Some people did not like my recent article about Phil Robertson, star of Duck Dynasty.
In the article, I noted problems with Robertson's comments that go far beyond the idea that homosexuality is a sin. Robertson said blacks didn't seem unhappy about oppression in the Jim Crow-era South; he blamed Pearl Harbor on the failure of the Japanese to accept Jesus; and contrary to his protestations, he hates gay people. I don't think any of that is O.K.
I got dozens of letters taking issue with my claims.
Some of the letters are hilarious and some are sad, like the father who says "I have 3 boys and one of my greatest fears is of them growing up LGBT." But they all reflect the fact that hateful bigots are a large market segment and political bloc, which is why Phil Robertson has so many fans and defenders.
Finally, a minority subset of the letters came from Christians who seemed more interested in informing me of my sin than in insulting me, and who wanted me to know that when Robertson said gays and lesbians were "full of murder,""heartless,""senseless" and whatnot, he was just paraphrasing Romans 1. Why this is supposed to make his sentiment any more acceptable or less hateful, I do not understand.
Now, to the mailbox:
#1 says Business Insider is destroying America:
Pinhead and self styled intellect, Josh Barro sounds like a manure salesman with a mouth full of samples.
Why not try and report "real news" instead of "creating news" with personal opinion, lies and outright spin?
Business Insider along with the "Josh Barro's of the world" should get out of the library and see the real world as the USA sinks into an abyss of ultraliberalism, political correctness where everyone is offended, socialism, and Saul Alinsky Marxism.
I can see your corporate boardroom now a bunch of dumbed down DNC voters, educated by indoctrinators in the dysfunctional Teachers Union public school system, wearing bow ties, suspenders, long hair in some cases, spice up the image of a super liberal with some John Lennon look alike glasses !
TOMBSTONE ............................................... AMERICA 1776- 2013 R.I.P. "You were defeated from within by dumbed down voters, liberalism, socialism, Marxism, and political correctness!"
Note to General George Washington: "Your work was all in vain, it was squandered by idiots!" Business Insider is part of this decline!
#2 says I'm Bull Connor, Al Sharpton, Adolph [sic] Hitler, Barack Obama and the A&E executive team, all rolled into one:
Here's what I know, after having read your column: you're an ignorant, hateful, hate-filled, ill-informed, bigoted, racist heterophobic bully.
Just to be sure, let me repeat that for you: you're an ignorant, hateful, hate-filled, ill-informed, bigoted, racist, heterophobic bully.
Just like the executives at A&E. Just like Bull Connor. Just like Al Sharpton. Just like Barack Hussein Obama. Just like Adolph Hitler.
#3 has a few requests. He would like lesbians to talk more about how lesbian they are, because that turns him on. But when gay men talk about being gay, his mind immediately turns to vivid gay sex scenarios, and that makes him want to puke. So, he asks that gay men do him the courtesy of not disclosing our sexual orientation, just as he is respectful to us by not wearing his "Pussy Eaters Pride" shirt outside the house.
If I were a betting man, I'd wager this guy has never been within three feet of a vagina:
You know, everyone is so concentrated on getting offended. Christians get “offended” by getting shouted down by the gay community. The gay community gets “offended” when they are criticized for their behavior, sinful or not. Let me tell you what offends me: If you're a lesbian, great. As a matter of fact, tell me all about it, I'll probably get turned on. But if you’re a guy, please don't tell me you're gay. Keep your trap shut. Because the thought of two men screwing each other in the a#$ quite frankly makes me want to vomit. Beyond that, I could care less what your sexual preferences are. But I do not go around wearing a "Pu@#y Eaters Pride" t-shirt!
By extension, when a man says he is gay he is basically saying I like to suck c@#$ and take it in the a@# from other men. That is the crux of it. Don’t give me this crap it’s about “love”. I happen to have male friends that I love but I have NO desire to screw them. Why does nobody say this? This is the REAL offensive part about being “gay”.
I am offended when a man tells me he is gay because of the mental picture which is the inevitable conclusion upon hearing such information. I want to PUKE. Somehow, that either makes me a religious fanatic or a homophobic bigot. Why can’t it just mean I am a regular Joe with a sensitive stomach?
#4 disagrees with #3. He wants to hear more about what a gay homosexual I am. He emailed my boss, Henry Blodget:
If Mr. Barro were truthful and above board he should have mentioned in some sort of disclosure that as a homosexual male he has skin in the game.
