Why? Is A&E not allowed to show their disagreement by suspending him? A&E isn't stopping him from continuing to air his views. They're just not going to help fund his life style while he does it.
A&E Taking Heat For Suspending 'Duck Dynasty's' Phil Robertson
- Thread starter Shilliam Watner
- Start date
Why? Is A&E not allowed to show their disagreement by suspending him? A&E isn't stopping him from continuing to air his views. They're just not going to help fund his life style while he does it.
A&E is a privately owned and operated commercial television network that is available for viewers who pay a fee to watch the network along with other channels. They aren't a taxpayer-funded public corporation or government entity that is mandated to respect freedom of expression under almost all circumstances.
As a commercial TV operation in private hands they have the right to suspend the star of one of their programs. This has nothing to do with freedom of speech, this has to do with making the boss and the company look very, very bad and almost no employer will tolerate that, especially not with millions and millions of people watching and paying close attention. They have a brand to defend and an advertiser revenue flow to maintain, and Phil puts those at risk with his behavior and comments.
You don't have to like it, but that's how it is. This isn't a free speech issue.
As a commercial TV operation in private hands they have the right to suspend the star of one of their programs. This has nothing to do with freedom of speech, this has to do with making the boss and the company look very, very bad and almost no employer will tolerate that, especially not with millions and millions of people watching and paying close attention. They have a brand to defend and an advertiser revenue flow to maintain, and Phil puts those at risk with his behavior and comments.
You don't have to like it, but that's how it is. This isn't a free speech issue.
I didn't say they don't have the right, but I still hold the opinion that doing what they did because they disagree with his statements, is a wrong thing to do. They are free to do what they want, but I do disagree with the actions, if it was done because they disagree with his statements. To me, that's a wrong move to make.
Maybe you should... You might understand THIS:
better, and why it's perfectly OK for A&E to do what they did. Also, while you're doing that reading, check out the First Amendment to see what it actually says.
I would be surprised if there isn't a covenant not to compete.
You know he also said that black people were better off before they had civil rights, right? Good family values right there.
The Constitution protects you from the government punishing you, not A&E firing you.
It amazes me how many people fail to understand the very cornerstone of our government and our freedoms.
A&E is a business. They make money by selling a product, ad space around a TV shows. This product is valued around the performance of that TV show. If that product's value is harmed in someway A&E as a business is harmed.
So, a member of the TV shows around which you're selling ad-space goes out and says racist and homophobic things that may alienate your viewership. People may, and often will, retaliate by either boycotting the show itself or products by the advertisers around that show. Both of which impacts A&E's ability to make money as in the former case the show can no longer fetch a higher price for ad space and in the second case discourages advertisers from buying ad space.
Freedom of Speech is not about an individual's right from other individuals (which in this case is A&E) it's about an individual's right over GOVERNMENT.
GOVERNMENT cannot prevent freedom of speech, the press or make an establishment of religion.
A private entity can do whatever it wants. A&E's interests are potentially harmed by the comments made by the Duck Dynasty guy. They have the right to punish him for making those comments.
He can still make them all he wants. A&E doesn't have to pay him to make them.
A&E is a business. They make money by selling a product, ad space around a TV shows. This product is valued around the performance of that TV show. If that product's value is harmed in someway A&E as a business is harmed.
So, a member of the TV shows around which you're selling ad-space goes out and says racist and homophobic things that may alienate your viewership. People may, and often will, retaliate by either boycotting the show itself or products by the advertisers around that show. Both of which impacts A&E's ability to make money as in the former case the show can no longer fetch a higher price for ad space and in the second case discourages advertisers from buying ad space.
Freedom of Speech is not about an individual's right from other individuals (which in this case is A&E) it's about an individual's right over GOVERNMENT.
GOVERNMENT cannot prevent freedom of speech, the press or make an establishment of religion.
A private entity can do whatever it wants. A&E's interests are potentially harmed by the comments made by the Duck Dynasty guy. They have the right to punish him for making those comments.
He can still make them all he wants. A&E doesn't have to pay him to make them.
And we can still agree or disagree with A&E's decision. In my opinion, what they did was wrong. I think they did it for the wrong reasons. In my opinion what the duck dude said was not wrong, or racist, or homophobic. He was expressing his religion's views, and he has every right to do so. That extends to every religion. Everyone has the right to express their religion's views. I don't think anyone should be punished for doing that. Any entity that fires someone because of expressing their views, is in my opinion completely wrong for doing so. We should maintain and uphold the ability to state our religions beliefs without punishment.
I guess it's up to the moral majority to show A&E who's boss by boycotting them into bankruptcy.
You can say them without punishment. From the government.
