Discuss on Duck Dynasty & 1st Amendment.Backstory: Duck Dynasty was an American reality television series on the A&E network (2012-2017) that portrayed the lives of the Robertson family of West Monroe, Louisiana. They became successful from their family-operated business making products for duck hunters, primarily a duck call called the Duck Commander. The Robertson men – brothers Phil and Si, and Phil’s sons Jase, Willie, and Jep – were known for their long beards and their conservative Protestant Christian views. In mid-December 2013, controversy from an interview Phil Robertson gave to GQ magazine resulted in an indefinite suspension by A&E, owing to remarks he made widely viewed as anti-gay. Robertson’s remarks were also reported in the media, with reactions split. Many social conservatives, including his corporate sponsors, some religious groups, and some Republican politicians (notably Sarah Palin, Bobby Jindal and Mike Huckabee) supported his right to such opinions. Robertson faced significant opposition from individuals who viewed his comments as anti-gay and bigoted. Nine days later, the suspension was lifted. While the series itself ended on March 29, 2017, there have been no shortage of opinions about whether this was a first amendment issue and whether Mr. Robertson was unfairly treated. Assignment: You are the legislative assistant to a . Congressperson who serves on the House of Representatives Subcommittee for Telecommunications, a subcommittee currently holding a forum on the First Amendment & Freedom of Expression. Your boss, Congressman Harvey Schmatz, is vaguely familiar with the controversy regarding Mr. Robertsons remarks, but is not, very unfortunately, conversant with the intricacies of the First Amendment. He has asked you to lay it out for him in a memo. Tell him definitively if this was a first amendment issue. Please remember that while a quick Google search will bring up bunches of information and opinions, your writing has to distill those articles, so please do not commit plagiarism. Since Congressman Schmatz will be getting this cover sheet, you do not need to re-summarize the events, just break down this argument: based on the First Amendment, was A & E correct to have suspended Mr. Robertson, or did he have the right to say what he wanted? Answer this question factually, not emotionally. You are encouraged and allowed to use quotes and if you do, using a standard bibliographic referencing system, you must attribute their source. Please note, your bibliography of sources used must be on a separate page and does NOT count in word or page content count, and yes, you need a bibliography detailing where you got your information. Your response should be in the form of a memo, which looks like this: To: Hon. Harvey Schmatz From: You Re: First Amendment/Duck Dynasty Date: Oct. 07, 2021Show more
