A&E Declares War On Duck Dynasty's Christian Values

By Todd Starnes, CP Op-Ed Contributor Thursday, December 19, 2013

Duck Dynasty has been sacrificed on the altar of political correctness.

By now you probably know that A&E indefinitely suspended Phil Robertson, the patriarch of the Duck Dynasty family, for following the teachings of the Holy Bible. Nothing says tolerance and diversity by silencing the Christians and shoving them in a closet.

Between you and me, I think Duck Dynasty ought to indefinitely suspend A&E.

Phil ran afoul of intolerant leftwing bullies after making comments about homosexuality to GQ magazine. When the writer asked Phil what he considered to be sinful behavior, he replied:

"Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there. Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men," he says.

Then he paraphrases Paul's letter to the Corinthians: "Don't be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers -- they won't inherit the kingdom of God. Don't deceive yourself. It's not right."

That comment went over about as well as a Chick-fil-A sandwich at a gay pride parade.

"Phil and his family claim to be Christian, but Phil's lies about an entire community fly in the face of what true Christians believe," said GLAAD rep Wilson Cruz. "He clearly knows nothing about gay people or the majority of Louisianans – and Americans - who support legal recognition for loving and committed gay and lesbian couples.

Before you could shout tolerance and diversity, gay rights organizations were demanding Phil be tarred and feathered. And A&E was more than happy to oblige.

"The network has placed Phil under hiatus from filming indefinitely," A&E declared. "His personal views in no way reflect those of A&E Networks, who have always been strong supporters and champions of the LGBT community."

Let's not mince words.

A&E is apparently run by a bunch of anti-Christian, bigots. Duck Dynasty worships God. A&E worships GLAAD. If Phil had been twerking with a duck the network probably would've given him a contract extension. But because he espoused beliefs held by many Christians, he's been silenced.

Perhaps A&E could provide the nation with a list of what they believe is politically correct speech.

Maybe they could tell us what Americans can say, think and do. Should the U.S. Constitution be amended to prevent Americans from holding personal beliefs that others might not agree with?

I suspect A&E's decision is going to create a firestorm of controversy. If you thought feathers got ruffled over Chick-fil-A, wait until Duck Dynasty fans take to the streets. I'm one of those fans.

I was a Duck Dynasty fan before being a Duck Dynasty fan was cool. And for the sake of full disclosure, I drink my sweet tea from green Tupperware glass just like Uncle Si.

There was something wholesome and heartwarming about the story of the Robertson family from Monroe, Louisiana. It harkened back to the days of black and white television when Father Knew Best, when afternoons were spent down at the fishing hole and Mary Ellen said good night to John Boy. It was a time when right and wrong were black and white.

It's no surprise that "Duck Dynasty" became the most-watched non-fiction cable television show in history. American moms and dads have been clamoring for quite some time for family-friendly television programming – and Phil and Miss Kay and Uncle Si delivered the goods.

The Robertsons showed America that you can make it in show business without cursing, backstabbing people, or getting butt-naked. Each episode was sort of like a modern-day parable, wrapped up with the family gathered around the supper table, holding hands as somebody prayed.

Sadly, Duck Dynasty values are not Hollywood's values. And that's why I'm not surprised A&E dropped the hammer on Phil.

It's not about capitalism. It's about driving an agenda and shoving it down the throats of the American public. And Hollywood is beholden to an agenda that is anti-Christian and anti-family.

Fathers are portrayed as bumbling idiots and Christians are portrayed as intolerant bigots. Anybody remember "Good Christian Bitches"?

But these days it's open season on Christians and Hollywood has both barrels aimed at folks like the Robertson's and anyone else who loves God and the traditional definition of marriage. Maybe President Obama could hold a Duck Dynasty summit in the Rose Garden duck blind.

I would encourage you to read the GQ article. I think you'll find it both entertaining and thought-provoking.

For me, the most poignant moment near the end of the story when Phil inquired about the GQ reporter's plans for the afterlife.

"So you and your woman: Are y'all Bible people?"

"Not really, I'm sorry to say," the reporter replied.

"If you simply put your faith in Jesus coming down in flesh, through a human being, God becoming flesh living on the earth, dying on the cross for the sins of the world, being buried, and being raised from the dead-yours and mine and everybody else's problems will be solved," Phil said. "And the next time we see you, we will say: 'You are now a brother. Our brother.' So then we look at you totally different then. See what I'm saying?"

Phil Robertson was, in the words of the great hymn writer, a wretch – once lost, now found. He was a sinner saved by grace. And his life's mission is to help others find the path to that oh so amazing grace.

It's a message that I find compelling. It's a message Hollywood wants to silence.

Todd Starnes is the host of Fox News & Commentary – heard daily on 250+ radio stations. He's also the author of Dispatches From Bitter America. To check out all of his work you can visit his website or follow him on Twitter @toddstarnes. In his spare time, Todd is active in his church, plays golf, follows SEC football, and eats barbecue. He lives in New York City.