But if your saying them could endanger your boss' ability to make money then, hell-yes they can punish you!
And in what way were his comments NOT homophobic or racist? He spoke out against homosexuality and said that black people were better off (or he didn't see what the problem was) under the segregated south. (Because, apparently, he never saw the terrible way black people were treated in the south before segregation became illegal.)
Do this: Go to work tomorrow, or Monday or whenever and start telling homosexual clients that they're an affront to God and black clients that they were better off under a segregated South and that they really had it pretty easy back then and under slavery. See how far into the day you make it before your boss fires you.
You are being naive. They didn't do it because they may or may not disagree with his stance. They suspended him because he is hurting their brand.
Again, they have every right to protect their business, he probably signed a contract with a morals clause.
This isn't the government throwing him in jail...
You gotta be kidding me, right?
His religion's views are certainly homophobic. And sure, he has every right to loudly proclaim how homophobic and idiotic his religion's views are.
So, if you hire someone, who represents your company, and they go around saying homophobic and racist things, you wouldn't do anything about it? Even if it would affect your ability to earn a living? You would do nothing?
The Bible says that gays are to be exterminated.
Homophobia is a half measure for wussies who can't follow simple instructions.
Homophobia is a half measure for wussies who can't follow simple instructions.
Shilliam Watner
Commander
Looks like A&E hurt themselves by suspending Robertson. The backlash has happened and the boycott is working.
The overnight ratings are in for Duck Dynasty. One week ago, DD topped all of cable’s ratings with 8.885 million viewers. Last night, they free fell down the list to 2.521 million viewers.
That is a drop of 6.364 million viewers, or 71.6%.
http://www.newsninja2012.com/dynastypolls.html
I urge all of you here to buy Robertson's Duck Commander products and boycott A&E's Duck Dynasty merchandise. Keep it American by buying Phil's merchandise.
The overnight ratings are in for Duck Dynasty. One week ago, DD topped all of cable’s ratings with 8.885 million viewers. Last night, they free fell down the list to 2.521 million viewers.
That is a drop of 6.364 million viewers, or 71.6%.
http://www.newsninja2012.com/dynastypolls.html
I urge all of you here to buy Robertson's Duck Commander products and boycott A&E's Duck Dynasty merchandise. Keep it American by buying Phil's merchandise.
Shilliam Watner
Commander
He was only referring to only the blacks folks who he hoed the fields with in his youth. That is who he was specifically talking about.
Let's kill all the fag niggers because they didn't have to evolve to have white skin to get their body more vitamin D in northern climates and just happen to like people who have the same body organs. I'm not judging them, god will do that.
That's not racist right? :roll eyes:
I have a gay cousin who sadly lives in Florida. He and his boyfriend of 28 years, years, not minutes like straight people, years, came up to Massachusetts to get married. The biggest difference is how in the south they seem to only believe in morals because then a god will strike them down. That their god is full of hatred. While in the north we have morals and don't believe in a scary god, but a loving, kind forgiving one.
Can we ban stupidity in these forms? if you are going to spread hatred can you at least answer our questions Shitlian Watner?
Ummmmmm.... Wait.
Isn't NOT watching his show the very OPPOSITE of what they want to do? I mean how do we know that's a boycott of A&E or a boycott of a bunch of racist beards?
Boycotting A&E by not watching the very show/people you want to support doesn't strike me as too good a strategy. Wouldn't it make more sense to watch ONLY Duck Dynasty?
Anyway, I won't buy any of his crap. I don't buy stuff from racist assholes who're afraid of people because of whom they want to sleep with.
Shilliam Watner
Commander
You're a sensitive little fellow aren't you? The 67-year-old says he doesn't judge others and he wasn't.
"We never, ever judge someone on who's going to heaven, hell. That's the Almighty's job," Robertson told GQ. "We just love 'em, give 'em the good news about Jesus - whether they're homosexuals, drunks, terrorists. We let God sort 'em out later."
There is not a racist or homophobic thing in what he stated.
Post hoc, ergo propter hoc. Perhaps Duck Dynasty lost 71.6% of its viewership because people are pissed at what Phil said and no longer support the show. Without any further evidence, my conclusion is ALSO a post hoc.
Shilliam Watner
Commander
How do you know his American made Lousiana products are crap? Have you used them duck hunting before?
Hey, his products could be the Cadillac gold standard of duck hunting equipment and used by every major sporstman with a shotgun, but that doesn't make him an enlightened or open-minded person. When a guy says what he did about Jim Crow blacks in the South or links same-sex relationships with having carnal relations with animals then the quality of his manufactured merchandise doesn't really matter all that much.
No he just questioned the logic in their sexual proclivities. No judgment there.