‘Duck Dynasty’ Star to Receive Free Speech Award at CPAC

In December 2013, a time when Americans might have otherwise been fighting the War on Christmas, they were gripped by the fate of Phil Robertson. GQ writer Drew Magary had tagged along with Robertson and the other stars of Duck Dynasty, and Robertson had gone on a tear about the sins of homosexuality. "We just love ’em, give ’em the good news about Jesus—whether they’re homosexuals, drunks, terrorists," he said, among other things. One culture war later, Robertson had become a martyr for free speech. He was invited to the 2014 Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans to address the faithful; he became the first of several conservatives whose reality show dreams crashed against the rocks of political correctness.

And this month, Robertson will appear at the Conservative Political Action Conference to accept the joint Citizens United/Breitbart.com "Andrew Breitbart Defender of the First Amendment Award."