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kv0925It's amazing how something as silly and ultimately meaningless as this GQ interview with Duck Dynasty's Phil Robertson and its aftermath can bring the idiocy out in people. I've seen a number of FB posts on it today, all of which have made me really want to reach for the Unfriend button. One is my cousin, so I guess I have to keep her. But another is someone I've been thinking of ditching anyway, maybe this will be the final straw.
But of course I couldn't resist making my own FB post on the subject, reproduced here for your reading pleasure:
When I saw the GQ interview with Phil Robertson yesterday, I knew it was gonna get ugly. I don't watch the show so it doesn't much matter to me. But what DOES matter to me is the flagrant misunderstanding of the First Amendment being tossed around in this guy's defense. So look:
This is NOT a First Amendment issue. 1A doesn't mean that speech has no consequences whatsoever. All 1A says is that the GOVERNMENT can't punish someone for expressing their opinion, and indeed that's not what's happening, so 1A is off the table. Of course Mr. Robertson has a constitutional right to voice his opinions, reprehensible as they may be. And A&E as his employer has a right to add consequences after the fact, in order to protect their revenue in the form of viewers and advertisers. That's all that's going on here, and it should surprise no one.
What should ALSO surprise no one, of course, is that the Robertson clan are a bunch of Bible-thumping homophobes. So it may seem like A&E is making a mistake here, since surely a majority of Duck Dynasty's audience are Bible-thumping homophobes too. But I submit this is all very shrewd on A&E's part. A&E had to know what would happen when they gave this guy a forum like an interview in GQ. They knew he'd spout some nonsense like this, and they knew it would cause an uproar. By reacting, they've inflamed the audience of the show, and gotten people all up on their high horse to support Phil and his so-called family values. And they will tune in. I predict even higher ratings for the show, at least for a little bit. And the audience won't even know--or care, anyway--that they've been strung right along. Well-played indeed, A&E.
Me, I just need some more popcorn because I think it's all utterly hilarious. :)
But of course I couldn't resist making my own FB post on the subject, reproduced here for your reading pleasure:
When I saw the GQ interview with Phil Robertson yesterday, I knew it was gonna get ugly. I don't watch the show so it doesn't much matter to me. But what DOES matter to me is the flagrant misunderstanding of the First Amendment being tossed around in this guy's defense. So look:
This is NOT a First Amendment issue. 1A doesn't mean that speech has no consequences whatsoever. All 1A says is that the GOVERNMENT can't punish someone for expressing their opinion, and indeed that's not what's happening, so 1A is off the table. Of course Mr. Robertson has a constitutional right to voice his opinions, reprehensible as they may be. And A&E as his employer has a right to add consequences after the fact, in order to protect their revenue in the form of viewers and advertisers. That's all that's going on here, and it should surprise no one.
What should ALSO surprise no one, of course, is that the Robertson clan are a bunch of Bible-thumping homophobes. So it may seem like A&E is making a mistake here, since surely a majority of Duck Dynasty's audience are Bible-thumping homophobes too. But I submit this is all very shrewd on A&E's part. A&E had to know what would happen when they gave this guy a forum like an interview in GQ. They knew he'd spout some nonsense like this, and they knew it would cause an uproar. By reacting, they've inflamed the audience of the show, and gotten people all up on their high horse to support Phil and his so-called family values. And they will tune in. I predict even higher ratings for the show, at least for a little bit. And the audience won't even know--or care, anyway--that they've been strung right along. Well-played indeed, A&E.
Me, I just need some more popcorn because I think it's all utterly hilarious. :)