#5 warns it's a sin "to be a fag, homo, gay, or whatever else you want to call it":
I have never saw a person intentionally misrepresent a story like you did with Phil. He in no way said anything about all blacks just the ones he and I repeat HE knew. Further more it is a sin, even if you don't believe the bible, to be a fag, homo, gay, or what ever else you want to call it. Several area businesses and a group of small town organizers are starting a campaign to get you fired for plain out lies. No journalist with any integrity would knowing lie to make his point look like the right one. Most and yes I say most Americans believe same sex marriage is wrong. Maybe this will unite the American people against left wing idiots like yourself. By the way being gay is a choice you were not born wrong you chose it.
#6 wants all the gays to "pitch in and buy an island and get out of our faces." (Manhattan, perhaps?) He also knows who the real racists are (it's the NAACP, of course):
Josh what you put down on paper is your opinion. That doesn't mean it's right. There are way more Americans like myself who are absolutely sick of all the gays demanding rights. Gay is a lifestyle. Period. No rights, no privileges. I think they should all pitch in and buy an island and get out of our faces. Good luck with reproducing. And give back the rainbow, its not theirs. On the black issue, there are millions of upstanding, hard working black people who don't expect things to be handed to them. This is America and you can make it for yourself or you can just sit around and bitch because you think you're owed something. Im talking about white and blacks and illegal who are lazy and that's how they will stay. What is sad is there are people who support them and tell them they are right. NAACP for sure. Its organizations like that, in my opinion who keep the racism game alive. So after what I have said, I hope you know there are a whole lot more Americans who feel like I do, but the media, another joke, keep the way the majority think and feel just so the need can continue. So please, next time you want to tell people what we support, please have the balls to tell the truth.
#7 hits me where it hurts: "your not a good writer." He's also a small businessman who "would rather lose a million dollars" than do business with a homosexual:
Reading the article you wrote on Phil, half way through I could tell a homosexual wrote it. Sure enough I was right. That tells me your not a good writer in that you couldn't write a fair and unbiased article without letting your dislike of Phil come through. But to be honest if I wrote an article on my own personal interactions that I have had with homosexuals in the course of business over the past couple years. I may of brought out how uncomfortable I feel around them and the way they act and would rather lose a million dollars than have my company do business with them, so I can relate to Phil. Hope you don't mind me giving my thoughts on your article.
#8 thinks homosexuality is "representative of the effeminizing and enervating forces at work in a decadent culture":
By nature, homosexuality is abnormal.
It is taboo behavior according to many of the major world religions. The Bible identifies the behavior as an “abomination” and prescribes the death penalty.
The practices associated with it are detrimental to health.
It becomes prominent in declining civilizations being representative of the effeminizing and enervating forces at work in a decadent culture.
Homosexuality represents yet one more assault on the family, the basic building block of society.
Your attack against Phil Robertson is a bad reflection on Business Insider. Perhaps they should pull an A&E and terminate your position as politics editor.
#9 just wants to slap me."Not so hard that it would harm you. Just insult you."
Just read your article about Phil from DD. If I was standing next to you right now I'd slap you. You're an ass. Not so hard that it would harm you. Just insult you. Because that's what your word twisting article does to me. It insults my intelligence.
Of course if you felt the need to, I'd give you one free swing, then I would stomp you into oblivion.
Someone bumps into you soon, you better keep your head down and keep moving. Karma. It's coming.
#10 is confused about how "scare quotes" work:
...what you FAIL to realize (Mr. "Bozo") is that whatever "Phil" has to say is Constitutionally protected FREE SPEECH ! It doesn't matter what his opinion(s) are ! The Constitution clearly says he has the RIGHT to say it ! so...if you don't like what "Phil" has to say... under the (banner of "free, Constitutionally protected FREE SPEECH) "CRAM it up your @ss" ! (and) Merry Christmas to you too !
#11 helpfully looked up "queer" in the dictionary and seconded Robertson's view that blacks didn't seem terribly bothered by Jim Crow laws:
Since you probably think you are intellectually "elite" also, consider this. What is normal, and what is not normal? If homosexuality is normal, there would not be a human race today, or a race of any other species, since homosexuals cannot reproduce. According to the reasoning I just gave, homosexuality is abnormal! An internet dictionary definition of "queer" states the following: strange, odd. Synonyms include "odd, strange, unusual, peculiar, bizarre, weird, freakish, unnatural."
