Cracker Barrel, a store and restaurant chain throughout the South, said late last week it would pull products featuring the Duck Dynasty show, following patriarch Phil Robertson’s controversial statements on gays and blacks. But after two days of Facebook followers flooding its page, the company backtracked and reversed its decision.
On Friday, the company, which includes 600 stores, issued a statement on Friday, saying that it “removed selected products which we were concerned might offend some of our guests while we evaluate the situation,” reports CNN Money. It only took them two days to evaluate the situation, which lead them to reverse their decision.
In a Facebook post Sunday, the company issued a statement that read, “When we made the decision to remove and evaluate certain Duck Dynasty items, we offended many of our loyal customers. Our intent was to avoid offending, but that’s just what we've done.”
The company said that it listened to all the complaints it received and that all Duck Dynasty products will go back on the shelves. “We respect all individuals right to express their beliefs. We certainly did not mean to have anyone think different,” Cracker Barrel said.
The Duck Dynasty controversy exploded last week, when GQ published its interview with Robertson. He was then suspended from the show, although the family can’t think of continuing the show without him.
Meanwhile, Robertson broke his silence during a bible study group, which The Daily Mail was given access to.
“The acts of the sinful nature are obvious. Sexual immorality, is number one on the list. How many ways can we sin sexually? My goodness. You open up that can of worms and people will be mad at you over it,” he is quoted as saying. “I am just reading what was written over 2000 years ago. Those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom. All I did was quote from the scriptures, but they just didn’t know it. Whether I said it, or they read it, what’s the difference? The sins are the same, humans haven’t changed.”
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