Can You Believe It? Andy Griffith Not Nice?

Image taken as President George W. Bush presents him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. 2005 Image via Wikipedia

This information guy totally blew my childhood away. I mean, seriously, if we can't believe the lead of The Andy Griffith show, Opie's Dad was not, in real life, a decent guy.  According to Arthur Axleman, Andy Griffith was anti-semitic and

 "The present North Carolina-based actor and star of the WMA packaged "Matlock" (1986-1995) has always made industry "evil lists" for enthusiastically serving as captain of mean spirit, hostility and vitriol. " (Arthur Axelman)

I learned of this in The Wrap TV, specifically, from Arthur Axleman's feature.  These are his beliefs. I am passing them on to you. I have done no other research on this.

Andy Griffith (Image via RottenTomatoes.com)

While as an adult learning this is not on a par as learning Santa Claus was not real, it is still a shock.  If the show had not been eponymously named it would be easier to accept; after all, it's his show and his character and he shared a first name. They must be the same person, right?

No it's not the end of the world, just the death of what was a nice memory. People for whom the experience of discrimination is a daily occurence may be used to having their views smashed. But this is a bummer.