As to Robertson's remarks about blacks, I would have to state that I grew up at exactly the same time he did, and in southwest Virginia to boot. I never, ever, not even once, saw a black person who I thought was unhappy. Discriminated against by laws and rules, yes—unhappy over it, I did not see. It probably was there, but I never saw it.
The "elites" in this world are the Christians. I am sorry if you don't agree. You are wrong. Not because you are gay; not because you are Hispanic (if you are); not because you are black (if you are). No matter what your sexual or racial persuasion, if you are not a Christian, you are wrong.
#12 was one of the few readers who stuck up for Robertson's attack on Shintoism:
It seems perfectly reasonable to me that Mr. Robertsons experience growing up was as he stated, that he didn't see any black people mistreated. That does not equal approval of Jim Crowe Laws. Mr. Robertsons comments on the Nazis is correct. At least as far as the Nazi leadership is concerned. Many Germans at the time were Christian (Protestant or Catholic) but the leadership had turned its back on Christianity for the Occult. Whether there were Christians in Japan is concerned, I would bet that their leadership at the time was perhaps not anti-Christian, but predominantly Shinto. Maybe had there been more Christians in the Japanese leadership perhaps they wouldn't have attacked Pearl Harbor. Who knows? And you state that Phil Robertson hates gays. How could you possibly know? Mr. Robertson was paraphrasing scripture. It wasn't an exact quote, but it was pretty close. If you want to beat up on someone, take it up with the Apostle Paul. In my view, your interpretation of Mr. Robertsons comments fully illustrates your predispositon to dismiss an alternative opinion. I thought the hallmark of a liberal education was critical thinking, How disappointing.
#13 says the real problem for black Americans is that coastal elitists like BI readers want to use welfare to keep them poor; that homosexuality is disgusting like peanut butter; and that Barack Obama is busy defending Muslim beheaders:
"Robertson thinks black Americans were treated just fine in the Jim Crow-era South, and that they were happy there." No, my view is he was stating that the way Entitlements are today, Blacks seem to be more miserable than they were back then. Just look at anyone on welfare at that, not just blacks... they are miserable. It's modern day slavery bubba, but hey, you write for an economic magazine that caters to the "rich", so of course lead the way brother, push that liberal agenda of switcharoo. Lets keep people in poverty to make sure those business run efficient and increase profit margins off the backs of the poor while they receive assistance from government handouts. Better for the government to fill that gap than for businesses to pay someone huh... they might lose profits, so we need a redistribution of wealth in the views of your liberal principals. I don't believe in redistribution of wealth. So if that's "racist", go kick rocks. Earn what you get and stop holding everyone down...
"Robertson hates gay people."... I thought what he was saying is that pussy is his preference and he can't understand why a man would want some dookie. I totally agree, yet I don't care if you do, your choice. No different than I think a drug addict is disgusting and I wouldn't want that type of "lifestyle Choice" around me, I feel the same with homosexuals. I don't like peanut butter and think it's disgusting, you eat it, that's you, but I'll curl my lip if i see you eating a PB&J. Live your life bubba, but I prefer not to associate with that type of behavior. Like PETA doesn't like meat eaters. Same same. Doesn't mean I wont treat you with dignity, just means I probably wont want to indulge in your lifestyle and would prefer you keep that stuff with you. You can't knock me because I don' like that lifestyle. That's my preference. Now as far as Robertson and religion is concerned... hmmm, infidels should be dead, so I guess while Obama is busy defending the Muslim nation that wants to chop our heads off, and the LGBT community as well, unless we are giving them some hard earned American taxpayer dollars; You'll be all for them having "freedom of speech in America won't you.
But hey dude... Opinions are just that, and we're in the greatest nation of all, but what pisses me off is you sit on a platform like you speak for a "majority". No, you speak your opinion, just like Phil spoke his. Is yours wrong, no, and neither is Phils or anyone who opposes or supports his. But don't get all pissy about the fact there are millions of people who agree with Phil. I totally agree. Just not in the name of God bubba. In the name of say what the fuck you really mean because this is America and you can and it's not my problem if we have too many pussies with thin skin and get offended when someone doesn't agree with their lifestyle.
