• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

'Duck Dynasty' star Phil Robertson suspended by A&E (W: 742)

Re: 'Duck Dynasty' star Phil Robertson suspended by A&E

The opposition of a moral position is not what he is being flagged for. It's how he portrayed homosexuality; akin to bestiality.

He grouped them both together as sins

The guy, as a representative of A&E, has no business even mentioning bestiality, let alone using it in conjunction with homosexuality to establish a moral position.

That seems more a choice for a&e, but rather irrelevant to your earlier point making the distinction between normative and positive statements
 
Re: 'Duck Dynasty' star Phil Robertson suspended by A&E

Obviously YOU care since you responded. No I don't watch duck dynasty but I watch other shows on A&E. I don't really care what they do with the show the decision is up to A&E. My viewing isn't determined by some red neck low information voter show.

That's precisely what I meant, who cares (in terms of this issue) what you think, you're not a viewer, and this won't keep you from watching other shows on A&E. This is either a huge advertising gimmick by A&E or they are absolute idiots, in which case the producers will be fired.
 
Re: 'Duck Dynasty' star Phil Robertson suspended by A&E

Good thing you aren't a lawyer then. :lamo

No it sent against the law to suspend him. He wasn't suspended because of his religion.


Indefinitely suspending him is merely a euphemism for being terminated from employment.
Homosexuality being sin is a known belief of Abrahamic religions, so yes, he was "suspended" for expressing his religious belief, which included a paraphrase of Corinthians.
Employers cannot fire employees for reasons that would violate anti-discrimination laws.
However, it's up to him to pursue a grievance on the issue for it to be enforced.
 
Re: 'Duck Dynasty' star Phil Robertson suspended by A&E

The opposition of a moral position is not what he is being flagged for. It's how he portrayed homosexuality; akin to bestiality. The guy, as a representative of A&E, has no business even mentioning bestiality, let alone using it in conjunction with homosexuality to establish a moral position. For a guy who spends so much time in the woods..., it's not something you want mentioned when your name comes up.

Are both homosexuality and bestiality considered to be sins and discouraged by stories in the bible? I can say that crime includes trespass, robbery and murder. They are not equal crimes, in terms of severity or sentence, but they are "akin" as they are all crimes.
 
Re: 'Duck Dynasty' star Phil Robertson suspended by A&E

That's precisely what I meant, who cares (in terms of this issue) what you think, you're not a viewer, and this won't keep you from watching other shows on A&E. This is either a huge advertising gimmick by A&E or they are absolute idiots, in which case the producers will be fired.

And yet A&E commercial supporters are still there. I think it's YOU who thinks this is a big deal. Facebook "likes" don't stop money flowing in, actual actions do. Have t seen A&ES hurting one bit. But you have fun stomping your feet and foaming at the mouth over the suspension :lamo
 
Re: 'Duck Dynasty' star Phil Robertson suspended by A&E

A&E made a business call. Their ad revenue was theatened so they had to do something to stop the being especially if a large segment of their veiwing audience is LGTB.

As a Christian, I find no fault in what the Duck Dynasty star said. Biblical scripture does consider homosexuality a sin. But I suppose when an individual who is not of the cloth reaches celebraty status and quotes Scripture during an interview that is unreated to the movie or TV show he/she performs in that person had best bit his tongue so as not to offend rather than speak the truth.

Free speech be damned. I mean, it's just business, right?




No one has interfered with anyone's free speech rights.

Phil Robertson said what he wanted to say and now he knows that maybe he should have kept his mouth shut.

That's the way it works in the USA.
 
Re: 'Duck Dynasty' star Phil Robertson suspended by A&E

Indefinitely suspending him is merely a euphemism for being terminated from employment.
Homosexuality being sin is a known belief of Abrahamic religions, so yes, he was "suspended" for expressing his religious belief, which included a paraphrase of Corinthians.
Employers cannot fire employees for reasons that would violate anti-discrimination laws.
However, it's up to him to pursue a grievance on the issue for it to be enforced.

Again good thing you aren't a lawyer, he wasn't suspended for his religion. There is a reason no lawsuits are coming over this because they can't. You are truly desperate.
 
Re: 'Duck Dynasty' star Phil Robertson suspended by A&E

How is it bigoted, or homophobic?

