What A&E has done was best described by astronaut Gus Grissom half a century ago, as recorded for posterity in The Right Stuff. It has committed a deviant act: symbolic bestiality. A&E has screwed the pooch.
A&E has just lost a franchise that generates almost half a billion dollars a year in product sales.
Can you spell “dumb”? The only hope is that buyers do not figure out that they are making money for A&E.
Let’s see if Walmart follows A&E’s lead.
The Robertsons can cut a deal with Walmart or Target 12 months after the last Duck Dynasty show airs in a few months, if the family decides to start a new show. A&E will then get leftovers.
We see here a failure to honor a familiar principle: count the cost. Choose your tactics accordingly. Do not overplay your hand. The great master of this was the Leftist organizer, Saul Alinsky. He assessed his strength. He assessed his opponents’ strength. Then he adopted a plan of action. He understood what it takes for a tiny minority to gain leverage. In Rules for Radicals (1972), he wrote this:
We will start with the system because there is no other place to start from except political lunacy. It is most important for those of us who want revolutionary change to understand that revolution must be preceded by reformation. To assume that a political revolution can survive without a supporting base of popular reformation is to ask for the impossible in politics. Men don’t like to step abruptly out of the security of familiar experience; they need a bridge to cross from their own experience to a new way. A revolutionary organizer must shake up the prevailing patterns of their lives — agitate, create disenchantment and discontent with the current values, to produce, if not a passion for change, at least a passive, affirmative, non-challenging climate. “The revolution was effected before the war commenced; John Adams wrote. “The Revolution was in the hearts and minds of the people. . . . This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments and affections of the people was the real American Revolution.” A revolution without a prior reformation would collapse or become a totalitarian tyranny.
From day one, the people at A&E violated this tactical rule.
“LET’S SHOW PHIL WHO’S BOSS!”
Phil Robertson is a curmudgeon’s curmudgeon. He is almost perfect. As the folks in Hollywood are said to say, it is as if he was sent by central casting.
If you have seen him on Duck Dynasty, you know that he is articulate. He has a peculiar way of speaking, which I noticed almost from the beginning. But his eloquence is unique. It is a strange eloquence. He grabs your attention, not simply because of what he says, but because of the way that he says it. It is no-frills speech. He does not waste a word. And he chooses his words carefully.
There is no question that A&E had no idea that this program would become the dominant cable show in history. There is no way that anybody could have predicted that. Robertson himself did not think it would work. But it did.
The producers of the show initially did their best to suppress its Christian overtones. As Robertson said before the recent flap, by removing references to Jesus whenever possible, the producers tried to make the family something it wasn’t. The editors bleeped out words, as if the men were using profanity. The story is here, posted in April 2013.
why is the pursuit of money more important to you than the pursuit of human decency?
The liberal left was organized to attack this wonderful show because it projects decency and goodness before the "incident" was orchestrated. It's now time for the decent people to stand up with one voice and tell the morally bankrupt left that we will not stand for their bad behavior any longer!
A & E LACKS MORALS A ND MOCKS ALL RELEGION WHEN THEY DECIDE HOW ANYONE FEELS ABOUT THEIR BRAND OF RELEGION. WOULD THEY THROSW BILLY GRAHAM OFF?
YES
Take away the fact that the man has a right to express his personal views and in the minds of the majority of Americans is correct in what he said (with the exception of the libs in the Northeast, DC area and the left coast), this shows the true colors of the liberals, free speech only counts if you agree with their agenda and demented ways. Liberalism is a mental disorder that is running this great country into the ground from our government, military and down to our local public schools. I hope the decent God fearing Americans wake up from this event and push back hard to restore America – reject the PC liberals, the filth of hollywood and the sodomites. Thanks Phil for lighting the fuse.
Salvator, You spoke the truth so perfectly.
A&E, all liberal media for that matter thinks they have an absolute right to control the formation of public opinion on the topic of religion and Christianity.
Joseph Goebbels, Hitler's propaganda minister stated – "It is the absolute right of the State to supervise the formation of public opinion."
Now you know what we're dealing with at A&E
God bless this family and what they stand for. Those who have watched this program have demonstrated such support that I am left to ponder if God is showing his hand through
them.
Phil Rodson and his family are whay we need to get people back to god.
The left are against anything to do with god just look at there P.O.S leader a muslim and a homosexual to boot.
And that is not what the founding fathers wanted for us.
