Josh & Anna Smuggar: A Series of Unfortunate Events

[b2H]

There is one thing bothering me. Let me preface by saying that Josh should be held fully accountable.

However, is it fair to say that he 'knew better' than to do this, based on his lack of socialization? Given the lack of outside world contact, where would he have learned that this behavior was improper? Was he ever in an unsupervised environment where ANYone would have been available for him to talk to? As the first born, this kid was more isolated than any of his siblings.

Surely Doofus and Mechelle wouldn't have done. So i am wondering from where he would've been properly instructed.

[Rhondinella]

What's the policy in linking petitions to get the show dropped, or a gofundme?

 

 

Have been told this is fine.  Link away.

[amkiss]

Looks like TMZ is posting that TLC is removing 19 Kids and Counting from the TV Show lineup!http://www.tmz.com/2015/05/22/tlc-pulls-19-kids-and-counting-josh-duggar-molestation-scandal/

[galax-arena]

Given the lack of outside world contact, where would he have learned that this behavior was improper?

If he honestly had no idea that his behavior was improper, IMO he would have done it out in the open, instead of scurrying off to laundry rooms or sneaking up on girls while they were asleep.

 

We're not talking about young children who rub their genitals in public because it feels good and they haven't learned proper boundaries yet. Josh did this in secret, he knew it wasn't right.

Edited May 22, 2015 by galax-arena

[silverspoons]

TLC's going to be in dire straits. The Willises aren't cutting it as Duggars 2.0; the newer little-people shows are interchangeable, and the Little Couple isn't adopting any more kids for the time being, presumably. And really, how many more wedding dresses can we sit through?

 

So many of the other shows -- Breaking Amish, the gypsy ones -- are just tawdry. It's going to be interesting to see what they come up with.

I wonder if TLC regrets giving up the rights to the Bates' show? Forgetting about what secrets are lurking behind any of these large families, the Bates' show is the most watchable of any of them.

[AnJen]

 

Even though I suspect it was because of Josh's severely repressed upbringing and no access to other girls and probably being told any sexual acting out (like healthy masturbation) is sinful

 

Sexual abuse seems kind of worse on the scale than masturbation, even to extremely religious people. Put yourself in the shoes of a horny, sexually repressed teen boy...you can either touch yourself and no one will know. Or you can touch your sisters, possibly as young as 5 years old, and definitely risk being caught. One of those makes way more sense than the other.

 

Thousands, even millions, of people in the world grow up in homes where sex is demonized like this...they don't all just start abusing their siblings. This was a choice Josh made, and while Michelle and JimBob should be held accountable for their poor parenting decisions that led to this choice, I think people need to address the fact that Josh 100% had other outlets and still chose to molest his little sisters. His guilt isn't lessened because he had crappy parents and a crazy religion.

 

He obviously had access to privacy to masturbate. There was an early special where one of the littles mentioned that no one was allowed to be in the bathroom with them because it's private. These kids aren't allowed to give each other a hug or a kiss on the cheek; do you think they're bathing together or keeping their "accountability partner" with them while they shower? That was obviously alone time for them. He could have jerked it out in the shower to get those urges out, and he. chose. instead. to. molest. little. girls. And yes, I consider a 13- or 14-year old a little girl.

 

I need to step away from this story. 

Edited May 22, 2015 by AnJen
lecturing other posters

[Cherrio]

http://m.tmz.com/#Article/2015/05/22/tlc-pulls-19-kids-and-counting-josh-duggar-molestation-scandal

General Mills blacklisted the show. Oh, how the mighty have fallen

I posted too about TMZ stating that General Mills has pulled their sponsorship, but it is not true.   I just called the company and I was told they are certainly aware of what is going on, but at this time they have not made a decision.

[dillpickles]

Have been told this is fine. Link away.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/945/442/875/petition-of-tlc-to-drop-the-show-19-kids-and-counting/

Still working on the gofundme, I'll add that in soon.

[BitterApple]

I think the TIME article makes some great points however I disagree with the author's assertion that the audience had a right to know about the molestation prior to the beginning of 19K&C. The Duggars' hypocrisy has been on full display for years. Those of us who watched the show regularly didn't need to know the girls were molested in order to understand their lifestyle is a sham. FWIW, the possibility of sexual/physical abuse has been floating around on the forums for years but discussion was forbidden by mods because it was, at that time, speculation and not fact. I don't think too many of us are surprised that this finally came out.

[Wellfleet]

I didn't look at the video, but that's rather odd -- Barnard was founded in 1889 as a women's college, and still is one.

