As most of us know, the patriarch of the A&E television program 'Duck Dynasty' Phil Robertson has been enmeshed in a controversy involving gay people and African-Americans. His less than enlightened commentary has started a firestorm. You can read what he had to say at the following links.
http://houston.cbslocal.com/2013/12/18/duck-dynasty-star-a-vagina-is-more-desirable-than-a-mans-anus/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/19/phil-robertson-black-people_n_4473474.html
A&E at first acted appropriately by suspending the Duck Commander company owner. After an outcry from the conservative community however that suspension was lifted.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brian-joyce/aande-phil-robertson_b_4517271.html
http://www.tmz.com/2013/12/27/duck-dynasty-phil-robertson-suspension/
He then went on to make further controversial comments concerning the marriage of underage girls which many would consider pedophilia.
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20771027,00.html
Mr. Robertson has defended his statements as being the personal beliefs of his Christian faith.
http://nypost.com/2013/12/23/duck-dynasty-patriarch-defends-anti-gay-remarks/
He has also been defended by many others. One pastor defends him on the pretext that gays are a threat to children. What would we call someone who believes in marriage to underage girls? A threat to children perhaps in the minds of reasonable people?
http://www.towleroad.com/2013/12/pastor-robert-jeffress-defends-phil-robertson-asserts-gays-are-sexual-threat-to-children-video.html
His defenders include many of the usual suspects which includes the GOP. Some who didn't even bother to read what he stated.
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/bristol-palin-slams-hypocritical-gay-community-duck-dynasty-flap-article-1.1556893
http://www.forwardprogressives.com/sarah-palin-vocal-defender-of-duck-dynastys-phil-robertson-admits-she-never-read-comments/
http://www.newshounds.us/20131226_mike_huckabee_phil_robertson_s_values_are_christian_values
http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-duck-dynasty-phil-robertson-20131220,0,1685719.story
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/duck-dynasty-controversy-louisiana-gov-666872
One sponsor, Cracker Barrel at first stated they would remove Duck Dynasty products from their shelves, but also changed their minds after receiving backlash. Another, Realtree Outdoors stated they agreed with Phil's 'values'. Others have remained not wanting to lose profits.
http://www.tmz.com/2013/12/22/cracker-barrel-phil-robertson-ban-duck-dynasty-backtrack/
http://www.tmz.com/2013/12/23/duck-dynasty-phil-robertson-sponsor-support-duck-commander-gay-realtree-outdoors/
http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2013/12/20/many-question-under-armours-ties-to-duck-dynasty-amid-controversy/
Whenever the Christian right is called on the carpet for comments they cry persecution. That has been going on for a very long time. But it is in fact an invalid accusation. The White Anglo Saxon Religious bloc has been the power in this country since its inception. A good friend of ours has been saying something for quite a while now. Never before has it made so much sense to me, nor has it been more full of truth. She has said repeatedly that what the right wants is for the rest of us to approve and accept their intolerance. Their intolerance of gay people, bigotry towards other faiths, attitudes towards the rights of women, prejudices against minorities. Who with any true sense of history could believe that black people were happy during Jim Crow? Only a totally uniformed person lost in a Twilight Zone universe of their own creation could possibly entertain that belief.
Surfers United has ultimate respect for freedom of speech as most people know. We cherish and defend our own fiercely. Phil Robertson has the right to say whatever he wants. That is the truth. But other people also have the right not to like or approve of what he says. He believes only those who believe as he does will enter the kingdom of heaven. That gay people are sinners and will not share in God's bountiful goodness.
His is one view of Christianity, but it is far from the only one. There are other Christian philosophies which believe differently. Some would say that we are all God's children and gay people have a place at the Almighty's table. Who is right no one can truly know until they pass and enter the House themselves. Some don't believe in God at all and that religion has no right to dictate how others will live. All of these viewpoints have one thing in common. Each person,whichever point of view they hold has every right to believe as they choose.
What no one has the right to do however is to force those beliefs on anyone else. That is exactly what the Christian Right does. By attempting to pass laws which curtail the rights of others while crying foul every time someone says something concerning theirs. Whether it be laws prohibiting gay marriage, voting rights affecting minorities, passage of legislation involving faiths besides Christianity and the continual erosion of a woman's right to choose or access contraceptives.
