Phil Robertson is an Odd Duck


I don’t watch Duck Dynasty.  It was recommended to me; I tried and didn’t last 5 minutes.   My idea of, “reality” television means real writing, real dialogue, real acting and real production values.  The venue of the program does not bother me.  While I certainly won’t be out in the cold, itchy, buggy wilds to bring down a duck, I will eat all of them you want to bring home.  In fact, if you will do the messy gutting and plucking I will cook the bird, all side dishes, provide the wine and clean up afterwards.  Yup, I’m a city girl, no apologies offered.  

That being said, I simply do not get the angry response to Phil’s interview in GQ.  First of all, GQ wanted this interview to fill a certain niche.  If Phil had come off as a closet liberal who simply likes to go to a vanilla flavored church they would have shelved the whole interview.  They wanted him to say something that rings bells, and, clever business man that he is, he not only rang a bell, he applied a mallet to a gong.  Mr. Robertson is happy; GQ is happy; everyone who markets Duck Dynasty material is happy.  I suspect even the LGBT community is happy, too.  They get to hop on their soap box, an opportunity never missed.

Robertson is wide-ranging and specific in his paraphrasing of Corinthians’ list of who is on God’s, “naughty” list.  He includes not just homosexuals, but also adulterers, idolaters, the greedy, drunkards, slanderers or swindlers.  None of these, he says, will be granted the Kingdom of Heaven.  He considers all of these actions to be sins.  But he then goes on to say, “However, I would never treat anyone with disrespect just because they are different from me.  We are all created by the Almighty and like Him, I love all of humanity.  We would all be better off if we loved God and loved each other.”

This makes it abundantly clear that his condemnation of homosexuality along with the laundry list of others discretions he gave does not refer to a temporal, but ecclesiastical attitude.  He is allowed his opinion on this.  I don’t hear the capitalists decrying him for naming greed as a sin.  I don’t even hear career politicians taking umbrage at Robertson’s reference to swindlers (appropriate), or their campaign staffers for the venial sin of slander.  The man has made a religious reference, which is protected free speech. 

Robertson is frank about his misspent youth as a devotee of sex, drugs and rock-n-roll.  Evidently he operated as his own moral authority for a while and it landed him in a nasty dark hole—usually does.  Like many recovering abusers, he simply replaced a destructive addiction (alcohol/drugs) for the much more positive mental and emotional attachment to religion.  He has become a successful business owner, provides employment for many, supports his family and is staying out of trouble.  All of that is a good thing.

Whether or not you like his feelings about homosexuality, none of it is more offensive than Melissa Harris-Perry wearing tampons for earrings.  I found that cheap trick mightily offensive, but I didn’t ask for her to be fired.   While I do believe there are some things a woman keeps private, I don’t want little Melissa out of work and on the dole.  To those who are sure that Phil Robertson should be vilified for holding a religious belief which they don’t agree with—get over it.  You do not have to share his beliefs. 

Support religious freedom, and keep the faith.

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