivalencies is irrelevant. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-suspends-phil-robertson-over-anti-gay-remarks/676747/28 "2013-12-19T22:00:17Z")
> [@bmoak](#): > > I’m surprised his recollections of how blacks were much happier and never complained back in the good ol’ days of Jim Crow haven’t gotten more attention. Kinda of interesting to me too. Probably because it is just so :smack::smack::smack: stupid and indefensible, yet there are people who fervently believe that homosexuality is a sin and they’re trying to defend his (and their) beliefs rather than this bit. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-suspends-phil-robertson-over-anti-gay-remarks/676747/29 "2013-12-19T22:00:38Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Please. It’s offensive to include gays in a list of sinners, period. Whether or not he’s drawing equivalencies is irrelevant. Well, I’m on all kinds of sinner lists, and it doesn’t offend me one bit. Why would you care what someone else thinks is a sin? ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-suspends-phil-robertson-over-anti-gay-remarks/676747/30 "2013-12-19T22:02:49Z")
I’m waiting for him to get an invite to attend the Winter Olympics as a guest of Putin…strange bedfellows and all. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-suspends-phil-robertson-over-anti-gay-remarks/676747/31 "2013-12-19T22:04:56Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > I’m waiting for him to get an invite to attend the Winter Olympics as a guest of Putin…strange bedfellows and all. I see what you did there… ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-suspends-phil-robertson-over-anti-gay-remarks/676747/32 "2013-12-19T22:08:26Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Well, I’m on all kinds of sinner lists, and it doesn’t offend me one bit. Why would you care what someone else thinks is a sin? Yeah? What sins do you do that could run you the risk of getting fired from your job even in America? How many countries will execute you for these sins? The antagonism towards homosexuality fanned by these sorts of comments is dangerous and hurtful and I’m not particularly inclined to give people a pass just because they’ve got a tatter of religion to cover their bigotry with. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-suspends-phil-robertson-over-anti-gay-remarks/676747/33 "2013-12-19T22:12:17Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Please. It’s offensive to include gays in a list of sinners, period. Whether or not he’s drawing equivalencies is irrelevant. Just because you choose to be offended doesn’t make something offensive. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-suspends-phil-robertson-over-anti-gay-remarks/676747/34 "2013-12-19T22:13:33Z")
of·fen·sive adjective adjective: offensive ``` 1. causing someone to feel deeply hurt, upset, or angry. ``` ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-suspends-phil-robertson-over-anti-gay-remarks/676747/35 "2013-12-19T22:14:30Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Yeah? What sins do you do that could run you the risk of getting fired from your job even in America? How many countries will execute you for these sins? The antagonism towards homosexuality fanned by these sorts of comments is dangerous and hurtful and I’m not particularly inclined to give people a pass just because they’ve got a tatter of religion to cover their bigotry with. No one is asking you to give anyone a pass. But if you want to be offended because someone said homosexuality is a sin, knock yourself out. You can find someone like that everyday of the week and twice on Sunday. ---
**Author:** ![nate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nate/32/13085_2.png) [@nate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nate)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-suspends-phil-robertson-over-anti-gay-remarks/676747/36 "2013-12-19T22:18:03Z")
His comments, kind of like the Chick-fil-a owner’s comments, didn’t really surprise, offend or upset me. Of course, I’m not gay so I don’t guess that they would. But what does grind my gears is the reaction of the Phil and Chick-fil-a supporters, the pouring out of support for such statements is to me the most depressing part of it. Thinly veiled attempts to disguise their opinion as just supporting free speech, when it really does seem like they are just promoting the social tolerance to hate gays. ---