It is not only laws. There have been seemingly endless campaigns to close down clinics which supply women's contraceptive health services such as Planned Parenthood. The attempts to stop the building of a mosque not far from Ground Zero and in other places across the United States. Groups such as True The Vote lying about voter fraud and trying to stop citizens from voting. These are just a few examples, there are countless more.
One of the primary groups supporting Robertson is called Faith Driven Consumer. They believe in doing business only with companies which uphold their 'values'. Yet we have heard Christian Conservatives criticize others such as gay rights groups for doing the same. They were outraged by the attempted boycott of Chick-Fil-A. In other words they are hypocrites in the truest sense of the word. Only Phil Robertson and 'true believers' can say whatever they want, boycott whomever they want, attempt to affect the rights of others in whatever way they choose.
But when others are critical of their efforts to condemn lifestyles they disagree with or express distaste for the apparent hypocrisy the right immediately hides behind 'freedom of religion'. Cries that they are being 'persecuted' for their beliefs. When the opposite is really the truth. They are the ones in fact who are engaging in the attempted oppression. The unyielding condemnation of their fellow human beings.
Just look at Phil Robertson's statements in GQ. His arrogant self righteousness. That he knows who will go to Heaven and who will not. As though it's HIS decision, he represents the Almighty. Then at the lack of remorse for having beat up a man and his wife. 'Just put it behind him.' No apology. Why should the 'good Christian' have to apologize. Though what kind of a Christian beats up a woman and her husband? No virtuous ones I've ever known.
What, in your mind, is sinful?During Phil’s darkest days, in the early 1970s, he had to flee the state of Arkansas after he badly beat up a bar owner and the guy’s wife. Kay Robertson persuaded the bar owner not to press charges in exchange for most of the Robertsons’ life savings. (“A hefty price,” he notes in his memoir.) I ask Phil if he ever repented for that, as he wants America to repent—if he ever tracked down the bar owner and his wife to apologize for the assault. He shakes his head.
“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,” he says. Then he paraphrases Corinthians: “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.”
“I didn’t dredge anything back up. I just put it behind me.”
That same friend has also reiterated something else several times which I have never forgotten and agree with completely. It is a statement full of wisdom. It is this. It is not the American Way to take your personal belief system, bring it into the political arena and make it public policy. That is just what the Right proposes constantly to do. We are a nation with many who are people of faith. Faith in DIFFERING CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHIES as well as non Christian belief systems. But our laws are not based on religion. They are based upon the United States Constitution. Which is not a religious document. It is rather a legal one. Our legal statutes do not center around one group of Christians philosophy. It is the contention of Surfers United that was not the desire of the Founding Fathers. The United States Constitution protects many rights, not just religious liberty. Freedom of Speech is also there along with the right to privacy as interpreted by the United States Supreme Court.
Whether Phil and company like it or not, the Supreme Court is the final arbiter of the interpretation of the Constitution. That is their job as Supreme Court Justices, laid out also in the Constitution. I don't always like their decisions, but I accept the fact that they are the final arbiters. Their recent decisions involving gay marriage have been a blow to the beliefs of those who follow the same Christian philosophy as Robertson.
The rabid response to A&E's original decision to suspend him shows that we have a long ways yet to go in changing hearts and minds. A&E should also have the right to choose who works for them. To disagree with what he said. Cracker Barrel had the right to remove Duck Dynasty/Commander products. But the viciousness of the Right turned them back.
They are indeed both a powerful voting and consumer bloc. But so are the rest of us. Those who believe in tolerance and racial equality should a. Boycott Duck Dynasty and their products. b. Contact A&E with our complaints. c. Not eat at Cracker Barrel restaurants. d. Boycott Realtree Outdoors. We have no reason to buttress any endeavor which supports Phil Robertson nor should we.
