Duggars Redux: 19 Felonies and Counting

[Oxynia]

So the old thread was getting as girthy as a broodmare carrying 19 offspring...or Josh's rap sheet.

Continue your discussion about all things Duggar here.

[biondetta]

Those "safeguards" are so sad- to assume that all boys are potential sexual predators. And yet, these fuckers did nothing about the ACTUAL sexual predator in their home.

Not only does it assume all boys are potential predators, it puts the onus on girls to protect themselves, so it's their own fault if something happens.

I saw a comment on Twitter about the interview that said Jim Bob basically said he didn't know a family that hadn't had some sort of situation like this. I believe Anna's father said something similar a week or so ago. So that means fundie Christian families are rife with molestation. Not a great selling point for their brand of religion.

[CAgirl]

I'd forgotten about Jim Bob actually saying that he knows many families who have gone through similar things. What?!? So that makes it okay? What kind of thinking is that?
This interview seriously made me angry!

[Pomm]

The whole reaction to the situation is bizarre. This is the kind of thing that fractures families, but apparently they've all decided to stick together to defend their predator son/brother.

Is anyone else worried about Josh's own children? I mean, this isn't the kind of behavior that just magically stops, is it?

[lea1977]

Ofcourse they would go to Fox news thinking it was a "safer" situation, the Duggar's don't have the courage to go on a real organization. I didn't watch the interview, perhaps one day I might, but I enjoyed the comments.

As for Derrick and Jill going to Nepal? How can they help? I don't know if I would want to take a very young infant to a country that has just suffered such a massive disaster.

[putch]

I barely made it through the interview. Michelle's voice just bugs.

A few things that stood out to me:
- JB telling about Josh meeting the police chief. He said she made a comment that she was retiring soon and had a few things she wanted to do before she did. Uh, JB...that doesn't mean bringing you/your family down. Most people in high level positions I've known who were retiring have made a similar comment.
- Michelle talking about telling the girls about good/bad touching and that they shouldn't sit on any boys' or mens' laps...except Daddy's. Ewwwww!
- Despite Megyn asking several times about the girls, JB and Michelle always brought the "answers" back to Josh. Just goes to show where their loyalty really lies.

I'm so glad that I stopped watching TLC years ago. I've disliked this family ever since I first heard about them. They are absolutely despicable and I hope I'm behind them in line when they finally meet Jesus and he gives them what for. False prophets, indeed.

[tortuga]

They are so more fucked up than I ever imagined....

[Deleted]

There was so much fuckery in this interview it's impossible to process. Just when you think you've heard it all, you hear something else. The few times they spoke about their daughters is what stood out to me. Jim Bob emphasized that other families have had it worse and that his daughters weren't raped. Michelle interrupted him at one point to be sure to inform us that when Josh touched one of the girl's breasts it was "over clothes." They insisted that the girls slept through most of the abuse (yeah right). They referenced several times that the girls didn't understand what was happening. These are hints at the victim-blaming the girls were subjected to. Don't worry girls. It's not your fault. You didn't entice your brother with your flesh. Your virginity wasn't taken. Your mind was clear of sin because you didn't know what Josh was doing. You are clean. You are forgiven. Now go forgive your brother and get over it.

The safeguard talk was ridiculous. No family should have to live that way. After molesting his 5-year-old sister Josh should not have been allowed to live in the home again. When asked if they felt Josh was still a threat after his "counseling" they both emphatically said no, but then Michelle brought up the safeguards again. So yeah, he was still a threat and they knew it. The thing that would worry me the most about Josh's actions is that he molested four of his sisters, and the one he didn't was the only one who wasn't prepubescent. Jana would have been 12 and 13 at the time this was going on, and she's the only one he didn't victimize. I've read the statistics Megyn Kelly cited stating that the majority (85%) of young offenders don't re-offend as adults, but I have a feeling that, if you drill down those statistics and get into the details, that percentage goes down for young offenders who victimized prepubescent children. There is a predatory element involved when the victims are that young and that sort of thought process doesn't just go away with a little bit of counseling.

Seeing Jill crying and Jessa defiant and angry was shocking in a way. We NEVER see this family as anything but content and happy. I think the victims have a legit reason to be upset with this coming out. The only reasonable thing Jim Bob said was that the victims should be the ones to tell their stories (not that they ever would have). I feel very badly for them. They have been exposed to other opinions regarding what happened to them, and it must be confusing and painful to have to rethink things and experience a different journey towards healing. And by healing, I mean going back to living in denial. Hey, whatever works and gets you through the day I guess.

[chonies]

For those who didn't watch it, or those like me who want confirmation that they didn't imagine wtf they just watched, the Daily Beast gives a decent recap.

[Mugsy]

I didn't watch, so I'm basing my comments on what others have posted about the interview.

It strikes me that only the married victims were interviewed so that the unmarried victims would remain anonymous - not because JimBob and Michelle care about their feelings, but because they want them to remain unsullied to the public so they can still be courted "purely".

If molesting while the victim sleeps isn't bad because the victim doesn't know, is it okay to kill someone while they sleep? It's just as illegal, just as heinous, and the victim doesn't feel a thing. Duggar logic.

I did see a short clip on the news this morning, mostly of Michelle talking, and her simpering baby voice makes my slapping hand itch.