 

I think Meryl's point was that overall, education for women is a relatively recent thing - and I don't think she was referring to those exact buildings on the Barnard campus. At least that's how it came off to me. View the video - as I said, it's well-worth it. I think she was generalizing about the time frame too. Before 1900, there really was very little in the way of post-secondary ed for women in the US - and even less acceptance for it.

[dillpickles]

I posted too about TMZ stating that General Mills has pulled their sponsorship, but it is not true. I just called the company and I was told they are certainly aware of what is going on, but at this time they have not made a decision.

Well, fudge.

[skippy]

I always got a very creepy vibe from Josh, like something was seriously messed up and that the "sin in the camp" was really bad (I get the same creepy vibe from Jim Boob). Until now, this was mere speculation. This is even worse than what I expected. Yuck! 

Shame on Jim Boob and MEchelle to just swipe it under the rug, not getting him proper counseling, letting him continue to live in their house all the while acting like nothing ever happened.

 

Does anyone recall the incident between Jessa and Jana, when Jessa slept in a bunk bed underneath Jana and kicked her the whole night. When Jana complained to her parents, they made her (Jana) give her bully (Jessa) her most prized possession. The jewelry box. Instead of disciplining Jessa & soothing Jana, they punished Jana for complaining. Based on this, one has to wonder if Jim Boob and MEchelle fault the victims in this case & blame them instead of Josh?

I'm sure Jim Bob and Michelle made the girls feel like they did something wrong to cause Josh to molest them. Remember, it's the woman's responsibility not to wear provocative clothing that might cause a man to look at her lasciviously. This has got to be a major factor in Jana not having the self-confidence and self-esteem to get the hell out of there. Those girls are carrying their brother's shame.

[CarolMK]

Maybe TLC will rerun old shows for awhile. There will always be something to replace the Duggars. I'd watch old episodes of Trading Spaces, and I'm sure at least some viewers would tune in, even though it's been off the air for awhile. Wouldn't cost them anything to show them again.

They might even decide to rerun old episodes of the Gosselins when they were toddlers. That show got TLC huge ratings the first couple of seasons that it was on...Jon and Kate plus 8? I'm sure that TLC could find an audience to replace the Duggars. Viewers are fickle. They might protest but as soon as something else comes along, they'll move on.

[silverspoons]

Looks like TMZ is posting that TLC is removing 19 Kids and Counting from the TV Show lineup!http://www.tmz.com/2015/05/22/tlc-pulls-19-kids-and-counting-josh-duggar-molestation-scandal/

This whole scandal coming out right now almost seems like it was timed. Josh buys a house in Arkansas about 6 weeks ago? The show just finished their season. If TLC takes the reruns off the air, they look good. 5 months from now I bet TLC is hoping that  most people forget and the excitement of Jessa's baby and Josiah's courtship(or by that time marriage, engagement) will bring enough viewers back. If this scandal had broken 2 months ago, would TLC not aired Jessa's wedding and honeymoon? It was one of their highest ratings ever. Sadly I think TLC thinks of money over doing the right thing.

Remember last year after Michelle's robocalls there was a petition to get the show removed. Jim Bob laughed and said try to cancel us, start petitions, it will never happen. We are the #1 show. I was shocked Jim Bob was so smug in print. The only petition I could find to cancel the show on Credo had less signatures then the robocall one last year. As much as I think the show should be cancelled. I bet we see no reruns all summer and then in October or November we get Jessa baby episodes to test the waters.

[Cherrio]

Well, fudge.

Oh, I think they will break ties sooner rather than later.      I was hoping to hear it was true too.   I did include in my conversation that as a consumer I will no longer buy any General Mills Products until they do sever ties.     Emails and calls to sponsors are the fastest way to get a show gone.

[LexiconDevilOne]

The rumor around the FreeJinger site, years ago (over 5, when that 'sin in the camp' stuff came out), was it was a Holt girl who Josh 'touched inappropriately', and they were in a courtship.

 

 

Looking back, it could have been. Since the Holts family stopped contact with the Duggars abruptly.

[JoanArc]

Re: Josh's upbringing causing all of this. OF COURSE it did, but I was just thinking. In AA, they acknowledge that alcololism is genetic, that it parenting style can pass it on to kids, that high stress jobs cause it, they started young, etc. but the ultimate reason why someone takes a drink - they're a drunk. Therefore they must accept personal responsibility. I think that applies to Josh's situation as well. He's a molester, and in the end it was HIS CHOICE to do what he did. It was also JB&M's terrible choices afterwards that brought them here now.

