First off, let me say that I do support the Roberson Family and I hope they really do find another network that is friendly to their Christian beliefs. However, once again, I feel the need to correct those who are telling mistruths about the First Amendment.
Joseph Farah at WorldNetDaily writes a fairly decent article about what happened with Phil Robertson. However, he kind of goes off a bit in the piece too:
This is a dangerous precedent. In fact, I’d say Old Phil would have a pretty legitimate shot at a First Amendment lawsuit because his own religious liberties have been violated by the actions of A&E. I mean, it’s not exactly possible the network didn’t know his beliefs until this week.
As I have written before, the only thing that the First Amendment is supposed to protect American citizens from is repression of freedom of speech from the United States Government; and that is it; not from private businesses such as A&E.
The idea that we can reinterpret the U.S. Constitution to suit our own personal agendas, is a progressive idea. Now, I am not calling Joseph Farah a progressive, far from it. I am just simply stating facts about the original intent of the Constitution. Now what Phil Roberson could do is sue A&E for breach of contract; but even then, he would have a tough time with it. Because unless A&E guaranteed the Robertsons in writing that they would be free to express their personal opinions without worry of censorship; Robertson would have a tough time getting any sort of judgement against A&E.
Again, as I wrote before; I am not on the side of those who want to squelch Christian’s the right to express their opinions; However, I do think that everyone that cries, “First Amendment!” ought to try actually reading the first amendment and see what it really says, before yowling on about it.
In case you have forgotten, this is what the first amendment says:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Notice it says, “Congress?” Congress is a part of the United States Government; A&E network is not. Let’s not confuse the two.