A&E directors have screwed themselves – financially speaking – by acting like virtual dictators when it comes to American citizens expressing their opinions on any subject including religion. If the administrators of this Network don't relent, then they will have to answer to the stockholders of their Network. I'm sure that these stockholders will feel that they've been screwed by those they hired to run the Network in which the stockholders have a financial interests. Will some heads roll? Probably. Should_they roll? Yep.
This is SO stupid. He is a bigot. Bigotry is dying. You’re all dinosaurs. The future is tolerant. The future is secular. Hopefully for your sake you’ll die before you have to witness the death of biblical mores and the enlightenment of humanism. He (and you) are on the wrong side of morality.
I don't believe in religion. But, I do believe in free speech. This is a reality show and he was speaking his beliefs. He believes in God and has very strongly feelings about it. I don't believe, so if I choose not to listen to his beliefs I will not listen. A&E should not of suppressed him from speaking what he believes in. If it offends people then they do not have to watch. I have never watch the show. But what I have been reading A&E was wrong in their decision.
Good Luck to All of the Duck's.
We The People have a fraud and usurper sitting in the White House going by the name of barack hussein obama using a stolen social security number , forged birth certificate and forged selective service registration card to prove he is a legal sitting US President .
We The People demand that the US Congress honor their oath to the US Constitution and remove this fraud and usurper barack hussein obama from office under Article ll Section 1 Clause 5 of the US Constitution
This fraud and usurper barack hussein obama can not be impeached because he is not a legal sitting US President . The removal of this fraud and usurper barack hussein obama from office must come under US Constitutional law Article ll Section 1 Clause 5 of the US Constitution .
US Constitutional law must be enforced if We The People are to remain a Free and Constitutional Republic .
Maybe A&E thought they could make up for their losses by having MoveOn.org or some other wacko leftist activist organization take up collection for them! HA HA HA HA
Guess what Aaron, we as Christians hope that we are not alive to witness the death of biblical morality. On the other hand, I hope you are still alive to suffer the consequences of your folly. What a poor misguided little creature you are. Totally ignorant of the history of mankind. Every great civilization that ever existed, the Greeks, the Romans, etc …the decline and eventual failure of their civilization started with the decline in moral values within their civilization, or humanism as you call it. When ME becomes far more important than WE, the beginning of the end is in progress.
"Liberalism is a mental disorder that is running this great country into the ground from our government, military and down to our local public schools. I hope the decent God fearing Americans wake up from this event and push back hard to restore America – reject the PC liberals, the filth of hollywood and the sodomites".
This commentary surely deserves applause and a second reading!!
When will really start to STAND UP to these over-bloated bafoons who are our elected leaders and their droves of mindless followers who just hate anything that is not of their lib-based creation?
"Tolerance is a virtue of a man without convictions." G.K. Chesterton
"Tolerance is a virtue of a man without convictions." G.K. Chesterton
That's just how Gary's programmed. He really doesn't care about humanity when dollar signs are involved.
Are you insane? The left didn't give 2 sh~ts about this show. The "incident" wasn't "orchestrated", Phil just shot his mouth off in the wrong way, at the wrong time, and now he's getting called out on it. Suck it up. Get over it.
You are free to say anything you wish. If he were imprisoned for what he said I would be outraged, even though I find his opinions despicable. But he isn’t imprisoned. Freedom of speech is not the same as consequence-free speech. We ALL deal with this everyday at our jobs. If we decided to cuss out our bosses/clients/customers, we can. But we know we’d probably be fired. A&E is his employer. Plain and simple. He spoke freely. Excercised his 1st Amendment right. He is still a free man. That’s how it works.
Freedom of speech does not make you free of social and political repercussions if you talk like a fool.
Our nation was not founded on Biblical principles, it was founded on freedom. You're the ignorant one.
Once again, freedom of speech does not make you free of social and political repercussions if you say something stupid or asinine. Bigots are gonna be bigots, and they're free to be as such, but that doesn't mean we have to give them a platform to stand on.
I guess my problem with that is the fact that most of the people in America who profess Biblical values also promote fiscal conservatism and/or libertarianism, which constantly preaches and promotes the “me me me”, every man for himself, eliminate social services ideology. The circle just doesn’t square when it comes to Christian values and conservatism.
What does any of that (ridiculous as it is), have to do with ANY of this?
