By Lewis Loflin
In December 2013, I published a letter in the Bristol Herald Courier addressing what I saw as biased cultural narratives targeting certain groups, sparked by the Duck Dynasty controversy. I argued that media and academic trends unfairly stifled free speech and marginalized conservative and Christian voices, particularly in the Tri-Cities region. While the letter was sharp, reflecting my frustration, its core concern—equal treatment under the law—remains relevant. In 2025, as debates over free expression and cultural equity continue, I revisit these ideas, connecting them to broader themes from my work, like economic justice and constitutional rights.
The Tri-Cities, like much of Southwest Virginia and East Tennessee, faces challenges beyond culture wars—poverty, addiction, and misallocated public funds, as I’ve noted in pieces like Raising the Minimum Wage and Tobacco Commission Failures. Yet, cultural fairness matters too, ensuring all voices are heard without penalty.
Here’s the letter as it appeared on December 27, 2013:
Re: Duck Dynasty - Lesbian feminist founder Susan Sontag says, “The white race is the cancer of human history.” Celebrated Harvard academic Dr. Noel Ignatiev openly advocates the genocide of “whiteness” in the classroom and on his website racetraitor.org.
CNN anchor Tim Wise preaches similar hate across college campuses advocates the genocide of “whiteness” and “white privilege” while equating Christmas with “white racism.” Liberalism today has been conflated into a reverse Nazi racism targeting the majority population for destruction. Success due to talent and hard work is now racism.
They’re followers of “critical theory” seeing race as a “social construct” to be destroyed—but only for whites. Say anything unpopular with special protected groups—they are destroyed—free speech is trampled. Critical Theory among liberals is pure racism and hate.
Duck Dynasty is only the latest example. Remember the rodeo clown hysteria? Don’t dare mock that black Messiah in public! This is not about “inclusion” but suppression of basic rights. As one that fought openly in this community against the placing of the Ten Commandments in the Sullivan County Courthouse I find liberals are a thousand times worse than the Religious Right ever was.
This attitude permeates the press, academia, etc. peddling this racist’ poison through censorship of racist’ violence against whites, intolerance against Christians, and affirmative action making a mockery of equality under the law.
I’m forced to renounce liberalism in total. White people and Christians have their rights too, free speech is the law, and these threats will sooner or later destroy everyone. Want equality? Start practicing some of it!
Public pressure led A&E to reinstate Duck Dynasty, but I felt the broader issue—silencing dissent—persisted.
My 2013 letter was raw, born of frustration with what I saw as selective outrage. The Duck Dynasty controversy, where Phil Robertson faced backlash for his religious views, felt like a double standard when compared to inflammatory rhetoric from figures like Susan Sontag or Noel Ignatiev. I cited their statements—Sontag’s 1967 quote and Ignatiev’s academic work—to highlight what I perceived as unchecked bias against certain groups. Tim Wise’s critiques of “white privilege” further fueled my concern that success was being unfairly labeled as prejudice.
Looking back, my language was heated, but the core issue—protecting free speech and equal treatment—still resonates, especially in a region grappling with fairness in other areas, like wages and crime, as I’ve discussed in Meth Epidemic.
I’ve always championed fairness, as seen in my opposition to religious displays in public spaces, like the Sullivan County Courthouse Ten Commandments. My critique wasn’t about rejecting inclusion but demanding consistency: all groups deserve respect, without some being vilified.
My earlier writings, like Tennessee’s 2013 Law, tie to this letter. There, I supported a law protecting student groups’ rights to associate freely, arguing that forced inclusion could infringe on privacy. Similarly, this letter decried cultural pressures that seemed to penalize certain viewpoints. Both reflect a belief in constitutional protections—free speech, association—over top-down mandates.
Economic parallels emerge too. In Minimum Wage and Tobacco Commission, I criticized systems favoring elites over workers. Here, I saw media and academia favoring select narratives, sidelining communities like the Tri-Cities, where conservative values dominate. Fairness, whether in wages or speech, is my consistent call.
In 2025, free speech debates remain heated. The Trump administration’s push to curb DEI programs, arguing they foster division, echoes my 2013 concerns about selective fairness. The Supreme Court’s 2023 affirmative action ruling (SFFA v. Harvard) further emphasizes individual rights over group-based policies, aligning with my view that equality means consistent standards. Yet, these shifts risk overcorrecting, potentially stifling genuine diversity.
The Tri-Cities, with its economic struggles (15-20% poverty in parts), needs open dialogue more than ever. Cultural fairness—letting all voices speak without fear—can unite communities facing issues like addiction (Meth Crisis) or crime (Wise County).
To foster fairness, we can:
| Action | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Protect free speech | Ensures open debate |
| Apply rules evenly | Builds trust |
| Encourage dialogue | Reduces division |
| Focus on merit | Promotes fairness |
Media and institutions should uphold free expression, applying standards consistently. Community forums could bridge gaps, reflecting the Tri-Cities’ resilience.
My 2013 letter, though blunt, sought fairness—a principle guiding my work on economic and social issues. In 2025, let’s champion equal treatment, ensuring every voice in the Tri-Cities and beyond is heard, fostering a stronger, united community.
Acknowledgment: I’d like to thank Grok, an AI by xAI, for helping me draft and refine this article. The final edits and perspective are my own.
