The "Duck Dynasty" Controversy - My Thoughts

Duck Dynasty Patriarch Phil Robertson

This past Summer I was at Walmart looking for Jeans and T-shirts, and then I noticed four faces appeared on all most everything in front of me - shirts, caps, pants, towels, cups, plates, socks, etc. So I came home and turned on TV, searched for it and decided to record a few episodes. And it is addictive. Not only am I hooked to this show, my wife and kids also love and enjoy the show; the characters and the way they talk. Finally, I found a show that my kids and I can watch together. This is Duck Dynasty; a show about a real Southern Christian family, their uncle, and couple of employees and how they mess with each other at work. The grand children and invited guests also participated in a few episodes. Their company produces "Duck-calling" blower which mimics the sounds of ducks. My kids now preferred Duck Dynasty to Disney shows, which is a wonderful thing to me since Disney shows are absolutely unhealthy for young children. But just a few days ago, the Patriarch of the show - Phil - made headlines and created a hailstorm over comments he made when interviewed by some fools from GQ. His comments on religion, faith, married, sin, and homosexual resulted in his indefinite suspension. Much has been said about this, but I want to share my views:

Duck Dynasty family

Mr. Phil is free to express his views whether they are commonly accepted, or not. It is his constitutional right protected by "free-speech":

Amendment I 

Congress shall make no law ... prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.  Source

Likewise, it is the rights of the A&E to suspend him from the show. This is a business with regulations they, too, have the right to pander to any segment of the population they chose. In this case, A&E declares, as a supporter of Gays and Lesbians, they had to punish Mr. Phil's for his anti-gay comments.

The Resolve
Phil is a straight shooter who prays to GOD on Television after every episode. He is a believer in Christ and a Christian and his views should not come as a surprise to critics of the Duck Dynasty's patriarch. It his Christian values, and moral trademark that makes this show a family oriented show that most Americans can turn to away form the destructive nature of the Holly Wood television shows. It is therefore, unfair for the gay community and many Liberal non Christian activists to bring this humble man based on his views regardless of how absurd they maybe. A week a go, a Dynasty man told reporters that the producer of the show even asked them not to pray because it might offend "Muslims" - a bunch of people that are allowed to face the East and pray to Allah. Rumors such as this shows that those who don't like the Christian culture embedded in this popular A&E show are out, under the disguise of journalism, to destroy the Dynasty. And what good target is there than to take out the head of the family who is the heart and soul of the show? This is a target that either the Dynasty guys were willing to exposed, or perhaps grossly underestimated. Whatever the truth is, it is now a brewing public fight between Christians and the Gay community and their big time sponsors such as "Cracker Barrel" a huge South restaurant chain which now announcing its parting with the show.
A&E also seriously underestimated the impact of their decision to suspend the head of the family. There are better ways the company should have taken that would have pleased and silenced both sides of the issue. Including a written apology, a silent approach to Phil, including reassigning him behind the scenes for a few episodes etc. To come out swinging against Mr. Phil's constitutional right as a show of deep support for one side of the saga, can be construed as A&E pandering and favoring Christian attackers.
The most comforting aspect of this whole saga is the reaction of some Gays who called in to public radio in support of Mr. Phil. They understand the man's religion don't like gays, period! They know very well that Mr. Phil espouses a body of people that view gayism as an immoral segment of the population; one that often associated with the sins of Biblical Sodom and Gomorrah. They know that people like Mr. Phil believe a certain way, and, as one of the gay women caller said, the Democrat party and the Liberal often time exploited such differences to their own political ends, not the ends, or the satisfaction of the gay community.
As Levin and other commentators put it - the Democrats are more likely to be animated by the words of Conservatives on gays, as opposed to Muslims. The irony is that they are willing to praise Muslims whose view on gay people is not only a religious line of thoughts but one that is built on the desire to kill them, as opposed to Christians who only expressed their views without physical action. If some gays view Mr Phil's comments as just comments or an expression of one's convictions and moral judgement, then it shows that not all gays think the same, nor condoned such aggressive attack on opponents. And it also shows one shocking reality; the Duck Dynasty show also have some gay followers, which is sweeter than the desire to hurt others who disagree.
Below is how the Duck Dynasty closes each episode.