#IStandWithPhil Organizer Unsure if A&E Includes Christians in 'Rainbow of Diversity'

The organizer of the IStandWithPhil.com online petition, which called on A&E to reinstate Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson after suspending him for comments deemed to be anti-gay, says he isn’t sure if A&E considers religious Americans a part of America’s “rich rainbow of diversity.” 

“Despite our celebration, we remain uncertain of A&E’s true intent. Today, in the network’s statement of their core values – centered on ‘creativity, inclusion, and mutual respect’ – Faith Driven Consumers are left wondering whether A&E considers us to be a part of America’s rich rainbow of diversity,” Chris Stone, the founder of Faith Driven Consumer, said after Robertson was reinstated. “Do they also now embrace the biblically-based values and worldview held by the Robertson family and millions of Faith Driven Consumers?”

The petition received more than 260,000 signatures and was even briefly blocked by Twitter earlier in the week. After an intense online backlash against the social media giant, Twitter reinstated the IStandWithPhil.com website and apologized for “mistakenly” disabling its links. 

In a statement, A&E said it reacted so “quickly and strongly” to Robertson’s interview because they are “a global media content company” whose “core values are centered around creativity, inclusion and mutual respect.” A&E also said they would “use this moment to launch a national public service campaign (PSA) promoting unity, tolerance and acceptance among all people, a message that supports our core values as a company, and the values found in Duck Dynasty.”