Artificial Indignation

Phil Robertson (SI.com)

In this season where we hope for "peace on earth, good will toward men" there are enough actual problems that we face without manufacturing more.   The media deserve their fair share of the blame with the crises and controversies that would never gain any momentum without them.   

 

Phil Robertson, the patriarch of TV's "Duck Dynasty" Louisiana family that manufactures duck calls got in hot water with the reality show's cable channel (A&E) over some anti-gay comments.   Cracker Barrel restaurants briefly stopped selling some Duck Dynasty merchandise, much to the chagrin of the popular show's fans.   This is a rare case in which I agree with one suggestion by Mike Huckabee that A&E and Cracker Barrel should have merely issued statements saying the comments were his own opinions and not necessarily their own, but don't get me wrong.  The high profile suspension was something A&E had every right to do.   If I went on one of the radio stations I work on and made these comments, my employer could suspend or fire me.  However, A&E's action only served to unleash a torrent of conservative protest over an alleged violation of his free speech rights.    To my friends on the left, I say we need to cool our jets over how offended we are with something a duck call maker says.   He's not the President or the Pope, and it wasn't so long ago when that was more of a majority opinion.   There has been real progress against homophobia.   To the right of the spectrum, the Duck Dynasty guy is no poster boy for free speech.   He doesn't merit this mentality of being a victim of political correctness.   This non-issue needs to go away quickly.   Chill out and have a Happy Holiday OR Merry Christmas... whatever you prefer.