#14 is taking great pains to ensure that his three sons don't grow up to be gay (or lesbian) like me and the suits who run A&E:
It was easy to tell you were gay from your article and had an ax to grind from reading your message. I read it and said this guy has to be gay, it was you using your media platform to get your own personal gay message out. I don't have a problem with that, but why don't all you people in the media, journalist, whatever disclose your biases for writing, filming or for whatever media or discourse you choose. Too me its the same as if you give investing advice or opinions. Full disclosure. I dare you or anyone else to who use espouse anything for public consumption to note your biases or political leanings or whatever at the bottom of your article, video, whatever. I think it is BS for people who use the media to try to sway the public to side with them.
So we know that there must also be a bunch of LGBT at A&E also. Easy to spot by the what they did. You sure wouldn't go out and do all this otherwise. There was also someone with Phil from A&E when he did the interview. It was no secret what he said. So why let it be published if there wasn't an agenda from A&E as Phil and his family have stated?
I know when you are LGBT that you want to make as many people as you can aware of it, but I think it has gone over board and is just about everywhere. I have 3 boys and one of my greatest fears is of them growing up LGBT. They are all in grade school and I don't let them watch any violent programs, scary, nothing with guns or bombs, no LGBT, just straight informational stuff like TLC, National Geographic, History Channel, etc. No Duck Dyanasty, no music videos, and they don't get to use the internet either. I myself collect guns and have many yet, they've never seen one of them. I go hunting, but they don't even know I do this either or that I kill animals and eat them. I just want to give them a chance to grow up and when they are mature enough I will teach them more, but for now they go to church and I try to only give them positive things to look at. I keep them so busy in sports and studying for school that they don't have time for much of anything else like watching TV, playing video games or surfing the internet. Maybe they will grow up to be Gay, Transexual or Killers, but I'm trying to give them a good foundation.
So, back to you. If you are going to write a biased article please disclose to everyone and let them know you are biased when you write something that is your own bias or your own opinion. It's smacks of injustice and while I am not a Phil fan, I commend him on being straight up truthful. He gives full disclosure and I really feel that if you and your media buddies are going to write or produce digital media then you should come out of the closet and lay it all on the line up front. I would have a lot more respect for you and your kind. Right now, my opinion of A&E, GLAAD, Business Insider and anyone else trying to crucify Phil for this should let your audience know you are grinding your own ax, pushing your own agenda and lifestyle on other people. It's fair and ethical to do so. To do otherwise is simply deceiving people. If you write a political article, tell the readers your stance and best of all, give the counter argument and let your readers/listeners decide.
#15 says I'm a bigot and a fascist, and says he's sure deep down I'd like to have Phil Robertson summarily executed, but he wants to save my soul, and he signs off with the closing "respectfully."
In light of the whole context of this "thing" with Phil, I find your remarks totally, reprehensibly bigoted. Check G.K. Chesteron's definition of a bigot. Very eye opening. And I put you in the class of fascists. Liberal fascists to be exact. Did you ever study fascists? Mussolini, Hitler? They hated contrary opinions to theirs. You like the aforementioned piles of crap, hate those who speak against what you feel is right. Unlike the aforementioned piles of crap, you are not able to carry out the execution of those who are contrary to you. But I am sure somewhere down deep inside you, you wish something could be done about Phil and his ilk.
I am taking a chance here and assuming you are a supporter of democracy. In a democracy, doesn't the majority rule? All of the groups you mentioned in your opinion piece are a minority. Has the definition of democracy changed? Yes, all opinions are heard in a democracy, but the majority still rules.
Isn't it wonderful to live in a country where you have the God given right to express your opinion? And even express your opinion of God and His son, and those who follow Him. I once was against God. Then I asked myself if there was anything more to this life. What was on the other side. I then found God. What's waiting on the other side for you Mr. Barro?
By the way. I am just expressing my opinion.
Respectfully,
Finally, at least we can't fault #16 for accuracy:
So it sounds like you prefer a mans anus over a women's vagina, not that there’s anything wrong that. Almost forgot my grandson went to see Santa a White Santa!
Duck Dynasty's season premiere in August was the most-watched non-fiction cable series episode in history, with nearly 12 million viewers.
SEE ALSO: When You Defend Phil Robertson, Here's What You're Really Defending