Phil Robertson, one of the stars of the Duck Dynasty show, is in more than a little bit of hot water these days.
In a recent interview with GQ Robertson made some outwardly homophobic comments as he stated his position on gays. Not only did he say that being gay was sinful, as per the Bible, but also that gay people, to his mind, are in the same category as terrorists.
On top of those abhorrent comments Phil Robertson went on an extended rant about his personal view on African-Americans. He said:
I never, with my eyes, saw the mistreatment of any black person. Not once. Where we lived was all farmers. The blacks worked for the farmers. I hoed cotton with them. I’m with the blacks, because we’re white trash. We’re going across the field… They’re singing and happy. I never heard one of them, one black person, say, ‘I tell you what: These doggone white people’ — not a word! Pre-entitlement, pre-welfare, you say: Were they happy? They were godly; they were happy; no one was singing the blues.”
The comments about gays followed by the racially sensitive rant was too much for the NAACP. They sent a letter to A&E who run the Duck Dynasty show requesting that they immediately denounce Phil Robertson’s remarks.
The NAACP wrote in the letter:
“We want to be clear why Phil Robertson’s remarks are not just dangerous but also inaccurate. Mr. Robertson claims that, from what he saw, African Americans were happier under Jim Crow. What he didn’t see were lynching and beatings of black men and women for attempting to vote or simply walking down the street.”
They said that his remarks:
“Go beyond being outlandishly inaccurate and offensive and are dangerous and revisionist, appealing to those in our society who wish to repeat patterns of discrimination.” the letter said Robertson’s “words show an unbridled lack of respect for African Americans and LGBT people, and the ongoing challenges members of our communities continue to experience on a daily basis.”
At the end of the letter they questioned whether the network really wanted to associate itself with Phil Robertson : “Surely a brand like A&E does not want to be associated with such racist and homophobic remarks,” they wrote.
It doesn’t seem likely that Phil Robertson will apologize for his homophobic and racist remarks. Even if he does, is it a case of ‘what’s been said’s been said’? Of course the Duck Dynasty star was suspended by the network and it remains to be seen what other little gems Phil Robertson might come up with over the coming weeks.
We’ll keep you posted.
