As the network for persecuted Christians, Fox News has elevated the Duck Dynasty clan and the Benham brothers to a special category of Fox sainthood. But while Duck Dynasty returned to the airwaves after patriarch Phil Robertson's homophobic comments, the HGTV door closed permanently on the Benham boyz after word of theirs got out. Naturally, in whitewashing their homophobic, anti-choice, and anti-Muslim views, Fox has provided sweet succor for the nice, Christian guys who were being persecuted for their Christian faith which teaches, as everybody knows, that God hates fags. As part of the requisite Fox validation, Fox created the narrative that the Benham brothers were being targeted, by gay bullies, for their deeply held Christian values. Yesterday, the boyz were back in Fox town for more Christian fellowship and not so cleverly concealed gay bashing.
Fox Christian soldier Steve Doocy framed the requisite persecuted Christian message that the Benham brothers HGTV show was cancelled "because of their Christian and pro-life beliefs." But never fear, Doocy informed us that they "finished the job that, they say, God called them to do." He introduced David and Phillip Benham. Just to make sure that you know that these guys are true persecuted Christians, Doocy asked them why their show was nixed. Right wing zealot David Benham claimed that they were "never told why" but "we know that they got bullied by left extremists." He accused Right Wing Watch of "smearing" their words and "creating a narrative" because of his and his brother's positions on "marriage, abortion, and other things." He said "it was a little too much for HGTV to handle to have a couple of conservative guys like Jason and me..."
Doocy, reinforced the propaganda as Fox Fact: "So you were fired for having an opinion, I mean there's this thing called the First Amendment where people are entitled to their opinion." (Obviously, not extended to atheists whose opinions are constantly trashed on Fox & Friends) Doocy described the Benham brothers' as "Christian beliefs." Jason Benham said that they weren't fired "for having an opinion but for voicing an opinion even in the context of a prayer service" that he and his brother organized in 2012. He added that he and his bro "aren't changing who we are as people."
Doocy continued to frame the propaganda by doing his patented "summary" of what the guests have experienced: "In fact (?!) you guys were willing to lose everything, if you're standing up for what you believe in." Jason preached that "when God places something in your hands, you have to hold it with open fingers..." He said that he and his brother are "willing to die to themselves" which, according to Jason, is "a tenet of the Christian faith" and until you do that "you're never free to be who God wants you to be." Doocy followed the sermonette with "that's a nice way to put it."
In explaining the reason Fox & Friends is hosting them, despite their having been fired "for having an opinion that is widely held by many in this country, Doocy referenced all the work that the boyz are finishing the work for those who were "left in the lurch" due to the show's cancellation. The rest of the discussion was about how the brothers, aided by HGTV, finished the work on the houses which were scheduled for renovation. After Doocy praised the brothers as "great guests," he added that "we just can't understand" why HGTV "took it [their show] away."
Let me help you out Steve. After the Right Wing Watch article exposed the Benham brothers anti-gay (and anti-choice and anti-Muslim) views of the boyz, HGTV listened to audio in which the brothers were preaching, at the reference prayer service, that "homosexuality and its agenda that is attacking the nation" and "demonic ideologies" are being established in the public school system. That's when the network decided not to go forward with the series.
But according to Steve Doocy, believing that "the homosexual agenda" is a Satanic plot, Muslims are a satanic enemy, and abortion clinics are where child sacrifice occurs are part of "traditional" Christianity so it's all good....
Last time I checked, HGTV is NOT the government and it’s not owned by the government. It’s a privately owned company (it’s part of the Scripps Network Interactive group—ironically based in Nashville, TN where LGBTs aren’t protected by law). HGTV is free to discriminate against anyone it feels like.
If Hobby Lobby is allowed to refuse to provide certain contraceptive plans based on its “corporate religious freedom,” then HGTV is free to refuse to air shows hosted by religious bigots (part of HGTV’s “corporate freedom of speech” and “corporate freedom of assembly”). Or, a bit more succinctly, it should be noted that Tennessee (mentioned as the HQ of HGTV’s parent company) is a “right-to-work” state—companies don’t have to employ anyone they don’t want to as long as the “discrimination” is NOT based on a “protected” class.
