Who Cares, Really??

 

   Duck Dynasty, Phil Robertson.  3 words: I.don't.care.

People voicing opinions on the two topics above:  same 3 words.  Voice it if you want, or not.  Don't care either way.

     The thing is, it's not my place to judge.  Anyone.  For any reason.  Unless I'm placed on jury duty and am asked to evaluate evidence and apply the laws of land.  

I've been called to jury duty a lot.  Six times between the ages of 18-39.  They really liked me.  When I got to liking them and looking forward to my next invitation, they mysteriously quit issuing them to me. Go figure.  

     Anyway, about the Duck Dynasty Debacle:  People get "suspended" from their jobs for a variety of reasons all the time.  I was told to "go home and don't come back for a week and bring documentation from your doctor when you return."  

     Go read the 4 posts beginning in July 2013 for that sordid tale, if you haven't already done so.  It's a real gem.

      How are these two things related?A&E, just like Mrs. Frills, is concerned with its own image.  Understandably so.  Administrators or corporations or television producers are not going to throw themselves under the bus for anyone.  Remember, their livelihood is at stake.  They don't give a rat's ass about anyone beneath them.  They don't have any real "friends."  They want whatever will please the sources of their finances. Period.  That's just the way it is.

     The people who they think are their friends are those who are willing to bow down and be submissive and go along with the program.  In essence, those who will pretend to agree with their edicts on order to protect their own livelihoods.  Usually this is done passively in the world in which most of us live.  The peasant employees just steer clear of the topic and keep everything hush-hush.  If we don't voice our true feelings or beliefs, no one gets hurt.  Or so we think.  We keep our fake friendship with the hand that feeds us and hope that our outward display of neutrality will prevent the "collateral damage" from thinking we don't care about him or her. 

      Here's what I am interested in with the Duck Dynasty crew:  We're about to find out which way the Robertson family will go in this public controversy.  We're going to find out the stuff of which this family is really made.  Will they throw poor Phil under the bus and continue their relationship with A&E?  Or will they display full-on support for their family member and decide that he is more important than the financial gain of maintaining submissiveness to A&E's demands?  Will they attempt to find some other option that will appear to be neutral with the hope that no one will call bullshit?   In the end, it's probably all just a ploy concocted to move the show to another network, probably owned by the parent company of A&E to boost ratings. Who knows?

     Even though I don't watch the show, and I don't have any sort of stake in the outcome, I'm in total suspense waiting to see what path they choose.  For me, it's not an issue of the beliefs expressed in Phil's statements.  Actually, I haven't taken the time to even investigate fully what he said because it's his opinion and I just don't care.  I don't need to know what exactly he said in order to know that the Robertson family finds itself at a crossroads between upholding the values for which they have become well-known yand maintaining the financial gains of their now-public lives.   

     It's quite ironic, really.  A&E loved capitalizing on the Christian values displayed by the Robertsons, but only as long as it was kept politically correct.   The Robertsons loved being in the spotlight, but now the light is going to reveal how true they really are to their beliefs in the importance of family and faith.   Do they have enough faith to refuse to conform to anything other than their own beliefs?   We're about to find out whether the Robertsons have "sold out."

     The suspense is killing me.  And that's a fact, Jack!