We should therefore claim, in the name of tolerance, the right not to tolerate the intolerant. - Karl PopperThe true story here isn't that an inbred intolerant insular southern racist bigot is a racist bigot but, that conservative luminaries and high-ranking Republicans are willing and eager to defend him.
"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," Sarah Palin, brightest star of the conservative firmament.
According to Sean Hannity, Phil Robertson's comments reflect, "old fashioned traditional Christian sentiment and values."
"He talks very specifically about not being judgmental toward anybody, that’s God’s decision, not his. I mean, it is remarkable. There’s sections there where he sounds like Pope Francis." Newt Gingrich compares Phil Robertson to Pope Francis.
I have told you people again and again. You will be made to care. Personally, I've always taken comfort in the idea of hell fire — that God truly is just and the unrepentant will be in for a smiting. Erick Erickson gushes about the comfort and joy he gets deep down in his loins at the knowledge that he will be in Heaven watching liberals burn in hell.
"Phil Robertson and his family are great citizens of the State of Louisiana. 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. 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." LA Governor Bobby Jindal.
Of course, the First Amendment concerns Government's making laws prohibiting the free exercise of or abridging the freedom of speech. The Private Sector does everything better. Robertson had a huge forum to express his views, a GQ Magazine interview.
What Republicans don't like are the consequences of their free speech. Republicans don't believe in Personal Responsibility. Conservatives believe in Right-Wing Supremacy. That they are Entitled to dominate and lord power over everyone they deem a lesser class of American. But, Right-Wing Victimhood never howls so loud as when people point out their intolerant, hateful bigotry.
Conservative Values are Oppression, Subjugation and Adulation of the Rich. Conservatives hate Democracy and Freedom. While issues, like rampant bigotry amongst the Duck Dynasty family, may seem trivial it all serves the purpose of rallying right-wing racists and bigots, conservative hypocrites and domestic terrorists to the Republican cause of fastening the chains of Wage Slavery upon the Nation.
Update:
Additionally, I entreat ALL Republicans to get out and make these comments. Republicans should start every interview with comments comparing Gays to Terrorists. Do it. Have the courage of your convictions. Don't let the "intolerant left" and mainstream media stop you from espousing your beliefs.
Is it rampant bigotry or unconscious bigotry? Phil strikes me as having been safely ensconced in a cultural bubble for most of his life as well as being someone who has a really hard time imagining what life is like for anyone who isn't just like him. It's more a lack of imagination than being deliberately hateful. You know, he's happily heterosexual so he can't understand how anyone could not be equally happily straight. It's not an unusual attitude. He's never had his consciousness raised -- well, he has now, but whether or not it will make him rethink anything is debatable.
ReplyDeleteI can also buy his growing up Southern but not personally witnessing racism (or recognizing it as such when it did happen). I've met a lot of Southerners who swear everything was fine until those damn Yankees with their ridiculous notions about equal rights came along. They think that because the kid who delivered the paper or the family's cleaning lady never called them honkies to their face that everyone was living in some sort of happy Uncle Remus land. They also believe that because their parents told them to never use the N word that they weren't bigots.
OTOH, that crowd of right wing zealots rushing to defend Phil and yelling loudly about censorship and the evils of the left wing liberal media look pretty damn racist and homophobic to me.
I must say it's pretty amusing to see the way the same crowd that freaked out when Martin Bashir told Bible Spice to eat shit is now screaming with outrage because there are consequences when someone they like says something stupid.
Nan,
ReplyDeleteIt's most assuredly insular. But, he has a television show and the magazine which interviewed him wasn't Southern Cornpone Digest but GQ.
But, yes I suppose I could see him having turned a blind eye to the injustices around him because he was amongst the dominate class.
Now, of course, he's moved up to the top of the pyramid of Entitled Whiteness because of money.
I don't watch the show and I don't read the magazine. What did the man say that made everyone go so freaking crazy?
ReplyDeleteI'll admit I've only heard one side of the uproar.
What did Phil Robertson say that you find offensive?
"We should therefore claim, in the name of tolerance, the right not to tolerate the intolerant".
ReplyDeleteThe Right thinks otherwise. Their argument, that it is intolerant for intolerance to not be tolerated, is completely illogical.
"Conservative Values are Oppression, Subjugation and Adulation of the Rich"...
Absolutely they are. See here for an example of a Conservative who thanks the rich for "pretty much Everything I use and value every freakin day".
As for the Duck Dynasty dude, are we really surprised that he holds these views? Certainly A&E doesn't think that during this "time out" Phil is going to reconsider what he said and change his mind. When his suspension ends he'll have the same views as before.
And surely the suspension will end... as the ratings for this show are quite high (it is my understanding). And, it isn't as if A&E was unaware of Mr. Robertson's views long before the GQ comments. No, the "suspension" wasn't because they were offended by what he said, but in response to him espousing his ignorant and offensive views in a forum they don't control... on the show they can edit that stuff out.
Chickenhammer,
ReplyDeleteOh I'm sure you can find them, from a 2010 video and new ones from a 2014 GQ Magazine interview.
Dervish Sanders,
Conservatives are just aching to espouse their bigotry. It's a badge of honor for a couple lilly white punks say perform a rap skit at CPAC where they say "Knickers"
Of course, A&E did this for fear of losing money, now because of the rabid right they may, in fact, stand to lose even more money but hey that's Capitalism.