Robertson has the right to his beliefs. To be as big of a pompous ass as he wishes, full of his obvious self righteous arrogance, conceit and hatred. He has that right and we don't dispute it, to spew whatever vitriol he wants. The rest of us have the right to our opinions, values and lifestyles as well however. Guaranteed by our most Precious Document. The problem is that the Conservative Right respects only their own liberties and ignores the freedoms of others. It is our duty as citizens to ensure that all reasonable viewpoints are treated equally. That gay people and minorities are respected and have a place at the American Table where they belong.
So we post once again. All of them will of course falsely cry 'persecution' when that is in fact not the truth. It is they who are the persecutors. Who condemn others and misrepresent the experience of minorities in our society.
First the Robertson Family.
1. Name: Phillip Robertson and Kay Robertson
Associated: Duck Dynasty/Duck Commander
Address: 538 Mouth of Cypress Road
West Monroe, LA 71292
Telephone: (318') 330-9321
EMail: phil@duckcommander.com
2. Name: William 'Willie' Robertson and Korie Robertson
Associated: Duck Dynasty/Duck Commander
Address:117 Kings Lane
West Monroe, LA 71292
Telephone: (318) 396-1126
EMail: korie@duckcommander.com, willie@duckcommander.com
3.Name: Jase Robertson and Michelle 'Missy' Robertson
Associated: Duck Dynasty/Duck Commander
Address: 105 Yellowood Drive
West Monroe, LA 712912
Previous: 919 Tidwell Road
West Monroe, LA 71292
Previous: 2500 Swiss Street
West Monroe, LA 71291
Previous: 1130 Wallace Dean Road
West Monroe, LA 71291
Telephone: (318) 855-5348
EMail: jase@duckcommander.com, jassmiss2@aol.com, jrobertson@comcast.net
4. Name: Jeptha Robertson (Jules) and Jessica Robertson
Associated: Duck Dynasty/Duck Commander
Address: 238 McGee Road
West Monroe, LA 71291
Previous: 414 Sangria Lane
West Monroe, LA 71292
Telephone: (318) 325-3451
EMail: jeptha@duckercommander.com, lillian1226@aol.com
5.Name: Silas Robertson and Christine Robertson
Associated: Duck Dynasty/Duck Commander
Address: 335 Philpot Road
West Monroe, LA 71292
Telephone: (318) 651-0627
EMail: silas@duckcommander.com, preciousalta@aol.com
Relatives: Trasa, Scott
6. Name: Alan Robertson and Lisa Robertson (Some sources list Elizabeth Gibson Robertson)
Associated: Duck Commander/Duck Dynasty
Address: 111 Hardwood Drive
West Monroe, LA 71291
Previous: 300 Lakewood Drive
West Monroe, LA 71291
Telephone: (318) 644-7199
EMail: al@duckcommander.com, alanrob22@aol.com
Relatives: Katie
7. Name: John 'Jay' Stone and Anna Stone
Associated: Duck Commander
Address: 144 Well Spring Road (some sources list 116)
Calhoun, LA 71225
Previous: 639 Howard Brown Road
West Monroe, LA 71292
Previous: 144 Well Spring Road (some sources list 116)
Calhoun, LA 71225
Telephone: (318) 644-9813
EMail: jay@duckcommander.com
8. Name: John Godwin
Associated: Duck Commander
Address: 199 Mockingbird Lane
West Monroe, LA 71292
Previous: 200 Pine Street
West Monroe, LA 71291
Previous: 143 Well Spring Road
Calhoun, LA 71225
Telephone: (318) 644-4439
EMail: john@duckcommander.com
Relative: Paula
One of the biggest defenders of Phil Robertson has been a group called Faith Driven Consumer. They are closely connected to The Stone Agency which is located in Raleigh, North Carolina. Whether there is a connection to Robertson son-in-law Jay Stone is at present not definitively known.
