"Duck Dynasty" patriarch Phil Robertson is set to be honored with the Breitbart Freedom of Speech Award just one year after receiving criticism for speaking out against homosexuality.
Breitbart News reports that Robertson will be the second recipient of the Citizens United "Andrew Breitbart Defender of the First Amendment Award" at the 2015 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) later this month in Washington, D.C.
"I want to thank Citizens United and Breitbart for this award. When one does not have the freedom to speak out loud and anywhere what one believes, freedom is dead," said the "Duck Dynasty" star.
The award come just a year after Robertson received severe backlash for denouncing homosexuality as an "abomination" and a "sin" in an interview with GQ Magazine.
At the time, A&E briefly suspended Robertson from the show, but quickly reversed its decision after the rest of the "Duck" stated that they, too, would leave the series if Phil was permanently let go.
Since then, Robertson has continued to speak his mind on controversial issues regardless of criticism. A former pastor, he has stated that he's led by God and is called to speak truth to people.
"They were mad at me because instead of acknowledging their sin like you had better do, they railed against me for giving them the truth about their sin," he said of those angry about his comments in a subsequent sermon. "'Don't deceive yourself' - you want the verse? The news media didn't even know it was a verse. They thought I was just mouthing off."
Despite secular media's criticism of Robertson's Biblical messages, Rev. Alan Robertson has praised his father for being unafraid to speak the truth.
"My dad has the heart and mindset of a prophet and is most compared to John the Baptist ... for speaking the truth in a culture that isn't prepared to hear truth," Alan said last year. "That doesn't change my dad's view at all. Prophets tend not to care about their public image. They tend to talk about their judgment as if it's real and they speak what God gives them to speak ... so he is, in that sense, a 21st century prophet."
Last year, the Breitbart Freedom of Speech Award was given to Conservative talk show host Mark Levin, and is named after Andrew Breitbart, a campaigning media mogul who founded the Breitbart news website and who died in 2012.
"We are am honored to partner with Citizens United in presenting this award...to Phil Roberston," said CPAC Executive Chairman Stephen K. Bannon. "Phil and his family have been that breath of fresh air Hollywood desperately needed. They are taking their faith and conservative politics mainstream. Phil has the guts to do and say what most politicians in Washington won't: You must adhere to your conservative beliefs, all of them, and never surrender or compromise them for anyone. We are proud supporters of the Robertsons."
Added Matt Schlapp, Chairman of the American Conservative Union, "Robertson personifies the importance of holding tight to that which gives our lives meaning. For Phil Robertson, that includes his family, the Lord above, and of course creating havoc in the Louisiana countryside. We are honored to have him at this year's CPAC."
