Friday, December 20, 2013
'They are ruthless and full of murder': Duck Dynasty's entire future in jeopardy as SECOND anti-homosexuality rant emerges . . . and show's other stars say they can't go on without patriarch
Astonishing video has emerged in which Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson attacks gay people as 'ruthless' and 'full of murder' - charging them as 'arrogant' and liable to 'invent ways of doing evil'.
Administering his deeply controversial views in the fervent manner of a preacher, the stark footage of Robertson, 67, sees him equate homosexuality with bestiality as he bellows that 'they bow down to birds animals and reptiles and each other and the first thing you see coming out of them is gross sexual immorality.'
Hectoring the friendly crowd of the Wild Game Supper at the Berean Bible Church in Pennslyvania, Robertson accuses gay people of dishonoring and degrading behavior asking the rhetorical question 'is this going on in America right now?'- answering with the statement, 'Look around...boy, is there some immorality going on around here!'
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Anti-gay rantings: Phil Robertson speaking at Berean Bible Church in Pennsylvania in February of 2010 in which he fervently attacked homosexuality as a sin
The blistering anti-gay rant - in which Robertson directly quotes from the Bible - was recorded three years ago, coming to light on the same day that the Roberston family said they were standing behind the family patriarch - stating they couldn't see the show continuing without him.
The speech is taken from an hour long address given by the Duck Dynasty star two years before the huge hit appeared on screens nationwide.
It is also safe to assume that it was at least one year before A&E commissioned Robertson and his family to be the stars of the show, which is the highest rated cable reality program ever.
This has led to some questioning whether executives at A&E were aware of Robertson's staunch views on homosexuality and if so, why did they green-light him and his family to star?
Robertson begins what is presumably his keynote after-dinner speech by approaching the podium holding his trademark duck calls in one hand and in the other, his Bible.
Addressing the state of the nation and how far it has strayed from the example laid out by Jesus and the Founding Fathers, Roberston begins to preach his opinions on the sexual morality of some sections of society.
While he never explicitly mentions the words homosexuality or gay, there is no doubt as to the topic of Robertson's vitriol.
Duck calling and anger: Robertson addressed his views on homosexuality briefly and then gave a demonstration of his duck call skills afterwards to the gathered crowd
The most inflammatory section of his attack on the lives of gay people is when he quotes the full passage of Romans 1:26-32 which is often used as an example for Christian opposition to homosexuality.
The end? The famiily of Phil Robertson, 67, said they cannot imagine hit A&E show Duck Dynasty continuing without him - leading to speculation the show is over
Verse 29 begins, 'They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents and they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless.'
This video makes it feel as if crisis point has hit the entire cast of the hit reality series, especially after they threatened to pull the plug on the show after they called into question the decision to suspended Robertson, the patriarch of the Louisiana family.
In a statement released on Thursday evening, the family said 'we cannot imagine the show going forward without our patriarch at the helm' and that as a result they 'are in discussions with A&E to see what that means for the future.'
The forthright statement also makes it clear the family are 'disappointed' that Roberston was cut from the highest rated cable reality show ever for stating his religious beliefs, which are as they point out 'constitutionally protected.'
Robertson, 67, caused huge offense and sparked a national debate on religion, free speech and tolerance in society when he explained his personal belief that homosexuality is a sin and went as far as to compare it to bestiality.
United they stand: The stars of the reality TV series 'Duck Dynasty' have called into question the show¿s future after the family¿s patriarch was put on hiatus by the network
'Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there. Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men,' Robertson said.
In the statement, the Robertson family thanked fans for prayers and support.
'The family has spent much time in prayer since learning of A&E’s decision,' the statement said.
'We want you to know that first and foremost we are a family rooted in our faith in God and our belief that the Bible is His word.'
'Phil would never incite or encourage hate. We are disappointed that Phil has been placed on hiatus for expressing his faith, which is his constitutionally protected right.'
But all day on Thursday, supporters of reality TV star Phil Robertson defended the Duck Dynasty patriarch after he was suspended 'indefinitely' from the TV show for his shocking views on homosexuality.
