Duck Commander calls situation desperate
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. (Christian Examiner) – Phil Robertson evoked the nation's founding fathers and talked about sex when he addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference on Feb. 27.
Robertson, star of the Duck Dynasty reality show on A&E television, spoke after receiving the second Andrew Breitbart Defender of the First Amendment Award from Citizens United, an organization "dedicated to restoring our government to citizens' control, according to its website.
Radio host Mark Lavin received the first award last year at CPAC. It was named in honor of "a fearless conservative activist and widely respected online media giant," according to Breitbart.com. The media conglomerate's founder died in 2012 age 43 after a heart attack.
Robertson, a garrulous bearded Louisianan who makes duck calls for a living and preaches for the Lord, he says, looked at the award – a two-inch thick beveled-glass atop a dark wood base twice the size of his hands – looked up at the audience and said, "All of us ought to be able to speak freely, where we didn't have to be awarded for it" prompting the first of several bouts of enthusiastic applause made during his 28-minute speech.
He was joined hand-in-hand on the stage with his wife "Miss Kay," in his usual camouflage gear, including a camo-covered book bag.
"You potential candidates, now look, to keep you out of trouble and to keep the scandals down, let me give you a word of advice," he said, pulling out his well-worn and duck-taped oversized Bible and causing the audience to roar again.
Robertson told his listeners to carry two things with them at all times, in case they would someday become president of the United States.
"Be sure you carry your Bible with you, and your woman. I'm just sayin'. Safety." He paused. "The good news is I'm not running for anything," Robertson paused again. "And as far as I know, I'm not running from anything."
"I'm a God-loving, Bible-believing, gun-toting capitalist," Robertson said, apparently referencing remarks made in 2012 by President Barack Obama that the owners of businesses did not build them without help from someone else. "Always remember, when you hear a guy, or a gal, ad-infinitum attack the results of capitalism, which is capital, and you have a steady attack on those people who receive that capital ... you can be sure of one thing: he's not a capitalist."
He said that he, his wife and their four boys down on the riverbank built the Duck Commander business – hand-carved duck calls – with "no government assistance, I can guarantee you that."
Pushing back at critics who call him "too religious," Robertson directed attention to a George Washington letter telling his troops they were not to curse, not to drink and were to go to "divine services" on Sundays when not on duty.
"The fate, he said this in 1776, July second," Robertson said of Washington's words, "the fate of unborn millions – that be us, down the line – the fate of us will now depend under God on the courage and conduct of this army. ... Let us rely on the goodness of the cause and the aid of the Supreme Being in whose hands victory is."
Robertson read a prayer given by Washington, and more of the first president's writings, and concluded from them, "Don't get in the way of religion, according to the founder of your country. There is no reason for government to attack it for any reason, according to George Washington."
He also read from the writings of John Adams, the second president. "It is religion and morality alone which can establish the principles upon which can freedom can securely stand. ... You lose your religion, according to John Adams, and you lose your morality. We're almost there."
Robertson illustrated his point by citing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data that 110 million Americans have sexually transmitted diseases.
"It's the revenge of the hippies," Robertson said. "Sex, drugs and rock 'n roll have come back to haunt us in a bad way.
"I don't want you to become ill. I don't want you to come down with a debilitating disease. I don't want you to die early," Robertson said. The best and easiest way for that to not happen is for men and women marry who have not had sex with anyone else, he explained.
"You're disease free and she's disease free, you marry, you keep your sex right there," Robertson said. "You won't get sick from a sexually transmitted disease. You want a godly, biblical, medically safe option? One man, one woman, married for life.
"I'm trying to help you, for crying out loud," Robertson continued. "If I didn't care, I wouldn't bring this up."
The Duck Dynasty star then turned his attention to the words of James Madison, father of the U.S. Constitution.
"'This Constitution was written for a religious and moral people; it is wholly inadequate for any other,' Madison wrote. We got too many 'others' in the White House," Robertson said. "It wasn't written for them.
"Some study the Constitution to uphold it," he continued. "There are some who study it so they can circumvent it. Stand on the Bible. Stand on the Constitution. Don't budge! Hold onto your weapons.
"That's what brought us here," Robertson said. "We had to have all three to run the Brits back where they come from. We had to have all three when the Nazis reared their heads."
Now there is ISIS, which, as were the Brits, Nazis, Communists and in their time the Chinese, were after territorial expansion and world domination, Robertson said.
"I don't see a dime's worth of difference in any of them," Robertson said. "You have to stop them."
Robertson concluded by admitting he was a sinner, and like everyone else has "a six-foot hole" to look forward to. "Jesus' blood takes care of your sin, and His resurrection takes care of your fear of dying. ...
"Love God," Robertson implored. "Stand on the Word of God, the Bible. Hold on with both hands the Constitution of the United States. Hold onto your weapons. That's what brought us here; that's what will keep us here.
"If you mess with that, GOP, if you don't have spiritual men like the guys I quoted ... if you don't have spiritual men making political men making political decisions, you're going to lose this country. We are sliding on a scale like I haven't seen in my lifetime. This thing is in danger. I haven't given up on it but the times are getting desperate. ... Until and unless we get spiritual men in the White House to help turn this thing around, we're going to lose it. And our nightmare is just beginning."