**Author:** ![Karrius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71c47a/32.png) [@Karrius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karrius)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-suspends-phil-robertson-over-anti-gay-remarks/676747/37 "2013-12-19T22:20:38Z")
> [@bmoak](#): > > I’m surprised his recollections of how blacks were much happier and never complained back in the good ol’ days of Jim Crow haven’t gotten more attention. > > “I never, with my eyes, saw the mistreatment of any black person. Not once. Where we lived was all farmers. The blacks worked for the farmers. I hoed cotton with them. I’m with the blacks, because we’re white trash. We’re going across the field…. They’re singing and happy. I never heard one of them, one black person, say, ‘I tell you what: These doggone white people’—not a word!… Pre-entitlement, pre-welfare, you say: Were they happy? They were godly; they were happy; no one was singing the blues.” That + the xenophobic remarks I’m really surprised aren’t getting more attention. Have we as a society basically just given up and accepted that blatant, heavy racism is A-OK? ---
**Author:** ![Stringbean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Stringbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringbean)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-suspends-phil-robertson-over-anti-gay-remarks/676747/38 "2013-12-19T22:21:30Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > of·fen·sive > adjective > adjective: offensive > > ``` > 1. > causing someone to feel deeply hurt, upset, or angry. > > ``` I’m offended by you quoting a dictionary. Do not do that again or I will have you fired for offensive language. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-suspends-phil-robertson-over-anti-gay-remarks/676747/39 "2013-12-19T22:22:18Z")
> [@bmoak](#): > > I’m surprised his recollections of how blacks were much happier and never complained back in the good ol’ days of Jim Crow haven’t gotten more attention. > > “I never, with my eyes, saw the mistreatment of any black person. Not once. Where we lived was all farmers. The blacks worked for the farmers. I hoed cotton with them. I’m with the blacks, because we’re white trash. We’re going across the field…. They’re singing and happy. I never heard one of them, one black person, say, ‘I tell you what: These doggone white people’—not a word!… Pre-entitlement, pre-welfare, you say: Were they happy? They were godly; they were happy; no one was singing the blues.” There’s also the admission that he beat up a man and a woman in the 1970s, and when offered a chance to apologize in the interview, refused to do it, citing that his religious beliefs have changed him so much he is literally a different person and doesn’t have to apologize for that other guy. No shit: > [@](#): > > During Phil’s darkest days, in the early 1970s, **he had to flee the state of Arkansas after he badly beat up a bar owner and the guy’s wife**. Kay Robertson persuaded the bar owner not to press charges in exchange for most of the Robertsons’ life savings. (“A hefty price,” he notes in his memoir.) I ask Phil if he ever repented for that, as he wants America to repent—if he ever tracked down the bar owner and his wife to apologize for the assault. He shakes his head. > > “I didn’t dredge anything back up. I just put it behind me.” > > As far as Phil is concerned, he was literally born again. **Old Phil—the guy with the booze and the pills—died a long time ago, and New Phil sees no need to apologize for him** : “We never, ever judge someone on who’s going to heaven, hell. That’s the Almighty’s job. We just love ’em, give ’em the good news about Jesus—whether they’re homosexuals, drunks, terrorists. We let God sort ’em out later, you see what I’m saying?” [http://www.gq.com/entertainment/television/201401/duck-dynasty-phil-robertson?currentPage=2](http://www.gq.com/entertainment/television/201401/duck-dynasty-phil-robertson?currentPage=2) I will tell you, on the FB posts where I’ve been talking about this, the above has done the best to shut up the right-wingers. Just ask them “what part of Jesus’s teachings allow a man to beat up a woman and then not apologize for it?” I was accused of being a “keyboard bully” after that last one. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-suspends-phil-robertson-over-anti-gay-remarks/676747/40 "2013-12-19T22:38:11Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > of·fen·sive > adjective > adjective: offensive > > ``` > 1. > causing someone to feel deeply hurt, upset, or angry. > > ``` I can’t imagine being deeply hurt, upset or angry by anything said by anyone who is a star of a reality show called _Duck Dynasty_. YMMV. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-suspends-phil-robertson-over-anti-gay-remarks/676747.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-suspends-phil-robertson-over-anti-gay-remarks/676747.md?page=3)