In light of America’s 1600 Christian Colonial foundations, HOW did America get to the place where homosexual perverts have such political and societal clout?
Trace it back to its genesis and the answer is relatively simple: The inherent wickedness of man’s heart aside, this and nearly everything else wrong in America is the consequence of the framers’ failure to establish government and society on Yahweh’s everlasting righteousness and immutable morality as reflected in his perfect law and altogether righteous judgments (Psalm 19:7-11). Consequently, it was inevitable that one day America would find herself teetering on the precipice of depravity and destruction:
“…3. Every problem America faces today can be traced back to the fact that the framers failed to expressly establish a government upon Yahweh’s immutable morality as codified in His commandments, statutes, and judgments. (Would infanticide and sodomy be tolerated, let alone financed by the government, if Yahweh’s perfect law and altogether righteous judgments were the law of the land? Would Islam be a looming threat to our peace and security if the First Amendment had been replaced with the First Commandment? Would Americans be in nearly as much debt if usury had been outlawed as a form of theft? Would crime be as rampant if “cruel and unusual punishment” had not been outlawed and criminals were instead punished with Yahweh’s altogether righteous judgments? Would we be on the fiscal cliff if we were taxed with a flat
increase tax rather than a graduated income tax?)….”
For more, see our Featured Blog article “5 Reasons the Constitution is Our Cutting-Edge Issue." Click on my name, then our website. This article will be found at the top of the home page. Then take our Constitution Survey in the right-hand sidebar and receive a complimentary copy of an 85-page book the examines the Constitution by the Bible.
you sir are an uneducated idiot please crawl back under your rock
Shane, what'sn your deal? Rather judgemental and condemning, there… accusing Gary of only being on about the money, and Phil "just shot his mouth off".. no, Phil answered some pointed questions from an interviewer who KNEW full well what Phil's values and standards are. And Phil clearly spoke his honest and strongly held convictions. It was not "the wrong time", he spoke to the magazine. If A&E are so "horrified" and "ashamed" for what someone else said somewhere else, why has NO ONE said a thing about GQ, who KNEW what they were doing? A&E did not broadcast Phil's words, GQ did.
And you got it backwards…. PHIL is calling out A&E for being so stupid and bigoted as to break their contract because Phil spoke his mind about things totally unrelated to their show. Sorry, A&E do not have enough money to OWN the Robertson family. Off set, those people have no obligation to stop being who they are. Get over it.
and who are YOU to determine the motive behind Phil's words?
seems to me A&E will be the ones proven to talk like fools. They get their knickers in a twist because of what someone said with no conextion to A&E, and canned a man who is generating millions of dollars for them. A cursory glance at the response so far shows several hundred, maybe even several thousand, to one in favour of the Robertson clan's being right. Freedom of speech requires a man's thoughts not be suppressed by others. Bigotry and stupidity and moral corruption bring about social andpolitical repercussions, and economic ones as well. I suppose you think Miiey Cyrus' nrecent perverse antics are good and right and proper and wholesom and clean and beautiful…… no, she's freely made herself a fool and a slut in a very pubilc way, with no provocation beyond what arose from within herself to put that value set into the public eye. Don't forget, SHE is also a product of A&E and the Disney world. Twited values, no moral compass, will bring this nation to its knees, don't forget… the very word "culture" derives fromthe latin root for "worship" Culture is the colective expression of what a people group worships. If you want to worship the human backside as do folk like Miley Cyrus and her "admirers" (worshippers) and the GLBT perverts, go ahead. We KNOW Whom the Robetson family worship…. and you can't stop them, or we who agree wtih them.
freedom IS a biblical principal. Get over it.
News flash.. it was GQ magzine not only gave Phil the platform, but requested he stand on it. THEN GQ broadcast what he said when he stood on it. What business is that of GQ's? Sorry, I can't quite make that connection.
Further, the social and political (and economic) repercussions will be falling on A&E for thinking and acting like they OWN Phil RObertson. Sorry, there aint't enough money in the whole of television to own those people. Get over it. And YOU are free to use your handheld remote to remve the entire Robertson clan platform from your life. But it seems a few millions of others will freely choose to INCLUDE their platform in theirs. Deal with it. The "repercussions" will come down hard on A&E for their delusion that they can control the minds and hearts of others. The Robertsons are NOT a "property" A&E can shuffle about in a warehouse like a pallet of goods on a forklift.