1. Name: Christopher Stone and Michele Stone
Associated: The Stone Agency/Faith Driven Consumer
Address: 312 West Millbrook Road (some sources list East)
Raleigh, NC 27609
Previous: 6120 Charley Cote Drive
Raleigh, NC 27614
Previous: 5012 Flint Ridge Place
Raleigh, NC 27609
Previous: 6720 Rainwater Road
Raleigh NC 27615
Previous: 7109 N. Ridge Drive
Raleigh, NC 27615
Business: 3906 Wake Forest Road
Raleigh, NC 27609
Telephone: (919) 800-0751 (business), (919) 845-1956
EMail: christophers@thestoneagency.net, micheles@thestoneagency.net
Relatives: Matthew Stone
2. Name: Jason Barkley AKA Phillip Barkley
Associated: The Stone Agency/Faith Driven Consumer
Address: 1527 Old Bramble Lane
Fuquay Varina, NC 27526-4461
Telephone: (919) 567-9000
EMail: jasonb@thestoneagency.net
Relative: Rebecca
3. Name: Arthur Goff
Associated: The Stone Agency/Faith Driven Consumer
Address: 107 Lochwood W Drive, Unit 16
Cary, NC 27511
Previous: 7900 Creedmoor Road
Raleigh, NC 27613
Telephone: (919) 851-3146
EMail: agoff@ckesystems.com, arthurg804@aol.com, arthurg@thestoneagency.net
Relatives: Cinda, Brian, Linda, Shannon Marie
4. Name: Jacqueline Mae D'Antonio (Jacqueline Lawrence)
Associated: The Stone Agency/Faith Driven Consumer
Address: 6808 Barham Hollow Drive
Wake Forest, NC 27587
Previous: 3428 Coach Lantern Avenue
Wake Forest, NC 27587
Previous: 4216 Mill Village Road
Raleigh, NC 27612
Telephone: (919) 562-7165
EMail: michael.dantonio@gmail.com, jacquelined@thestoneagency.net
Relatives: Michael D'Antonio, Jon Lawrence
5. Name: Walter Peel
Associated: The Stone Agency/Faith Driven Consumer
Address: 1901 Blue State Court
Raleigh, NC 27603
Previous: 1905 Partridge Berry Drive
Raleigh, NC 27606
Previous: 6741 Six Forks Road, Apt. A5
Raleigh, NC 27615
Telephone: (919) 661-5640
EMail: walterp@thestoneagency.net, walterpeel@aol.com
Relatives: Celeste Peel
6. Name: Elizabeth 'Liz' Byrd
Associated: The Stone Agency/Faith Driven Consumer
Address: 1909 Indianwood Court (some sources list 1904)
Raleigh, NC 27612
Telephone: (919) 212-0424
EMail: lizb@thestoneagency.net, byrd8094@bellsouth.net, byrdie283@yahoo.com, lbyrd@marketplace.net
Relatives: Ernest, Eta, James,William
7. Name: Jodi Kleiber
Associated: The Stone Agency/Faith Driven Consumer
Address: 1201 Whiston Drive
Apex, NC 27502
Telephone: (919) 363-9315
EMail: jodik@thestoneagency.net
Relatives: Thomas, Kristine, Jeffrey, Jennifer
8. Name: Benjamin Webb
Associated: The Stone Agency/Faith Driven Consumer
Address: 12324 Inglehurst Drive
Raleigh, NC 27613
Previous: 7320 Bonnie Ridge Court
Raleigh, NC 27615
Previous: 103 Conner Drive (Dorm)
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Previous: 102 White Bluff Lane, Apt. 1E
Cary, NC 27513
Telephone: (910) 895-9987
EMail: benjaminw@thestoneagency.net, benjaminwebb@erols.com
Relatives: Alden, Susan, Meredith
9. Name: Anita M. Nevil Fleming AKA Anita Sienko
Associated: The Stone Agency/Faith Driven Consumer, Urban Ministries
Address: 1390 Capital Blvd.
