Duck Dynasty

[Jericurl]

So....people are shocked because a guy who is famous for being a rich redneck made redneck type comments?

I am usually slow to judge based on one sensational news article, so I scoped out the actual interview, here.

This is not about "PC" or about someone being a "christian" and being able to voice their opinion, because this is 'merica, by gawd!

This is about a bigot making bigoted remarks and having to pay the price for it.
Classic tale of cause and effect.

Anyone who can read this:

Phil On Growing Up in Pre-Civil-Rights-Era Louisiana

“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.”

which is a direct statement from him, and still think he's a great guy...
Yeah, I'm gonna give you some serious side eye.

Being poor and having to work with blacks does not give you special insight.
And wow, surprising, a black person did not complain in front of him, so mistreatment either didn't happen or was exaggerated was his implied point.
I've heard horrific tales of things my family went through during that time period. There were also members of my family who didn't go through anything specifically horrific, but life as a black person just generally sucked all the way around because they had very little recourse if something did go wrong or they were treated unfairly or were victims of a crime.
Having to live in that kind of fear, regardless of whether or not anything "happened" to you is it's own special kind of hell because you know if anything does happen, you are well and truly screwed.

 

[jamesngalveston]

I happen to disagree...I am older then phil..i worked in cotton fields with the blacks...i worked in soy bean fields with them, and i cleared acres of timber with them so we could plant more...they were happy, they were working, they had a job, just as i...we did not show any disrespect for them, they showed none to us...they were not treated badly...
My uncle was a commercial fisherman , and what he did not sale, he gave to the blacks and whites that were out of work, are had large families...
And you are wrong...It gives you great insight to what it was like then.

 

[jamesngalveston]

bigot: a person who strongly and unfairly dislikes other people, ideas, etc. : a bigoted person; especially : a person who hates or refuses to accept the members of a particular group (such as a racial or religious group)

he did not say he did not like them. he accepted them and worked along side them.....

 

[Jericurl]

Okkkkkk.....
If you want to nitpick on my word choice...

Then I amend it to, he is a bigot for those who are homosexual and..
hell I don't know, delusional? about african americans?
Does that work better?

Also, I don't doubt that what you saw as a white man was probably very, very different from what was actually experienced by people of color.
Was I there, nope. But my parents, grandparents, and greatgrandparents were there.
They were happy to have jobs. They were happy to be able to feed their children. But they were most certainly not happy about having to live under Jim Crow laws.

 

[jamesngalveston]

the jim crowe laws starting in about 1877 targeted blacks and>>>>>poor whites....which we were.

to live in the late 50s are early 60s in rural america and be poor was not easy for anyone..black white indian mexican Japanese are anyone else.
I quess you could say...you would have to have been there...
we had it just as hard as the blacks...we had no plumbing,we had 55 gallon barrel for heat in the winter, we had an outhouse.we had no running water in the house...the hand pump was about 50 feet from the front door.. we had patches on our blue jeans, and we had white t shirts in the summer, because they were cheap. and a party line for a phone, and a long distance phone call was reason for everyone to listen too.
we had a white bathroom, they a black...but when we all went home...it was the same....

 

[grapeman]

This is getting contentious and borderline guys and gals. If it keeps up this thread will be closed.

 

[cimbaliw]

I vote for "publicity stunt." If the answer ain't money, you need to rephrase the question.

BC

 

[GreginND]

My take - he has the freedom to say whatever he wants. And with that he has to accept any consequences that come from that. The network, likewise, has a freedom of speech and liberty to not continue their relationship with him. Everyone exercising the wonderful freedoms we have here in the US. You all also have the freedom to agree or not with either party and act accordingly.

Now, back to wine.

 

[sour_grapes]

A recent poll say 70% of the population still believes in Christianity. So to the 30% who don't believe, this guys are wrong and their opinions are based on hatred.

It all depends on which side you believe in.

And many of us in the 70% ALSO believe this guy is wrong and his opinion is based on hatred. I felt I should point that out, because your post seems to indicate otherwise.

 

[threeballsf30]

Ok first I want to say I'm not a fan of the show and haven't watched more than a few minutes of it. That being said I'm just sick of everyone being offended for everything that anyone says. If it offends you then don't listen or watch it. Should I get offended that every show on TV now has to show some sort of gay couple or lesbian couple? No, I just won't watch it. So to the few minority's that has ruined the many majority's world with all the complaining I'd just like to say I'm offended by your beliefs

 

[jamesngalveston]

done with it.

 

[Pumpkinman]

threeballsf30 - Thanks you for your post! I cannot agree with you more! We've become so "politically correct" as country that it is nauseating. There is a volume button and an on and off switch for a reason.