Black people were happy with their lot? And using the bible to say gays are wrong doesn't make it not homophobic. The Bible says a lot of things we no longer accept. Nor should we. I'd read more New Testament if I were you guys. Just saying.
 
Re: 'Duck Dynasty' star Phil Robertson suspended by A&E

Indefinitely suspending him is merely a euphemism for being terminated from employment.
Homosexuality being sin is a known belief of Abrahamic religions, so yes, he was "suspended" for expressing his religious belief, which included a paraphrase of Corinthians.
Employers cannot fire employees for reasons that would violate anti-discrimination laws.
However, it's up to him to pursue a grievance on the issue for it to be enforced.

I expect that something similar to the following was in his contract

The impetus for a morals clause in contracts for 'talent,' i.e., artistic performers appears to have been a reaction to the Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle case in 1921. Subsequent to media outcry, Universal Studios decided to add a morals clause to contracts. The text of the 1921 Universal Studios clause read as follows: "The actor (actress) agrees to conduct himself (herself) with due regard to public conventions and morals and agrees that he (she) will not do or commit anything tending to degrade him (her) in society or bring him (her) into public hatred, contempt, scorn or ridicule, or tending to shock, insult or offend the community or outrage public morals or decency, or tending to the prejudice of the Universal Film Manufacturing Company or the motion picture industry. In the event that the actor (actress) violates any term or provision of this paragraph, then the Universal Film Manufacturing Company has the right to cancel and annul this contract by giving five (5) days’ notice to the actor (actress) of its intention to do so."[2]

What he said caused insult and shock to a segment of the population, A&E has the right to suspend or terminate the contract
 
Re: 'Duck Dynasty' star Phil Robertson suspended by A&E

By this logic, any person who publicly states they are gay may be fired for the same reason.

If you represent the company, you've always been subject to lose your job when you put the company in a bad light. This us not new. And no network has to run any show or hire any actor. No one's rights have been violated.
 
Re: 'Duck Dynasty' star Phil Robertson suspended by A&E

There is expressing your opinion..., and then there is expressing your opinion.

Um, yeah, expressing your opinion is expressing your opinion.

“Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there. Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men"

This part was a response to the direct question, "what do you think is a sin"

"Don’t be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers -- they won’t inherit the kingdom of God. Don’t deceive yourself. It’s not right.”

And this was a paraphrase of Corinthians.

He obviously doesn't listen to his PR/legal team, or they are just plain incompetent.

Perhaps, but he was asked a direct question on the subject, so he answered it. That's not a legal justification of termination, IMO.
 
Re: 'Duck Dynasty' star Phil Robertson suspended by A&E

By this logic, any person who publicly states they are gay may be fired for the same reason.

And if they work for a Christian organization that is anti gay they would be.

A teacher working for a catholic school was fired for getting married
 
Re: 'Duck Dynasty' star Phil Robertson suspended by A&E

Again good thing you aren't a lawyer, he wasn't suspended for his religion. There is a reason no lawsuits are coming over this because they can't. You are truly desperate.

The desperation is your own, evident in the ad hominem, and merely repeating that he wasn't suspended for his religious belief, when that was clearly the case. No lawsuits is not an absolutely indication that there cannot be. Don't get your panties in a wad, I have no subjective goal on this issue, and disagree with his opinion, but he has the right to have it without being fired.
 
Re: 'Duck Dynasty' star Phil Robertson suspended by A&E

What he said caused insult and shock to a segment of the population, A&E has the right to suspend or terminate the contract

Having taken your quote in consideration, this is still a religious issue. For all intensive purposes, one never knows when they might shock or insult a segment of the population with a statement in a magazine whose readers consist predominantly of heterosexual men. Even if we take the whole stereotype of a 'southern red neck' in the bible belt - which is the whole theme of the show - shouldn't be that shocking.
To think it's an insult for someone to say homosexuality is a sin is rather weak.
 
Re: 'Duck Dynasty' star Phil Robertson suspended by A&E

Having taken your quote in consideration, this is still a religious issue. For all intensive purposes, one never knows when they might shock or insult a segment of the population with a statement in a magazine whose readers consist predominantly of heterosexual men. Even if we take the whole stereotype of a 'southern red neck' in the bible belt - which is the whole theme of the show - shouldn't be that shocking.
To think it's an insult for someone to say homosexuality is a sin is rather weak.