The head of the multimillionaire Louisiana duck-calling clan, linked homosexuality to bestiality and drew comparisons with terrorism and prostitution in an interview with GQ magazine for the January issue. Robertson also claimed there was no racism in pre civil rights-era Louisiana.
Public figures, fans and sponsors rushed to Robertson's defense - including governor of his home state Bobby Jindal. The Republican didn't offer an opinion on Robertson's comments but said everyone is entitled to the First Amendment right to free speech.
Conservative politicians, TV hosts and sponsors came out in defense of Phil Robertson (pictured) today following his controversial remarks about homosexuality
Referring to the twerking pop star Miley Cyrus who loves to shock, Jindal said: 'It is a messed-up situation when Miley Cyrus gets a laugh, and Phil Robertson gets suspended.'
Newt Gingrich also jumped on the bandwagon of Conservatives offering up support for Robertson's 'strong Christian beliefs'.
Gingrich said on an episode of talk show Crossfire on Friday that in the GQ article, Robertson is full of love for his fellow man and does not judge anyone.
The former House Speaker said: 'I mean, it is remarkable. There’s sections there where he sounds like Pope Francis.'
In July, Pope Francis spoke out in defense of the gay community. In remarks at odds with traditional rhetoric, the Pontiff refused to condemn homosexuality, saying: ‘We must be brothers.’
He added: ‘If a person is gay and seeks God and has goodwill, who am I to judge him?’
Fans of the show, which has been a runaway success for the A&E network with millions of viewers tuning in for each episode, also defended Robertson.
An online petition launched today in support of Robertson's views at istandwithphil.com has 25,000 signatures so far.
The petition, which demands that A&E reinstate Robertson, reads: 'Mr. Robertson’s comments in GQ Magazine are simply reflective of a Biblical view of sexuality, marriage, and family – a view that has stood the test of time for thousands of years and continues to be held by the majority of Americans and today’s world as a whole.'
Twitter lit up over Robertson's remarks Duck Dynasty, Phil Robertson and A&E trending for most of the day.
On Facebook, a page called 'Boycott A&E Until Phil Robertson Is Put Back On Duck Dynasty' had 689,000 likes on Thursday.
A show sponsor also aligned its company with Robertson. Skyjacker, who make truck suspensions and advertise on A&E, said that the TV star had a right to his opinions.
A spokesman told TMZ: 'We are a Christian-based company and actively share our faith so standing with Phil Robertson is an easy choice for us.'
A&E network, a joint venture of The Walt Disney Co. and Hearst Corp., says Robertson was placed on 'hiatus'.
Phil Robertson (pictured second left) with members of the Robertson clan has been defended by fans of the show, the Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal and a sponsor
A Facebook page was set up today to boycott the TV network A&E and gained 689,000 likes on Thursday
A statement said: 'We are extremely disappointed to have read Phil Robertson’s comments in GQ, which are based on his own personal beliefs and are not reflected in the series Duck Dynasty.
'His personal views in no way reflect those of A&E Networks, who have always been strong supporters and champions of the LGBT community.'
WEIGHING IN: POLITICIANS, TV HOSTS AND FANS DEFEND ROBERTSON
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal said: 'Phil Robertson and his family are great citizens of the State of Louisiana. The politically correct crowd is tolerant of all viewpoints, except those they disagree with. I don’t agree with quite a bit of stuff I read in magazine interviews or see on TV. In fact, come to think of it, I find a good bit of it offensive. But I also acknowledge that this is a free country and everyone is entitled to express their views. In fact, I remember when TV networks believed in the First Amendment. It is a messed up situation when Miley Cyrus gets a laugh, and Phil Robertson gets suspended '
Conservative broadcaster Sean Hannity: 'As an American with a deep appreciation for freedom of speech and religion, and as someone in the media, it's deeply disturbing that someone would be essentially fired for voicing their beliefs, particularly their religious beliefs....
