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ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY MY ONLY POST ABOUT DUCK DYNASTY
One of the nice things about living outside of America is this:
When my Facebook page began filling up with mentions of Duck Dynasty, I thought they were talking about this.
Obviously I don’t watch A&E. Or reality shows in general. And based on what little I now know about it (Phil Robertson’s worldview aside), Duck Dynasty doesn’t sound like something that would interest me in any case.
Anyway, of course I have nothing to say about Robertson’s opinions that I haven’t already said a million times before on this blog and elsewhere.
As for the inevitable social media trainwreck, the whole thing is silly on multiple levels. It’s silly that people get lathered up into indignant outrage every time some D-level public figure says something offensive – especially some reality-TV person whose producers benefit from all the publicity. I get that people are offended by Phil’s comments, but yr really just feeding the machine by filling yr Facebook feed with anti-Phil memes.
It’s also silly that people like Robertson (and those who defend him) equate criticism of speech as censorship. Sarah Palin and Bobby Jindal and other conservatives can blather on all they want about free speech – but what they always seem to mean is “We actually agree with Phil, and we don’t want people giving us crap for it if/when we say it.”
It’s essentially a repeat of the same old meme – “free speech” means “free of criticism, consequences or rebuttals”. Which is not really true. And I’ve covered that ground before too.
Also, I don’t think they really even mean what they say when they talk about free speech. I don’t mean the thing with the Dixie Chicks (though that’s a fair point). Defending Phil Robertson is just a way to make sure their names generate headlines by commenting on a hot topic.
It’s sad that we fall for this again and again. But then we live in an age where many people still haven’t figured out that making tasteless racist AIDS jokes is as acceptable on Twitter as it is at a public function – which is to say, not very. So I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.
Duck and cover,
This is dF
When my Facebook page began filling up with mentions of Duck Dynasty, I thought they were talking about this.
Obviously I don’t watch A&E. Or reality shows in general. And based on what little I now know about it (Phil Robertson’s worldview aside), Duck Dynasty doesn’t sound like something that would interest me in any case.
Anyway, of course I have nothing to say about Robertson’s opinions that I haven’t already said a million times before on this blog and elsewhere.
As for the inevitable social media trainwreck, the whole thing is silly on multiple levels. It’s silly that people get lathered up into indignant outrage every time some D-level public figure says something offensive – especially some reality-TV person whose producers benefit from all the publicity. I get that people are offended by Phil’s comments, but yr really just feeding the machine by filling yr Facebook feed with anti-Phil memes.
It’s also silly that people like Robertson (and those who defend him) equate criticism of speech as censorship. Sarah Palin and Bobby Jindal and other conservatives can blather on all they want about free speech – but what they always seem to mean is “We actually agree with Phil, and we don’t want people giving us crap for it if/when we say it.”
It’s essentially a repeat of the same old meme – “free speech” means “free of criticism, consequences or rebuttals”. Which is not really true. And I’ve covered that ground before too.
Also, I don’t think they really even mean what they say when they talk about free speech. I don’t mean the thing with the Dixie Chicks (though that’s a fair point). Defending Phil Robertson is just a way to make sure their names generate headlines by commenting on a hot topic.
It’s sad that we fall for this again and again. But then we live in an age where many people still haven’t figured out that making tasteless racist AIDS jokes is as acceptable on Twitter as it is at a public function – which is to say, not very. So I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.
Duck and cover,
This is dF