Raleigh, NC 27603
Previous: 6369 Franklin Hill Road
Stroudsberg, PA 18301-7853
Previous: 715 Reeders
Reeders, PA 18352
Telephone: (919) 256-2179
EMail: anitaf@thestoneagency.net
Relatives: Jeffrey Nevil, Meghan Nevil, Carol Nevil
10. Name: Luis Alberto Garcia-Gadea
Associated: The Stone Agency/Faith Driven Consumer
Address: 7210 Hidden Ridge Drive
Raleigh, NC 27613
Previous: 2213 Noble Road
Raleigh, NC 27608
Telephone: (919) 272-8606
EMail: luisg@thestoneagency.net, lgarcia@nando.com, lgadea@adelphia.net
Relatives: Elizabeth Gadea
11. Name: Kimberly Hatch
Associated: The Stone Agency/Faith Driven Consumer
Address: 176 Markham Drive
Mooresville, NC 28115
Previous: 239 Corona Circle
Mooresville, NC 28117-4380
Telephone: (435) 257-6928 (previous), (801) 744-2414 (previous)
EMail: kimh@thestoneagency.net, kimm5633636@yahoo.com, jeff5633636@yahoo.com,
Relatives: Travis, Curtis, Mary, Jared, Haley
12. Name: Shea Northcut Heimbach AKA Carolyn Shea Heimbach
Associated: The Stone Agency/Faith Driven Consumer
Address: 1414 Park Drive
Raleigh, NC 27605
Previous: 550 Robinson Drive
Wake Forest, NC 27587
Previous: 7312 Sparhawk Road
Wake Forest, NC 27587
Telephone: (919) 556-5997
EMail:sheah@thestoneagency.net, sheanorthcut@gmail.com
Relatives: Joel Heimbach, Joseph Northcut, Nancy Northcut, Margaret Northcut
13. Name: Aaron Krol
Associated: The Stone Agency/Faith Driven Consumer
Address: 309 Wolf Den Lane, Apt. 108
Raleigh, NC 27606
Previous: 7176 Magnolia Drive
Jenison, MI 49428
Telephone: (616) 209-7125
EMail: aaronk@thestoneagency.net, stankup@yahoo.com
Relatives: Ashley, Kyle, Terrence
14. Name: Carri Bojara
Associated: The Stone Agency/Faith Driven Consumer
Address: 6032 Larboard Drive
Apex, NC 27539
Previous: 104 Morgans Corner Run
Cary, NC 27519
Previous: 130 Spring Cove Drive
Cary, NC 27511
Previous: 908 Resort Circle
Sunset Beach, NC 28468
Previous: 280 Bronxville Road, Apt. 1W
Bronxville, NY 10708
Telephone: (919) 803-1852
EMail: carrib@thestoneagency.net, cbojara@dacgroup.com
Relatives: Cam, Michael
15. Name: Grant Fitzgerald AKA Austin Grant Fitzgerald
Associated: The Stone Agency/Faith Driven Consumer
Address: 109 Carpathian Way
Raleigh, NC 27615
Telephone: (919) 846-8880
EMail: grantf@thestoneagency.net
Relatives: Paige, Jordan, Tami, Craig
16. Name: Matthew Louis Carl Faraci (This posting to be further updated as information becomes available)
Associated: The Stone Agency/Faith Driven Consumer
Address: PO Box 91383
Raleigh, NC 27675
Previous: 23002 Turtle Rock Terrace
Clarksburg, MD 20871-4503
Previous: 201 England Terrace
Rockville, MD 20850
Telephone: (616) 458-6673, (616) 785-5334
EMail: matthewfaraci@yahoo.com, matthewfaraci@yahoo.com matthewf@thestoneagency.net
Relatives: Bridget, Daniel, Rachel, Jack, Cheryl
17. Name: Kermit P. Rainman
Associated: The Stone Agency/Faith Driven Consumer
Address: 6311 Terra Verde Drive, Unit 105
Raleigh, NC 27609-5386
Previous: 4068 Barton Park Place
Raleigh, NC 27613
Telephone: (202) 462-5664
EMail: kermitr@thestoneagency.net
Relatives: Samantha, Valerie, Joseph, Shirley
18. Name: Leonard O. Goenaga
Associated: The Stone Agency/Faith Driven Consumer
Address: 11710 Coppergate Drive
Raleigh, NC 27614
Telephone: (305) 261-0841
EMail: igoenaga@yahoo.com, leonardg@thestoneagency.net
Relatives: Iraida, Nadia, Ricardo, Crescencio
This posting will continue with other Phil Robertson supporters.....
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