'The controversy over Duck Dynasty really boils down to the fact that liberal elitists cannot relate to a great portion of America, which loves this show and Phil Robertson. They also appreciate that they are open about their Christian beliefs. There is a profound disconnect that becomes emphasized when issues like this arise. It's a shame because, at the end of the day, the show makes for great entertainment and isn't that what it's all about?'
Texas Senator Ted Cruz:
'If you believe in free speech or religious liberty, you should be deeply dismayed over the treatment of Phil Robertson,' Cruz said. 'Phil expressed his personal views and his own religious faith; for that, he was suspended from his job. In a free society, anyone is free to disagree with him — but the mainstream media should not behave as the thought police censoring the views with which they disagree.'
The network confirmed that Robertson will not be appearing on Duck Dynasty until further notice. His family will remain on the show.
They had no further comment to make on the furor on Thursday.
The reality show - which follows the Robertson clan running their duck-calling business in the swampland of West Monroe, Louisiana - has been a runaway success for A&E, with a Christmas special recently pulling in 9 million viewers.
The 67-year-old came under fire from gay rights group GLAAD after making the homophobic comments in the January 2014 issue of GQ magazine. He told the magazine: 'Everything is blurred on what’s right and what’s wrong… Sin becomes fine. Start with homosexual behaviour and just morph out from there.
'Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men.'
Sarah Palin, who met the Duck Dynasty cast earlier this month while on her book tour in Monroe, Louisiana, also defended Robertson's remarks.
She wrote in a Facebook post: 'Free speech is an endangered species. Those intolerants’ hatin’ and taking on the Duck Dynasty patriarch for voicing his personal opinion are taking on all of us.'
Fellow conservative, and broadcaster Sean Hannity also weighed in on the debate. In an article on his website, Hannity wrote: 'As an American with a deep appreciation for freedom of speech and religion, and as someone in the media, it's deeply disturbing that someone would be essentially fired for voicing their beliefs, particularly their religious beliefs.'
Caitlin Cahow, an openly gay ice hockey star who has been selected for the Winter Olympics in Sochi, told the Today show on Thursday that she was 'obviously disappointed' by Robertson's remarks.
She added: 'Words that are negative in that way hurt everyone. It reflects poorly on us as a society.'
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal appeared to defend Robertson today saying: 'it's a messed-up situation when Miley Cyrus gets a laugh, and Phil Robertson gets suspended'
Tennis legend Martina Navratilova added: 'Duck Dynasty' Dad Doubles Down; Palin Defends Him- you can't spew hate like that &expect 2 keep ur platform.'
CNN broadcaster Piers Morgan also weighed in on the debate, tweeting: 'Phil Robertson is not a 'victim of political correctness'. He's a victim of his own repulsively racist, homophobic bigotry.'
Robertson, who claims to be devoutly Christian, also grouped homosexuals in with terrorists and prostitutes in a paraphrased Bible quote in the magazine interview.
He said: 'Don’t be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers - they won’t inherit the kingdom of God. Don’t deceive yourself. It’s not right.'
Robertson, who has been married to his wife Kay since 1966, then got even more explicit, stating: 'It seems like, to me, a vagina - as a man - would be more desirable than a man’s anus.
'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.'
GLAAD hit back soon after the interview was released online, calling him a ‘stain’ on the network A&E which airs the show.
The show will go on: Phil's family will continue starring in the series. He is pictured here with wife Kay
Sarah Palin, pictured with the Duck Dynasty cast earlier this month while on her book tour in Louisiana, defended Phil Robertson's rights to freedom of speech
GLAAD spokesperson Wilson Cruz told E! News: 'Phil and his family claim to be Christian, but Phil's lies about an entire community fly in the face of what true Christians believe.
'He clearly knows nothing about gay people or the majority of Louisianans - and Americans - who support legal recognition for loving and committed gay and lesbian couples.
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO DUCK DYNASTY'S PATRIARCH
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.'
