I’m not sure how to say this, so I’m just going to say it and we’ll go from there.
To all of the people I know who are responding to the Duck Dynasty issue with statements like “Redneck hates gays. Big shock.” and the assured, intellectual surety of people who decided they’re rednecks and, of course, they think things like this, I ask…
Have you ever watched the show?
Up front, let me say. I’m not going to recap the situation. If you’re aware of the Phil Robertson thing and you know about the Duck Dynasty flap, then you do. If not, I’m not up for rehashing it. Cause, frankly, I’m tired.
I also spent a lot of time going back and forth on Twitter yesterday because I sent a tweet and people wanted to jump all over me. So I’m a bit…raw right now.
But here’s the thing I wanted to discuss.
Yeah, I think the situation is fucked up. Yeah, I think Phil said some stupid shit and yeah, I think A & E had the right to fire him. I also think A & E was playing with fire. If they knew Phil thought this way – and, as Chez Pazienza and so many others pointed out, there’s no doubt they did – then they were taking their chances and hoping this wouldn’t come to light. But, they did, he said things publicly, they opted to suspend him, okay fine, whatever.
However, I’m seeing a lot of people who seem to be judging the show without ever having seen it.
I’ve watched the show. I sat with my husband the other night and we watched something like 4 episodes and we were rolling laughing in a few places. Amused, touched, and thoughtful in others.
Sure, the DD guys call themselves rednecks. They also have a successful business, loving families, well disciplined kids and a real love for God. On air, they espouse nothing but kindness and Christian values.
Now, I’m not a Christian. But I am totally down with all of the above because, really, there’s a lot going on with them on the show that makes them pretty likeable.
So it would be easy for people who have never watched it to just brush it off that Phil Robertson thinks these things and, when asked, espoused them. But I was shocked when he said them, and saddened and I hoped that it was more a case that he was “that relative” that we all seem to have but who doesn’t think like the rest of the family.
Maybe he is, maybe he isn’t. Maybe the entire Robertson family lights bonfires and burns people in effigy while flying Nazi flags and quoting Leviticus. But there’s nothing I’ve ever seen on the show that would ever lead me to believe that.
And that’s why I’m bothered that people I know, people I consider intelligent and funny and intellectual and open minded, may just be dismissing the whole thing out of hand without ever having seen the show.
Because, if you make decisions based on your uninformed opinion, then you’re just as guilty of judgements about people as the ones who say being gay is a “choice” without ever having actually left themselves open to what gay life is like. Even on TV.
If you’ve watched the show and you hated it and you say what you say, hey, go you.
But I’m pretty sure lots of the people opining have never invested 30 minutes in the show and are judging the show, the family and anyone who watches it as idiotic.
Which means, in essence, you’re calling me an idiot.
I’m pretty sure that’s not your intention, is it?
I’m asking you to consider that, maybe, we all do this from time to time. But the world is a better place when we stop to consider other people’s point of view. That goes for people who want to want to push their ideological agenda on other people. No matter what the agenda is.
If you got this far, thank you. I appreciate you reading. I appreciate you period.