You make incredibly offensive, over-the-top comments about gays, Japanese and African-Americans, and what do you get? In Alabama, a move to honor you as a hero. That’s what’s happening to Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson, whose interview with GQ got him suspended from his A&E program. In Alabama, on the other hand, it’s cause for raising a pedestal and putting Robertson on it.
The man behind who thinks rewarding a bigot with state recognition is a worthwhile exercise of government power is Republican state senator Jerry Fielding. Fielding predictably blamed A&E for giving into “liberal groups rather than respecting Robertson’s biblically correct views.”
Indeed, Fielding argues that Robertson is a stand-in for all Alabama residents, who are apparently also incredibly thin-skinned. “Phil Robertson’s family values are shared by the vast majority of Alabamians, who are rightfully concerned by the vitriol aimed at his Christian stance,” Fielding said. “There’s a clear double standard in the media favoring a liberal worldview. When it’s used to silence and punish Christians for stating their beliefs, that’s when we must defend the rights of individuals to exercise their free speech without fear of politically-motivated repercussion.”
Just as a reminder, there is no First Amendment right to have a cable network pay you to be a bigot on television.
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Still, Fielding knows a good political stunt when he sees one. Among the many “whereas” clauses in Fielding’s grandstanding resolution is this one “Whereas Phil should not be penalized in any way for practicing freedom of speech, but should be celebrated as a hero for courageously revealing his self-truth and Christian ideals in a world that can be unkind towards those with a conservative mind-set.”
Fielding has a political motivation for his move. Until 2012, he was a Democrat in a state that is almost wholly Republican. Clearly, he’s doing his best to erase any memory of his past affiliation.
the other Greg
Phil should be penalized for having a disgusting beard full of lice.
Phil’s beard is a public health hazard.
Dakotahgeo
Leave it to a Southern State to honor the ugliest hillbilly family in the USA to represent them… so, so typical of Southern grace and etiquette.
Ron Jackson
Figures. From the state that gave us George Wallace.
jckfmsincty
Does Alabama have a queer hunting season? If not, it soon might.
Dakotahgeo
@jckfmsincty: You are totally disgusting, shaved or unshaved! Go back to your cave!
Spike
Figures Alabama. Now that their roll tide football team is second rate and not going to the national championship, they have to find something else to do.
jckfmsincty
@Dakotahgeo: Sarcasm.
DonW
I can hardly wait to see what Mississippi comes up with to top that and maintain its ranking as stupidest state in the Union.
TheBigOne
I’m keeping track of Dick Dynasty supporters so that I know where NOT to go shopping:
Chic-Fil-A
Alabama
Cracker Barrel
Dakotahgeo
@jckfmsincty: Sarcasm or not, there are wing nuts of every kind who do NOT need ‘suggestions’, even if they are meant to be sarcastic. We have enough wackos running the streets looking for ‘bounty’!
LubbockGayMale
@Dakotahgeo: And how many of those ‘wing nuts’ are reading QUEERTY posts? Calm down and smell the roses!
Dakotahgeo
@LubbockGayMale: What…eva!!!
sonofabee
Whatever. This is the same state that got its panties in a knot just because some black men danced in a Christmas parade. The horror! /eyeroll
Dakotahgeo
@sonofabee: 😉 Nothing surprises me anymore from the South’n Tier of states!
Teleny
Many white Southerners are delusional. They think that slavery ‘wasn’t that bad.’ (I went to the Kennesaw Civil War museum only to be confronted by a statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest who murdered surrenderin Union “colored” troops. later he was a key player in the Klan. and there his statue stands ss if he were Mahatma Gandhi. According to them the Jim Crow era of segregation was a high water mark for southern blacks (that’s what Phil implied). They seem to have no conception of the separation of Church and State or the existence of religious diversity. They still believe lbgt is only a “sinful” lifestyle because they don’t think God creates diversity among humans and animals. These folks live in a delusional world fueled by hate radio pundits and Faux News that they don’t fully comprehend.
Dakotahgeo
@Teleny: Indeed, they DO present a very STRONG case for abortion, but alas….
Daniel-Reader
Working on the Sabbath is punishable by death- no exceptions – according to the bible (book of Exodus) so police officers, firefighters, EMTs, hospital workers, religious leaders, et al. would have to be executed according to “biblically-correct views”. It is appalling anyone -much less a politician – would take the bible seriously. It was written by polygamists and slave owners who were systemically evil.
Daniel-Reader
DucKKK Dynasty is sad – they sell their crap merchandise on the Sabbath. Hypocrites Supreme!
jimbryant
Daniel Reader,
Ha, good play on words.
jmmartin
This is disgraceful and shows just how far the theocrats have succeeded in disassemly of the wall between church and state as enshrined in the First Amendment has proceeded.
jimbryant
The reason why gay men are no longer effective at the cultural level is because you sold your souls to women. You’ve become feminized. Instead of being cultural warriors, you’ve become marriage supporters. Marriage is feminizing.
The gay community in America is no longer an effective force. It’s become a sissy community that whines and achieves nothing at the cultural level. Sad but true.
Dakotahgeo
@jimbryant: I’m not so sure you’re up on the news of 2013! We’ve made more progress in this past year regarding Marriage Equality than any other, we’ve made more inroads regarding company benefits for GLBT spouses, we’ve made more progress in the US Legislature than any other session! Can you read, or are you a Kindergarten dropout?? They say third time around is a charm. Try it! (Another DuckDynasty wannabe!).
Dakotahgeo
@jimbryant: I’m not so sure you’re up on the news of 2013! We’ve made more progress in this past year regarding Marriage Equality than any other, we’ve made more inroads regarding company benefits for GLBT spouses, we’ve made more progress in the US Legislature than any other session! Can you read, or are you a Kindergarten dropout?? They say third time around is a charm. Try it! (Another Duck Dynasty wannabe!).
jimbryant
Dakotahgeo,
Political progress is not cultural progress. We are still hidden away in the closet called the “gay scene”. We are not present on any of the music charts. In fact, the ITunes top 100 did not have an openly gay or bisexual male act at all for the whole of 2013. Not one.
Hollywood keeps churning out movies which ignore our lives. Yep, that’s liberal Hollywood for ya.
Dakotahgeo
@jimbryant: Chrck out “Gay” on Netflix, Hulu, Hubub, Blockbuster… you’ll find plenty. I don’t expect any major movies regarding the GLBT scene any time soon, based purely on our numbers, i.e., percentage of the population. Don’t… hold your breath!
Dakotahgeo
@jimbryant: You also might want to do some research on GLBT heroes throughout the Ages! There are multitudes of movies that have won major awards. I’m retired so I’m not doing anybody’s research any more. Life is grand! (Hint: Modern day “Harvey Milk”!).
Pistolo
What’s upsetting to me is that at A&E corporate and probably on the production crew there are gay people who plug away every single day trying to make their stupid show a reality. And, regardless of whatever rationalizing they’ll try to do, they still just have no respect for gay people. They hate gay people but are too cowardly to admit it, they just want to pretend it’s an issue of morality. So now gay people probably have to work on that stupid show for these stupid people to earn a living…it’s shameful.
AmberMakitos
my neighbor’s half-sister makes $87 an hour on the internet. She has been fired for nine months but last month her paycheck was $17253 just working on the internet for a few hours. learn the facts here now….. http://claockurl.com/Bc9
evasymone
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdVudO6xwvU