GOP Politicians Defend ‘Duck Dynasty’ Star’s Right to Anti-Gay Comments
By Arlene Saenz, December 19, 2013
The
A&E network’s suspension of “Duck Dynasty” star Phil
Robertson has prompted an outcry from Republican politicians,
including Sarah Palin and Sen. Ted Cruz.
“Free
speech is an endangered species. Those ‘intolerants’ hatin’ and
taking on the Duck Dynasty patriarch for voicing his personal opinion
are taking on all of us,” former Alaskan governor Palin wrote
on Facebook Wednesday night in
a post featuring a photo of her with the cast of “Duck Dynasty.”
Not
to be outdone, Cruz, R-Texas, wrote
on his Facebook page,
“The reason that so many Americans love Duck Dynasty is because it
represents the America usually ignored or mocked by liberal elites: a
family that loves and cares for each other, believes in God, and
speaks openly about their faith.
“If
you believe in free speech or religious liberty, you should be deeply
dismayed over the treatment of Phil Robertson. Phil expressed his
personal views and his own religious faith; for that, he was
suspended from his job. In a free society, anyone is free to disagree
with him – but the mainstream media should not behave as the
thought police censoring the views with which they disagree.”
A&E suspended
Robertson Wednesday
after he said he believes homosexuality is sinful and compared it to
bestiality in
an interview with GQ.
“Start
with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there,” Robertson
said. "Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman
and that woman and those men.”
He
also paraphrased a passage from the biblical book of Corinthians,
saying: “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.”
Robertson’s
home-state GOP governor, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, weighed in on
the decision, expressing his dismay that a TV network would suspend
Robertson while Miley Cyrus was not reprimanded for her twerking
antics on MTV.
“Phil
Robertson and his family are great citizens of the State of
Louisiana,” Jindal said in a statement. “The politically correct
crowd is tolerant of all viewpoints, except those they disagree with.
I don’t agree with quite a bit of stuff I read in magazine
interviews or see on TV.
“In
fact, come to think of it, I find a good bit of it offensive. But I
also acknowledge that this is a free country and everyone is entitled
to express their views.”
Jindal
added, “In fact, I remember when TV networks believed in the First
Amendment. It is a messed up situation when Miley Cyrus gets a laugh,
and Phil Robertson gets suspended.”
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