Thanks for the Alinsky quote. But Eric Hoffer talked about the same principle in essays in the 1950s. He pointed out that revolutions were the result of change, not the cause of change. Of course, Alinsky says that the change preceeds to revolution which he finds more worthy. But he is wrong, and Hoffer was right. Revolutions, except for our own 1776, destroy and corrupt and never elevate. Only Godly (or, at least, theists!) men can guide a revolution, and you don't find those folks on the Left!
Evidently Mr. Weiland believes that you can put lipstick on a pig and poof, instant lamb without spot or wrinkle. We the people are the government in a Democracy (like it or not), and the Government we have reflects the faith of the people. In other words, we get the Government we resemble (See Jer. 5: 30 – 31).
Culture is religion externalized. You can only change culture by changing hearts and that through regeneration, not legislation. John Adams agreed when he said, "This Constitution is written for a religious and moral people and is wholly inadequate for the government of any other."
Mr. Weiland has ignored the historical account of John Adams in Mr. North's commentary: “The Revolution was in the hearts and minds of the people. . . . This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments and affections of the people was the real American Revolution.” A revolution without a prior reformation would collapse or become a totalitarian tyranny.
First self – government, then family, church and state governments. See Matt. 15: 1 – 20.
"if you talk like a fool."
Shane speaks from experience here.
Freedom is a Biblical principle Shane. Ever heard of free will?
"Bigots are gonna be bigots, and they're free to be as such, but that doesn't mean we have to give them a platform to stand on."
Exactly, and as a bigot you should be thankful we indulge you here, because we don't have to.
You’re an idiot.
That is asinine
Your Hitler analogy was right on the mark. The communinist figure they would infiltrate our education system and little bit by bit systematically brain wash and indoctrinate our kids to grow up into what we are seeing today in the mindless, can not think for them self adults. It is going to take those of us with a Brain to slowly transform the mindless munchers values again.
"….but that doesn't mean we have to give them a platform to stand on. "
Except when the message is politically correct right? What pathetic little hypocrite.
The high and mighty American left think they were born intellectually and morally superior to us Jesus loving idjits… They believe the enlightenment of humanism makes them superior and 'tolerant'. The elitist idiots don't even get that their morals and tolerance come directly from being born into a Judeo-Christian moral based society. No, they don't have to be Christian but to say that they are morally better than God, or that the basis of their morals didn't come from God shows their blind ignorance. It also shows as they further drag society away from God they are returning to the moral depravity common to all previous secular societies and nothing shows it more than the hate and intolerance they exhibit to Christians at the present time.
The First Amendment gives Phil Robertson freedom of speech. Period. He did not even use the N-word.
Dang! How'd I do that double up there?
John , This country is a Constitutional Republic with laws and not a democracy with mob rule . Every time you use the word democracy to describe this nation you are buying into the liberal BS . The liberals in this country have spewing this BS sense before the second world war . What is at stake at this time in this country is our very foundation which is the US Constitution . We The People have a US Congress that has ignored that constitution and allowed a fraud and usurper going by the name of barack hussein obama to remain in the White House . Every thing else is irrelevant !
I agree we were established as a Republic (have you read Franklin's exhortation on the floor of the Convention and his answer to the woman who inquired of the nature of the government the delegates had decided on?), under the God of the Bible( Psa. 127:1) and wonderfully confirmed by our founding fathers. However, because the people want to fulfill the lusts of their flesh and vote accordingly, America is governed by the law of sin and not the law of God. Until we restore the foundation they laid, Jesus Christ, we will continue to function like a mob. A government without Christ can only move on a scale toward anarchy or tyranny, unless, of course, it is one nation under God with liberty and justice for all – a Christian Constitutional Republic.
I agree, homosexuality is not human decency, so why would we want to pursue it?
A and E might just suffer as they should for not standing. Catering to the deviant which has become the mantra of this nation.
And the replies I see from the gay community are how dare we condemn? Aren't we sinners too?
As far as the angered filled comments about Christians sinning as well. You're right we do. The difference is if a Christian decides to engage in a deviant behavior we do not attempt to force it on everyone else. Not in modern era. And we usually know we are wrong. And if we didn't think we were wrong we do not go to your schools demanding that "our alternative" view point be taught. You don't see swingers protesting that they be acknowledged–because it is deviant as well.
