The inevitable fallout from Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson’s controversial GQ interview in which he made numerous negative comments about homosexuality and said black people in the South never complained “pre-entitlement” continues. Last night A&E announced Phil has been suspended indefinitely from the show, stating they were “extremely disappointed” in what Phil said in the interview, adding that A&E has “always been strong supporters and champions of the LGBT community.”
Phil responded to the suspension with his own statement, which begins, “My mission today is to go forth and tell people about why I follow Christ and also what the Bible teaches, and part of that teaching is that women and men are meant to be together.” (You can read A&E and Phil’s statements in their entirety here.)
As you might imagine, Phil Robertson’s suspension from Duck Dynasty has angered some of the show’s conservative Christian fan base, and now there is an online petition that is being marketed with the hash tag #IStandWithPhil calling for his reinstatement. The petition, which now has well over 16,000 signatures (it had just under 10,000 when I started writing this post), was started by Faith Driven Consumer, which is “an organization connecting Christian consumers with faith-compatible companies,” according to a press release.
“Simply put, Phil Robertson is being censored and punished for quoting the Bible, and A&E’s treatment of him is punitive and highly discriminatory,” said Chris Stone, founder of Faith Driven Consumer. “Everyday people will not stand for this, they know bullying and violation of religious freedom when they see it. A&E’s actions are censoring Faith Driven Consumers and eliminating them from an entertainment choice that they have overwhelmingly supported.”
Here is an excerpt from the petition, which can be found at istandwithphil.com:
Mr. Robertson’s comments in GQ Magazine are simply reflective of a Biblical view of sexuality, marriage, and family – a view that has stood the test of time for thousands of years and continues to be held by the majority of Americans and today’s world as a whole.
Many members of the LGBT community may not agree with this view, but the notion that a free-thinking American should be discriminated against simply for expressing a perspective that is in conflict with another is patently un-American and flies in the face of true tolerance and civility. A&E’s position, which in your own words is “championing” the gay and lesbian community — which I believe you have the freedom to do — excludes the views of Faith Driven Consumers and effectively censors a legitimate viewpoint held by the majority of Americans.
As a Faith Driven Consumer, I am signing this petition to demand that my views be treated with equality and respect in America’s rich rainbow of diversity.
I am asking your network to immediately reinstate Mr. Robertson to Duck Dynasty, and to formally apologize to him, his family, and the millions of viewers who tune in every week, stand by him, and share his worldview. While the LGBT community may be offended by his opposing viewpoint, your rash, discriminatory, and unfair treatment toward Mr. Robertson — a recognized symbol of the faith community — is a slap in the face to Faith Driven Consumers and everyday Americans alike.
So far major retailers like Walmart (who dropped Paula Deen after her racially insensitive remarks were made public) are remaining quiet about Phil’s controversial comments. But it would be hard to argue with the “wait and see” approach when you are talking about a $400 million brand less than a week before Christmas.
UPDATE – The #IStandWithPhil hash tag is currently a trending topic on Twitter as the petition continues to gain momentum and signatures (and criticisms).
UPDATE – There is another petition calling for Phil Robertson’s reinstatement that was started on Change.org yesterday that now has more than 54,000 signatures already, and the “Boycott A&E Until Phil Robertson Is Put Back On Duck Dynasty” Facebook page currently has more than 560,000 likes. (The I Stand With Phil Petition is now over 20,000 just 20 minutes after publishing the post.)
