'Duck Dynasty' opinion: It's not about free religion; it's about free publicity

As we previously reported, Phil Robertson, of Duck Dynasty, recently came under fire for comparing being gay to bestiality and said that wasnt logical to be gay. Due to his words, A&E, the network that carries Duck Dynasty, suspended him. If this were a simple world, that would be it. Duck Dynasty would be off the TV and everyone would move on to the next scandal. But it isnt.

There have been opinions articles saying that the Bible is an ancient text and point out that Leviticus also states that you cant have tattoos and it is wrong to eat shellfish. Others point out how free speech doesnt protect hate speech.

On the opposition, there are statements about Phil Robertson being persecuted for his religious beliefs. People believe that he shouldnt be punished because of free speech.

Everyone has a solid argument. Sadly, both sides are mistaken. This Duck Dynasty conundrum isnt about morals, speech or religion. This is about money and publicity.

While A&E suspended him originally, Phil Robertson will appear in season five of the show and they wont be cutting any of his footage. After a week of being suspended, A&E lifted the suspension and said that they would play PSAs promoting tolerance and that people watch the show because they love the Duck Dynasty family.

In originally suspending Phil Robertson, A&E pleased the gay rights activists. But, when they lifted the suspension, A&E pleased Robertsons political allies. And by making a big deal about all of it, it is free publicity.

I understand this on a personal level. Before the comments, I didnt know anything about Duck Dynasty but within the past few days, I have learned everything about this show. If it werent for Robertsons words, that wouldnt have been possible. It is good business.

Robertson is the perfect example of not judging a book by its cover. Even though he is perceived as uneducated by the general public, Robertson has a masters degree in education. He is educated enough to understand that his words have consequences. This isnt about him testing his free speech. He, most likely, knew exactly what he was doing.

Im not agreeing or disagreeing with his statements and Im sure that the comments that he made, he believes in. But, Robertson is smart enough to know that stating his opinions is controversial. After stating them, he was hidden shield of the first amendment to get the attention of the more conservative in the population.

Duck Dynastys demographics never included those who were outraged about his comments. Those who watched the show knew exactly how Robertson acted and most likely understood and maybe even agreed with his positions. His comments most likely didnt offend his demographics. It did, however, give him a bigger audience.

Read more:
'Duck Dynasty' opinion: It's not about free religion; it's about free publicity