The gay community has picked this fight. You didn't wish to be just left alone. You're end goal is that we celebrate your deviant choices. You want to propagate the lifestyle into our schools. You demand a Christian baker design your wedding cakes. You want us to state out loud our allegiance to your deviance. You want the churches to disregard their beliefs and traditions because you believe your deviance trumps our beliefs. You wish Sergeant Monk to state out loud that he agrees with gay marriage to his lesbian commanding officer–regardless of his Christian beliefs, I was willing to live and let live. You have made yourself my enemy. Your stance–side with us in speech and thought or we retaliate.
This is not Iran. You will not be persecuted. And by God you will not persecute us.The Duck Dynasty stated out loud what most have been afraid to speak.
And there are many more of us out there who aren't afraid as well..
Charles Hurst. Author of THE SECOND FALL. An offbeat story of Armageddon. And creator of THE RUNNINGWOLF EZINE.
Never forget that President Obama, Valerie Jarrett, his most powerful advisor, and Hillary Clinton — among many holding Democrat power positions — all revere Saul Alinsky.
"Are you insane?"
We all know you sure are.
"The high and mighty American left think they were born intellectually and morally superior to us Jesus loving idjits.."
Yeah. They think that coming to my home, pointing a gun in my face and threatening to either cage me or kill me if I don't allow myself to be extorted of my hard earned income for their precious Idiot Left "benevolent causes" is charity. I don't know how people can possibly be THAT stupid as to believe that. Simple minded idiots to the core.
Aaron, I don't usually answer with Biblical quotes, but I've just got to tell you that HERE'S the future: "At the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord"–Phillippians 2:10,11. This is not just some fancy God-talk, Aaron. This is really going to happen. (Notice the "those under the earth" phrase…even His enemies of all times past will be forced to acknowledge His sovereignty.) The Central Figure in history is going to claim His throne. All the pretenders are going to bow down before Him. The time to choose sides is now. Don't be like Afghan tribesmen (as one example) who wait to see how the battle is going before they choose sides. The outcome of this one's already known, so CHOOSE. Despite the seeming unstoppability of humanism, it will utterly fall before Goodness, Righteousness, Justice, and Holiness.
I found the author of the article to be far more repugnant in his casual crudity than Mr. Robertson with his carefully-chosen descriptions. This piece in GQ (I don't read the magazine) sounds more like it came out of Rolling Stone, with its typical "cool" flouting of standards of speech and morality. I agree with Dr. North that the magazine is for those who are NOT gentlemen.
I say they should Leave A&E and take their Name and products with them. A&E has tried to ruin the show since it started but they have consistently FAILED as they should have. There are plenty of Networks that would love to put the show out just as the family makes it and though I do not get most of those stations I say it is better for them to leave A&E than to allow A&E to make the show a LIE. If A&E wants to suck up to GLAAD and other such SICKO filled HATE groups then I say Ducks cross the road to another Station ASAP.
A&E IS as good as BURNT TOAST! Watch…
It also seems that our "women alone" do too, but remember, they too are "gatherer's," as our black population. Women through their nurturing biology & blacks through both biology & choice…
I think there's an peculiar phenomenon in our culture: There are now two generations that love the idea of traditional America, but loathe the thought of accepting her moral values. They are a naïve and uninformed majority, I think, who love what America once was, but hate the very standards that made her great. They think they can keep their addiction to immorality and own the freedom that comes with a disciplined and moral people, but the two philosophies are incongruous. They are totally incompatible, but until the day dawns and they see the true light shining, they will never understand what caused America to fall.
It's amazing how Fundamentalist Christian whackadoodles drop their Libertarian values the moment they get offended and suddenly want a Police State. These nutjobs want to hold a gun to A&E's head and force them to support those they choose not to support.
A Republic simply a nation has no ruling royal family. I'm sure many here would prefer to drop the republican part and replace it with a strict Christian monarchy.
I support A&E's right to enforce their contracts. All of you left-wing hippies who hate capitalism can go to to the devil! It's not like A&E is going to rise or fall based on the sale of a few duck calls, Happy Meals, Mouse ears, or whatever.
The left sucks. Harry Reid and Nancy are senile. Send them home . They are destroying our country.
ALL EVIL DEMON-CRAT LIBERALS ARE THE VERY FIRST ONES TO CUT OFF THEIR HAND JUST TO SPITE THEIR FACE > ( A & E ) / IT A NORMAL JERK REACTION FOR THEM/
Saul Alinsky was Obama's mentor ! food for thought