I still remember when as a country we could say what we felt, that doesn't mean I condone people being rude just for sport, but when I was young, if we got into an argument with the local school bully, or got called names on the school bus, we either fought back or called names right back, and it was OVER......now days, we're so "in touch with our feelings" that if a kid gets called names or is in a fight, they need therapy for months on end? We are breeding our kids to look so deep within themselves to find any slight chance that something had to have caused them emotional trauma, that kids today have these fragile little wafer thin egos that cannot take even the slightest altercation.
The problem with this "politically correct" environment that has been created, is that no matter what anyone says, it can be twisted into something that has hurt someone in some way.
We are all different and have different beliefs and opinions, do you really think that a multi millionaire such as Phil Robertson is going to be effected in any way by being banned from the TV show? Not a chance, as a matter of fact, I bet the ratings go up, look around folks, Every other show on TV is a reality show, we love to see people acting like social deviants, as longs as they don't make fun of my beliefs.

People need to get over themselves, our opinions are just that opinions, just because one person makes a comment that makes the uber "politically correct" gasp in terror and have cold chills run up and down their spines, is it really enough to make every network news run the earth shattering story over and over and over? And to make matters worse, you guys are arguing on a Wine Making Forum about it!

It's Christmas (unless that offends anyone....) I don't care if you are White, Black, brown or any shade in between, let's get over it and either keep our opinions to ourselves, or stop reading any threads that may offend you.

I'm just curious as to when we became so "soft" as a country.......

 

[ShawnDTurner]

The world has changed, it's not the same as it was 30, 40, 50 or even 60 years ago.
Socities evolve and views soften. Self reflection in our youth is great, it teaches them to love and respect themselves within, which in turn they share with others. Cheers

 

[JohnT]

Pumpkinman,

I hear what you say about bullies, but I need to disagree with you. I had grown up in an age where parents, fellow students, and all others simply looked the other way when someone is bullied. The worst thing that could happen is that you told your mother and she complained to the principle. This would just make things worse.

There was this one kid, Rob Sterling, that was in my freshman class. I, like others, simply stayed clear when he was being very cruelly bullied. One day, he decided that he had enough. He took out his fathers shotgun, loaded it, stuck the barrel in his mouth, and pulled the trigger. He was 14.

I can not help but thing that if I had just been nice to him, perhaps even spoke to him once in a while, that might have made a difference and he might be alive today.

It is high time that bullying is addressed.

 

[JohnT]

Getting back on target...

What ever happened to "Live and Let Live"?
My focus is on how things affect me and my life. If a man wants to sleep with another man, then what is it to me? Absolutely nothing.

Additionally, I believe that everyone has the right to his/her own opinion. They just do not have the right to force that opinion on others.

I do not judge. That is God's job.

 

[jamesngalveston]

dang it...i agree with you JohnT....
just read that a teacher was fired in new mexico school for telling a male black student who was wearing a santa clause costume that santa is white.
why even be an educator, when you cant even make a statement like that.
and keep your job....
ridiculous.

 

[the_rayway]

John T - thanks, Live and Let Live is what I was going to say. As many of you know, I don't do newspapers, or cable tv. So Duck Dynasty is just something I hear about occasionally.

I'm a very open person, and willing to discuss almost anything. Doesn't matter what your beliefs/background etc. are. To me, it all makes for more interesting conversations between people - when they can be open and honest without demanding others see it 'their way'.

If someone declares to me that they hate gay people, (in that 'I'm gonna shout my opinions to the world, because I'm RIGHT' kind of way), I say 'oh' in a neutral way, and change the subject. Because there is no reasoning with someone who 'knows' they are right.

If someone declares to me that they are gay (in the 'look at me! I'm gay!' kind of way), my reply is that 'I don't do S&M'. Why do I care what a person does in their bedroom?

I applaud those who go about their lives: being good people, living thoughtfully, and accepting others, even though their personal opinions may differ. If a person volunteers to help others - does it matter who's waiting for them at home? If someone shows kindness in the face of bullying or injustice - does it matter what shade of sepia they are?

Each to their own my friends.

 

[Pumpkinman]

John, I agree to a certain degree, maybe it's because when I was growing up, we never, and I mean never heard of any kid taking their own life, but then again, their is so much publicity when some mentally unstable kid takes a gun and starts killing, or when a child commits suicide, that although it is an unthinkable tragedy, it puts these ideas in other childrens heads.
When I was young, I remember that I was mad at my parents for not letting me go to a rock concert with my fellow 10 yr old classmates, I very boldly stood up to my parents and said "I'm going to run away"...without looking up from his morning coffee, my father said "why run, I'll call you a cab"...LOL... my point is that we are a product of our environment, sensationalism has become the norm, everyone is always ready to snap pics with their phones in hopes of creating that next headline.
Maybe I used a poor example using kids and fighting, my intention was to express the fact that we have become too politically correct to the point that anything can be twisted around and made to offend someone.
Anywho....this thread has gone too far many posts ago, I'm done.

 

[ShawnDTurner]

JamesNGalveston you posted:

dang it...i agree with you JohnT....
just read that a teacher was fired in new mexico school for telling a male black student who was wearing a santa clause costume that santa is white.
why even be an educator, when you cant even make a statement like that.
and keep your job....
ridiculous.

Why would you want that person to be an educator, if they are making statement to a student in that manner? Cheers!

 

[GaDawg]

too all the people defending freedom of speech, where were you when the Dixie Chicks said "we don't want this war, this violence, and we're ashamed that the President of the United States [George W. Bush] is from Texas". Where was there freedom of speech?