On why he voted Romney in 2012: 'If I'm lost at three o'clock in a major metropolitan area...I ask myself: Where would I rather be trying to walk with my wife and children? One of the guys who's running for president is out of Chicago, Illinois, and the other one is from Salt Lake City, Utah. [Editor's note: Romney is from Boston, not Salt Lake City.] Where would I rather be turned around at three o'clock in the morning? I opted for Salt Lake City. I think it would be safer.'
On health insurance: 'Temporary is all you're going to get with any kind of health care, except the health care I'm telling you about. That's eternal health care, and it's free.... I've opted to go with eternal health care instead of blowing money on these insurance schemes.'
'Phil's decision to push vile and extreme stereotypes is a stain on A&E and his sponsors who now need to reexamine their ties to someone with such public disdain for LGBT people and families.'
Mr Cruz later praised A&E for their swift actions to combat this, and said: 'What's clear is that such hateful anti-gay comments are unacceptable to fans, viewers, and networks alike. By taking quick action and removing Robertson from future filming, A&E has sent a strong message that discrimination is neither a Christian nor an American value.'
A&E had earlier released a statement from Robertson in which he addressed the controversy.
'I myself am a product of the Sixties', he said. 'I centred my life around sex, drugs and rock and roll until I hit rock bottom and accepted Jesus as my Saviour.
'My mission today is to go forth and tell people about why I follow Christ and also what the Bible teaches, and part of that teaching is that women and men are meant to be together.
'However, I would never treat anyone with disrespect just because they are different from me. We are all created by the Almighty and like Him, I love all of humanity. We would all be better off if we loved God and loved each other.'
GQ also suggested Robertson’s son Jep endorsed his father’s beliefs, when he said: 'We’re not quite as outspoken as my dad, but I’m definitely in line. If somebody asks, I tell ’em what the Bible says.'
Robertson, a recovering alcoholic, also opened up on his darkest days, including fleeing Arkansas in the Seventies after beating up a bar owner and his wife, something he has never apologised for despite getting sober and finding Jesus.
‘I didn’t dredge anything back up. I just put it behind me,’ he said.
Controversial: Phil Robertson (centre) has been slammed by gay rights groups after linking homosexuality to bestiality in a new GQ interview
'We never, ever judge someone on who’s going to heaven, hell. That’s the Almighty’s job. We just love 'em, give 'em the good news about Jesus - whether they’re homosexuals, drunks, terrorists. We let God sort 'em out later, you see what I’m saying?'
He later added that if his family could not pray on the cable show, they would not take part.
The Robertson family are multimillionaires due to the success of Phil Robertson's Duck Commander Company, which he formed in 1973 to sell the duck call he invented a year earlier.
He began his business in a dilapidated shed, where he spent quarter of a century making duck calls from Louisiana cedar trees.
And it was their third son Willie Robertson, now CEO of the company, who expanded the family business into the multi-million dollar enterprise featured on the hit A&E show.
Since its initial air date of March 21, 2012, Duck Dynasty hxxas grown in the ratings for A&E, eventually becoming a ratings hit for the cable network.
On August 14, 2013, the fourth season première nabbed 11.8 million viewers, making the show the most-watched nonfiction series telecast in the history of cable television.
The fifth season of the show begins on January 15.
Sharing his father's views? From comments Jep Robertson made in the GQ article it appears he and his father have similar views on homosexuality
RED ALERT: Obamacare allows FED GOV to back-bill and levy your estate to pay for “healthcare expenses”
HANSEN / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Sofia Prins and Gary Balhorn, both 62, decided to marry so they wouldn’t have to get health insurance individually through Medicaid, which could bill their estates after death. The Port Townsend couple’s joint income is too high for Medicaid but low enough for tax
In excess of 90% of Obamacare “enrollees” are being shunted onto Medicaid. Beyond the simple explanation of the Cloward-Piven strategy to overload the FEDGOV, now we see the full, satanic picture: Obamacare specifically enables the FEDGOV to back-bill and levy your estate after you croak to “pay” for “healthcare services rendered”.
Make no mistake, this is a de facto seizure of the probate estates of the vast majority of Americans. Period.
