Yeah it does. He has the right to say what he believes, and you have the right to disagree.

I'm not surprised (I said I wasn't in my first post) and despite pointing out his opinions' offensiveness, I'm actually quite apathetic to his beliefs, since I never watched or cared about the show. I just don't like it when people complain about people having opinions over other people having opinions, and making it appear as though he hadn't said anything terribly negative, which I felt you were doing :P I felt the need to point out what was offensive, so people might understand for a moment why he got fired. I don't feel it violates free speech necessarily, for the reason that it's really quite understandable that a company would fire someone for making them look bad -- television especially (as I said) since image is very important.

SO, I think that would include behaviour OUTSIDE the show itself, since the show very big, you know. When you're in that business, you have to be careful about what you say, generally. Or at least, that was my thought.

My apologies to you though if I seemed harsh to you, I don't THINK I made any over-generalisations about Christians, but it may be harder for me to tell. I certainly don't think of all Christians as being anti-gay, (though I do find many of them being anti-gay for that reason), I didn't mean to get nasty to YOU, so sorry if I went a bit too far.

Oh not at all, and I guess I didn't really mention, but I was speaking more generally as well lol. I didn't feel attacked at all, I just made the Christian comment since I myself was generalizing Christians a bit! xD

So Christians can say whatever they damn well please, regardless of who it hurts, but everybody has to be nice to them and give a fuck about their feelings? Fuck that. Gay people don't have to respect any Christian who is going to sink so low as to compare what they do to bestiality. The oppressed are under no obligation to be nice to their oppressors. The disadvantaged do not have to be kind to privileged people who mouth off and hurt people in their ignorance.

Yes, this Robertson guy is an asshat. But although his comments were awful, I can't get past the fact, first of all, that the entire family makes their money off of objects that call poor defenseless little ducks to their deaths. I don't like the show or anything about any of them.

So Christians can say whatever they damn well please, regardless of who it hurts, but everybody has to be nice to them and give a fuck about their feelings? Fuck that. Gay people don't have to respect any Christian who is going to sink so low as to compare what they do to bestiality. The oppressed are under no obligation to be nice to their oppressors. The disadvantaged do not have to be kind to privileged people who mouth off and hurt people in their ignorance.

Did I say that? >_> Words are words, and people are going to say stupid and rude things. Don't take everything as a personal attack and ignore the stuff that's not going to have any impact on you. Is his statement going to change laws or stop people from living their lives? No, so why stress over it? Be the bigger person and move on. He's not the first nor the last to have such sentiments, and he's CERTAINLY not the worst!

Except that his statement contributes to the oppression. Which is why it's not okay. Don't fucking tell LGBTQ people to "be bigger people" and "move on" over statements that keep them down and make their lives shit. Right now you are using your privilege as a stick telling people who are directly affected by his words to stop rocking the boat and accept being treated like shit. Ain't going to happen, the bigger person points out bigotry when it comes out and fights attitudes that make it unsafe for people to live in.

How about you be the bigger person and stop trying to defend and cover up homophobia? How about you be the bigger person and stop telling people to play nice when they're being called terrorists and told they're a step away from having sex with animals? How about you be the bigger person and call out Christians who act like this and make Christianity so hostile towards gays and lesbians?

Actually, that mentality does affect legislation and it does impact lives. Only in eighteen states out of fifty is it legal for gays to marry, to say nothing of the general hatred toward the LGBTQIA community and the impact that has. It's not a matter of whining that "boohoo he was mean;" it's reflective of society on a much larger scale, and his narrow mindset is far from rare in the US: it dominates US legislation.

If you truly don't think what he said affects anything you're incredibly naïve.

My opinion on this. Freedom of speech means that you have the right to say whatever you want, even if it offends people. Everyone has opinions, and some of them are offensive. You shouldn't say offensive things, because it's rude, but you definitely have the right. An employer has the right to fire whomever they want, for whatever they want, as most places are considered "at will employment". The network suspended him because they thought that he made them look bad. Yes, they could have just issued a statement saying that his views are his own, and that they don't reflect those of the network, but they had the right to do what they did. Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences.

But it IS a personal attack. It's hurtful to the community as a whole. As someone who is gay, being told my lifestyle is akin to bestiality, is fucking hurtful. I love someone of the same gender and that puts me on level with someone who fucks animals according to this man. Also, words like this have a massive impact on members of the LGBT+ community, seeing that a huge amount of the people who decide our rights are people who share this same mindset. "Be the bigger person"? How about you take your own advice there and stop dismissing homophobia and defending this shit. I don't give a flying fuck if he isn't the worst, the problem is that people still think like this and it's disgusting and hurtful. The bigger person stands up for what they believe is right, and doesn't sit on their ass and continue to watch people be oppressed.

I'm not defending it, but you can't stop people from saying what they want. Ranting about this guy isn't going to do a single thing, and there are so many more important aspects to the issue than what one old dude said in a magazine interview.