The trifecta !

Is anyone really surprised?

I will say I was surprised that Louisiana came right out defending them for economic reasons. That show brings a lot of money into the state (kinda sad eh) and if A&E drops them, they'll find another way to give them a show. No way A&E drops them, and they can't walk likely due to contracts.

I think I watched it for 5 minutes, and lost interest in 3.

Not sure how they can cite religious freedoms behind hate speech.
I guess a different definition of hate.

I happen to actually live in West Monroe where this show is from, and frankly up until a few months ago I woulda said "who?" when they were mentioned, they aren't bringing much of nothing to this city in terms of money or notoriety. They could drop off the face of the earth, and no one HERE would really notice.

As for what was said. I imagine it helps if they news organizations take the whole statement into context, it;s been heavily cut for sensationalism sake.

But if Westboro can go saying and doing the crap they say, surely one redneck church of god member in the south, who isn't violent and doesn't go out of his way to get in people's faces can say what he wants.

Not to mention he wasn't getting up on TV and in print and spouting his rhetoric, they ASKED him his opinion before he gave it out. That's a vastly different thing then getting in a bully pulpit and spewing hate.

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"People sometimes say that ideas cannot be stamped out by force. The Albigensian Crusade proves them wrong. Ideas can be stamped out by the elimination of everyone who holds the ideas." - Quote :"Middle Ages" by Morris Bishop.

The First Amendment grants you the freedom to say whatever you want whenever you want. It does not protect you from the consequences resulting from what you say.

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World of Warcraft: Kallaystra, Gweila, Steakumn, Tarathia [ Feathermoon/Horde ]

This is sensationalism for sensationalism's sake, on all sides. I wouldn't be too surprised if A&E didn't somehow want this to happen. We all know that the people on that show are so deep in "promotin' the gospel" and other bullshit like that. They know that there are to vocal and active sides in the bullshit religion antics. The hard-core right-wing ultra-fundie is going to defend Phil because he says that he is "just speaking the Word" and that Phil is being persecuted for his beliefs. Add Fox News and Palin to stir the pot and every idiot new teabagger and religious conservative will start echoing the "freedom of speech" battle cry.

Yet those fuckers are too dumb to realize they have been duped and they don't know what they are protesting. We were in the middle of the christmas shopping season. I almost think that someone was getting worried about "over-saturation" of the Duck Dynasty brand. Trigger some sort of insignificant controversy and the blind sheep supporters of the Robertsons will go out in droves buying up all that DD merchandise. A&E is connected to the redneck shrine Wal-Mart selling the DD crap. A&E gets a portion of the sales of DD stuff. The redneck thinks they are protesting A&E's actions yet their very protest is sending money right back to A&E. A&E wins on both sides. They get to look like they are taking the civilized action by suspending the guy all while raking in the cash from those outraged by A&E's actions.

The Robertson's label is Duck Commander, so the family is using the show to drive up their brand they benefit by people watching the show.

He's got rights like anyone else. To borrow from someone else on here years ago, "your right to extend your fist ends at the tip of my nose."

I guess in this case, that means that if you ask for the man's opinion and he gives it to you, you can be upset at the content of his opinion -- but you can't call him out for expressing it in your chosen context and retain the moral high ground. That's where the similarities with Westboro end, though -- Westboro is entirely in the wrong, because they push their rhetoric on their own initiative without welcome, and they willfully act to violate other people's rights. Duck Derpy did neither. I'll get excited if he burns a cross.

Yeah he has rights, no one is going to arrest him or confiscate his property because of what he said.

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Black people were happy and smiling before the civil rights movement of the 60s ruined everything!

Whatever that is, it's not even loading. Just a blank white square.

Ya, I suck, was trying to post Louis C.K. on being white. Youtube that shit.

It's there now, you just didn't use the youtube right.

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World of Warcraft: Kallaystra, Gweila, Steakumn, Tarathia [ Feathermoon/Horde ]

What ended up happening with this?

A bunch of republicans got salty and then nothing in particular.

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Publicity stunt from beginning to end.

Apparently backfired:

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He timed it wrong. The wave crested and broke before the premiere could cash in.

And yeah, Louis CK nails it. He usually does.

Surcamstances - the video totally loads now. Maybe it wasn't you.