The conservative Faith & Freedom Coalition is launching a “grassroots campaign” against the A&E television network in response to the suspension of Phil Robertson after the popular ‘Duck Dynasty’ star made controversial anti-gay remarks in an interview with GQ magazine.
The group is urging its 800,000 members in phone calls, emails and text messages to contact the network to “protest this act of anti-Christian bigotry and urge that Mr. Robertson be reinstated to ‘Duck Dynasty.'”
“In the interview with GQ, he never represented his views and values as being those of A&E or the producers of ‘Duck Dynasty,'” said Ralph Reed, chairman of Faith & Freedom Coalition, in a statement. “He was specifically asked about his views on sin and God’s best plan for humanity and he answered honestly, forthrightly, even directly paraphrasing the Bible (1 Corinthians 6:9). He foreswore any hatred or discrimination against any other person. And his comments were based on his faith in God, not animus directed at gays or others who might be different from him.”
Robertson, the patriarch of America’s biggest show on cable, ranted about the “sin” of homosexuality and compared it to “bestiality.”
“It seems like, to me, a vagina—as a man—would be more desirable than a man’s anus,” said Roberston. “That’s just me. I’m just thinking: There’s more there! She’s got more to offer. I mean, come on, dudes! You know what I’m saying? But hey, sin: It’s not logical, my man. It’s just not logical.”
A&E placed Robertson on indefinite suspesnion on Wednesday, but many conservatives have come to his defense, including Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R), former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX).
