“Duck Dynasty” star Phil Robertson said we have to stop canceling people as he defended Whoopi Goldberg and Joe Rogan’s right to speak.
“Canceling people may shut them up, but it doesn’t change anyone’s convictions,” the 75-year-old reality star shared with Fox News in a piece published Friday. (RELATED: ‘Duck Dynasty’ Star Weighs In On Bathroom Bill With Proposal)
“I’m about helping people shift their attention away from the lies of the evil one and focusing on Christ,” he added. “The only way we can do that is to have a discussion. This is why I’m not for canceling even the most outrageous people like Whoopi Goldberg.”
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“Let her talk,” Robertson continued. “Show her the same respect you want shown to your side of the political spectrum. Same thing with Joe Rogan – if the people who are screaming are all that confident that they are right, why are they so afraid of his speech?” (RELATED: ‘Duck Dynasty’ Star Sadie Robertson Gets Married To Christian Huff)
The reality star talked about singer Neil Young who recently pulled his music from Spotify over comments Rogan had made on his podcast about the COVID-19 vaccine. The music platform sided with the podcast host and started removing Young’s music from its library.
“I hope Neil Young will remember, he’s said some outrageous things too,” Robertson explained, referencing 1974’s Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama” song that Young had criticized in the past.
“Treat others the way you want to be treated,” he added. “If [Whoopi’s] wrong (and I think she probably is), it’ll come to light as soon as we engage in a conversation.”
Goldberg was taken off “The View” after she said the Holocaust “isn’t about race.” She then apologized, but appeared to double down on her initial comments during an interview on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.”
Robertson knows all too well about cancel culture. In 2013, during the height of his reality show’s popularity, he gave an interview to GQ magazine in which he said homosexuality was sinful. He said he “just quoted a Bible verse,” according to Fox News.
There were calls to have him taken off the show, and Robertson was put on “indefinite hiatus.” A Facebook page was started to have him reinstated and more than a half-million people said they wouldn’t watch the show until he was back, Fox News reported. His absence lasted nine days.