As thousands of state residents enroll in Washington’s expanded Medicaid program, many will be surprised at fine print: After you’re dead, your estate can be billed for ordinary health-care expenses. State officials are scrambling to change the rule.
Expanded Medicaid’s fine print holds surprise: ‘payback’ from estate after death
As thousands of state residents enroll in Washington’s expanded Medicaid program, many will be surprised at fine print: After you’re dead, your estate can be billed for ordinary health-care expenses. State officials are scrambling to change the rule.
It wasn’t the moonlight, holiday-season euphoria or family pressure that made Sofia Prins and Gary Balhorn, both 62, suddenly decide to get married.
It was the fine print.
As fine print is wont to do, it had buried itself in a long form — Balhorn’s application for free health insurance through the expanded state Medicaid program. As the paperwork lay on the dining-room table in Port Townsend, Prins began reading.
She was shocked: If you’re 55 or over, Medicaid can come back after you’re dead and bill your estate for ordinary health-care expenses.
The way Prins saw it, that meant health insurance via Medicaid is hardly “free” for Washington residents 55 or older. It’s a loan, one whose payback requirements aren’t well advertised. And it penalizes people who, despite having a low income, have managed to keep a home or some savings they hope to pass to heirs, Prins said.
With an estimated 223,000 adults seeking health insurance headed toward Washington’s expanded Medicaid program over the next three years, the state’s estate-recovery rules, which allow collection of nearly all medical expenses, have come under fire.
Medicaid, in keeping with federal policy, has long tapped into estates. But because most low-income adults without disabilities could not qualify for typical medical coverage through Medicaid, recovery primarily involved expenses for nursing homes and other long-term care.
The federal Affordable Care Act (ACA) changed that. Now many more low-income residents will qualify for Medicaid, called Apple Health in Washington state.
But if they qualify for Medicaid, they’re not eligible for tax credits to subsidize a private health plan under the ACA, which requires all adults to have health insurance by March 31.
Prins, an artist, and Balhorn, a retired fisherman-turned-tango instructor, separately qualified for health insurance through Medicaid based on their sole incomes.
But if they were married, they calculated, they could “just squeak by” with enough income to qualify for a subsidized health plan — and avoid any encumbrance on the home they hope to leave to Prins’ two sons.
“We’re happy to be getting married,” Prins said last week. “Unfortunately not everyone has such an elegant solution to the problem.”
For Washington state, the solution has been much more complicated.
Over the past month, as lawmakers began hearing from worried and angry constituents, state officials began exploring what it would take to fix this collision of state rules with the ACA.
Late Friday, Gov. Jay Inslee’s office and the state Medicaid office said they plan to draft an emergency rule to limit estate recovery to long-term care and related medical expenses.
They hope to be able to change the rules before coverage begins Jan. 1.
Fixing the problem will cost the state about $3 million a year, said Dr. Bob Crittenden, Inslee’s senior health-policy adviser, but it’s the right thing to do.
“There was no intent on the part of the ACA to do estate recovery on people going into Medicaid (for health insurance),” Crittenden said. “The idea was to expand coverage.”
Unpleasant surprise
People in their 50s and 60s make up about 30 percent of the adults who have signed up for health insurance through Washington’s exchange marketplace, and about 18 percent of adults who have enrolled in health insurance through Apple Health.
Some 55- to 64-year-olds, who may have taken early retirement or who were laid off during the recession, have found themselves plunged into a low-income bracket. Unlike Medicaid recipients in the past — who were required to reduce their assets to qualify — they’re more likely to have a home or other assets.
For health coverage through Medicaid, income is now the only financial requirement.
At first, Prins was pleased at the prospect of free coverage.
But the more she thought about the fine print, the more upset she got. Why was this provision only for people age 55 and older? Why should those insured by Medicaid have to pay back health expenses from their estates when people with just a bit more income who get federal subsidies don’t? Why didn’t she and Balhorn know about this before getting to the application stage?