It is a rather open clause that allows a company to take action when an employee does something that may harm the company. A&E was I am sure considering the potential lose of business from what the guy mentioned and decided to invoke the clause. The guy was not suspended over a religious issue, he was suspended because of the potential harm his actions could cause A&E


I would expect if a person on a religious TV show in a private interview stated that god does not exist and people are idiots for believing in god, I believe he would be fired very quickly for expressing his right to free speech.
 
Re: 'Duck Dynasty' star Phil Robertson suspended by A&E

He grouped them both together as sins

Still a massive PR mistake.

That seems more a choice for a&e, but rather irrelevant to your earlier point making the distinction between normative and positive statements

My statement applied to the state of being, versus a state of making judgements.
 
Re: 'Duck Dynasty' star Phil Robertson suspended by A&E

Are both homosexuality and bestiality considered to be sins and discouraged by stories in the bible? I can say that crime includes trespass, robbery and murder. They are not equal crimes, in terms of severity or sentence, but they are "akin" as they are all crimes.

Simply stating he does not support gay marriage would have been sufficient. Instead, he decided to go that extra redneck-mile and put his feet in his mouth.
 
Re: 'Duck Dynasty' star Phil Robertson suspended by A&E

Perhaps, but he was asked a direct question on the subject, so he answered it. That's not a legal justification of termination, IMO.

He has a public image to maintain with respect to A&E. Obviously his contract carried a personal responsibility clause for public statements.

Again.... It's his mistake.
 
Re: 'Duck Dynasty' star Phil Robertson suspended by A&E

Using a simple, unassuming word like "bigot" to describe the WBC is just insufficient.
I had intended to expand on this, but forgot to add it...thus:

Additionally, I would bet that they are "supporting" Robertson NOT because they support him, but rather because he has a bunch of media attention at the moment, and the WBC is made up entirely of attention whores.
 
Re: 'Duck Dynasty' star Phil Robertson suspended by A&E

Still a massive PR mistake.

Which is, again, irrelevant to the way you characterized it



My statement applied to the state of being, versus a state of making judgements.

right, and they would be both moral judgements: "homosexuality is ok" vs "homosexuality is not ok"
 
Re: 'Duck Dynasty' star Phil Robertson suspended by A&E

The guy was not suspended over a religious issue, he was suspended because of the potential harm his actions could cause A&E

Slippery slope when the non-violent expression of ones religious moral beliefs is claimed to have potential harm caused to A&E.
 
Re: 'Duck Dynasty' star Phil Robertson suspended by A&E

The opposition of a moral position is not what he is being flagged for. It's how he portrayed homosexuality; akin to bestiality. The guy, as a representative of A&E, has no business even mentioning bestiality, let alone using it in conjunction with homosexuality to establish a moral position. For a guy who spends so much time in the woods..., it's not something you want mentioned when your name comes up.

That's nonsense considering A&E does all sorts of shows that highlight the Bible (the source of Phil's quotes) as do other networks. You don't hear of the folks who tie aliens to the Bible in innumerable shows being fired for impugning mainstream beliefs.

This just once again highlights what open wounded, silly complainers the GLAAD set are. Perpetual victims that cannot tolerate anything they consider negative being said about their lifestyle.
 
Re: 'Duck Dynasty' star Phil Robertson suspended by A&E

Slippery slope when the non-violent expression of ones religious moral beliefs is claimed to have potential harm caused to A&E.

Yep. Losing the dozens of DD homosexual viewers would be terrible. ;)

A&E is simply loving the added free publicity of this self created controversy.
 
Re: 'Duck Dynasty' star Phil Robertson suspended by A&E

And yet A&E commercial supporters are still there. I think it's YOU who thinks this is a big deal. Facebook "likes" don't stop money flowing in, actual actions do. Have t seen A&ES hurting one bit. But you have fun stomping your feet and foaming at the mouth over the suspension :lamo

Just the opposite, yes this is A&E's biggest draw and the show will not continue without Phil, the rest of the family have made that clear. A&E won't lose just some of the advert dollars, but ALL of them. All because they chose to bend knee to a bunch of whiners.

And you're characterization is false. Actually the foamers at the mouth are the GLAAD folks and yourself who don't watch the show in the first place. You all are the ones who kicked this whole thing off. Phil and the family are not at all impacted other than perhaps positively.
 
Back
Top Bottom