Before I go any further, I have to throw in a disclaimer. I don't watch Duck Dynasty. I'm not a fan. I don't support Phil Robertson's beliefs or his statements. This is not a defense of his statements or his opinions. However, I do support his right to believe whatever he wishes and to express those beliefs however he chooses. This is still America, after all.
I also don't support A&E's decision to suspend Robertson. I think it was a poor business decision. Yes, A&E should be free to do whatever it wants with it's network programming. It is a business. It's their business. They ought to be able to do with it what they want, however stupid their decisions may be, but it may not work out that way.
All of this might work out to be terrific for the Robertsons. Before this is over the entire Robertson Clan may be the most widely known story in America. Think about it. They were already widely known and wildly popular. Duck Dynasty was the most popular non-scripted show on cable TV.
Now, think about Miley Cyrus, as unpleasant as that might be. She received more media exposure for her twerking performance than she'd ever received or ever would have. Before it, nobody was talking about Miley Cyrus. Afterward, everybody was talking about Miley Cyrus, and they still are. Was she being stupid--or smart? Time will tell but, at least for now, she's laughing all the way to the bank.
Which brings us back to Phil Robertson. Not everyone agrees with Phil about lifestyle, his religious beliefs, or his opinion of gays, but, thanks to A&E, almost everybody is talking about him. Even people who don't agree with him, such as yours truly, are talking or writing about him.
Now, factor in what may happen next. Irrespective of my previous statements about what A&E ought to be able to do, they may not be legally able to suspend or fire Robertson for his seemingly anti-gay statements. Why? Because of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
Among other things, Title VII prohibits discrimination in employment for religious beliefs, and that's exactly what Robertson was expressing in his interview. He was very clear that his opinions about homosexuality are based on his Christian beliefs. Oops, how inconvenient for A&E.
If Robertson chooses to fight his suspension, he may just rake A&E over the proverbial coals. He already has an army of supporters who are setting up a boycott of the A&E network. Robertson could use a lawsuit to add to his already sizable pile of money or to break his A&E contract--or both. Free of the A&E contract, the Robertson Clan and Duck Dynasty could write their own tickets to just about anything they wanted.
Any way you look at it, A&E is a loser and Phil Robertson and his family are winners in this episode. I'm pretty sure that's not what the authors and supporters of the Civil Rights Act had in mind, but that's exactly how it may unfold. Oh, the irony.
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