As Prins began searching for answers, she found that even those trained to help people sign up for insurance under the ACA weren’t aware of this provision, nor were some government officials.
Around the country, the issue has sizzled away in blogs and commentaries from both right and left. The National Women’s Law Center noted the ACA and its regulations prohibit age discrimination in programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.
Dr. Jane Orient, executive director of the politically conservative Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, writing in the The Washington Times, called the recovery provision “a cash cow for states to milk the poor and the middle class.”
“People will think this is wonderful, this is free insurance,” Orient said in an interview. “They don’t realize it’s really a loan, and is secured by any property they have.”
Even states that are now limiting estate recovery, she warned, can change the rules again if budget problems become more intense.
Unclear rules
One reason this snafu has become so troublesome is that ACA rules appear to give those who qualify for Medicaid little choice but to accept the coverage.
People cannot receive a tax credit to subsidize their purchase of a private health plan if their income qualifies them for Medicaid, said Bethany Frey, spokeswoman for the Washington Health Benefit Exchange.
But they could buy a health plan without a tax credit, she added.
For someone age 55 to 64 at the Medicaid-income level — below $15,856 a year — it’s quite a jump from free Medicaid health insurance to an unsubsidized individual plan. Premiums in King County for an age 60 non-tobacco user for the most modest plan run from $451 to $859 per month.
Ball in states’ court
It’s not the first time federal and state rules have clashed, and local officials now find themselves on the hook to ensure that the new law doesn’t create hardship.
In Oregon, state officials changed estate-recovery rules last month.
Recovery will no longer apply to health benefits for those 55 and over, the Oregon Health Authority said, although the state will collect expenses for long-term care.
On Friday, Washington Medicaid Director MaryAnne Lindeblad promised to draft an emergency rule very soon. The state also must revise the plan filed with federal authorities, but Lindeblad said she doesn’t expect problems or appeals of the rule.
As for Prins and Balhorn, they’re good with their choice.
Instead of paying $577 a month apiece for an unsubsidized private plan or worrying about losing their assets after death, as a married couple they’ll pay $76 a month for a midlevel “silver” plan with a tax credit. “Since we’ve been in an established relationship and love each other, the decision to get married was pretty easy,” Prins said.
Sunday, they made a big fruit salad, dressed in tango clothing and were married in their home. Afterward, they danced to their favorite tango music and toasted each other with orange juice and a dash of cranberry.
“I’d be very happy if the governor actually makes this change possible,” Prins said late last week. “And I’m very happy to be getting married!”
GOVERNMENT PREPARES FOR PANDEMIC - FDA Directs Critical Drug Manufacturers to Prep For Massive Employee Absenteeism
"The FDA comment period for this emergency planning ends January 2nd. Obviously the connections with the outbreak of pandemic H7N9 avian influenza, aren't easily ignorable. There is obvious risk of a public health death spiral from a highly regulated closed system where the federally limited number of people who make the drugs are too sick to make the drugs to treat themselves."
They are getting ready for a pandemic, but it could be the H1N1.
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FDA Directs Critical Drug Manufacturers to Prep For Massive Employee Absenteeism
"manufacturers of drug and therapeutic biological products and manufacturers of raw materials and components used in those products develop a written Emergency Plan (Plan) for maintaining an adequate supply of medically necessary drug products (MNPs) during an emergency that results in high employee absenteeism."
The FDA comment period for this emergency planning ends January 2nd. Obviously the connections with the outbreak of pandemic H7N9 avian influenza, aren't easily ignorable. There is obvious risk of a public health death spiral from a highly regulated closed system where the federally limited number of people who make the drugs are too sick to make the drugs to treat themselves.
The obvious solution to such catastrophe is a free market system, which by its very nature has the greatest immunity to such risk. Instead, we have a top down Czarist driven system whose stability and responsiveness are legendary in the Pantheons of Boondoggles. These systems would be laughable were they not so deadly. Exactly who won the Cold War?
Source:
https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2013/12/02/2013-28735/agency-information-collection-activities-submission-for-office-of-management-and-budget-review
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