 

(Full disclosure - I'm not an alcoholic or addict, but I've spent a lot of time with them.)

[Saylii]

Amy's boyfriend is claiming on his Instagram that she's not involved.

https://instagram.com/p/2_T7eIgbPb/

As a reader, I would not feel comfortable with a GoFundMe affiliated with the site if it's not definitive that the girls would be in control of the money. If it's started by a viewer, and not a member of the extended family (I'd be okay with the elder Seewalds, Cathy or Dan, Sean or Frank Sun, or Oprah et al.) then I would not trust the GoFundMe at all.

Edited May 22, 2015 by Saylii

[VioletNevermind]

TLC's going to be in dire straits. The Willises aren't cutting it as Duggars 2.0; the newer little-people shows are interchangeable, and the Little Couple isn't adopting any more kids for the time being, presumably. And really, how many more wedding dresses can we sit through?

 

So many of the other shows -- Breaking Amish, the gypsy ones -- are just tawdry. It's going to be interesting to see what they come up with.

Kody Brown has to be shitting bricks. His show and family now lead the way as Most Dysfuntional on TLC.

[natyxg]

Even though I suspect it was because of Josh's severely repressed upbringing and no access to other girls and probably being told any sexual acting out (like healthy masturbation) is sinful. I'm not really sure I would classify him as a pedophile, as much as you can know anyone from television.

 

I've seen similar things posted over and over and I don't think I agree. I knew young men who at 14 also didn't have "access" to women and didn't fondle their mother or any female in sight.  I think it has to do with the obsession the family has with sex. Sort of like how the kid whose father shows him porn at 8 and he gets a warped view of sexuality and ends up flashing or fondling some girl, only in this case it was all about how sex is bad while simultaneously acting as if boys are insatiable sex beings that can't help themselves around women, which is why girls have to cover themselves so much and can't even dance or be alone with boys. That has to create a lot of curiosity in a perverse way and a lot of fucked up feelings and thoughts. It's like a weird case of a self fulfilling prophecy.

 

But of course, I comment from the sidelines so I can be totally off.

[Rhondinella]

Hey, for the moment could we cease and desist with the attempts to determine exactly what names were redacted? I want to get some guidance from on high about this before continuing (or not). I'll get back to you. Just sit tight on that subject for the moment.  Thanks.

 

 

Alright, the consensus is that this conversation can continue, but I can't stop myself from saying I think it's pretty icky.  (That's personal opinion, not official mod policy).

[Oldernowiser]

There is one thing bothering me. Let me preface by saying that Josh should be held fully accountable.

However, is it fair to say that he 'knew better' than to do this, based on his lack of socialization? Given the lack of outside world contact, where would he have learned that this behavior was improper? Was he ever in an unsupervised environment where ANYone would have been available for him to talk to? As the first born, this kid was more isolated than any of his siblings.

Surely Doofus and Mechelle wouldn't have done. So i am wondering from where he would've been properly instructed.

See, you're clearly so much kinder than I am, so I admire that, but when do they NOT talk about sex? Defrauding this, don't touch that, Nike, side hugs, purity, giving pieces of your heart away, blablabla. I'm too much of a bitch to think that they needed to add, "oh, and especially don't grope your sisters" for him to think that, unlike everything else, would be okay.

[LexiconDevilOne]

Hey, for the moment could we cease and desist with the attempts to determine exactly what names were redacted? I want to get some guidance from on high about this before continuing (or not). I'll get back to you. Just sit tight on that subject for the moment.  Thanks.

OOps, sorry. I didn't get as far as reading your post, when I wrote mine. Again, sorry.

[Guest]

Question for the mods - Can I post what I have been told by someone that works for TLC or is it considered hearsay? It verifies the names of two of his victims

I have no interest in knowing who his victims are - but I DO have interest in knowing how someone from TLC knows who they are. Obviously the knowledge didn't come from the redacted police report so did they know because one of the girls confided in them or did they know all along because Boob and Michelle told them what was going on? Or was this information gleaned from a victim in the last 24 hours?

 

My guess is that TLC knew all along. And just did not care. And had no issue putting on a show showcasing this high-moral-value family. (My guess too is that TLC also knew about June cavoriting with her daughter's rapist and didn't fall on their fainting couch until it became public knowledge.)

[dillpickles]

Amy's boyfriend is claiming on his Instagram that she's not involved.

As a reader, I would not feel comfortable with a GoFundMe affiliated with the site if it's not definitive that the girls would be in control of the money. If it's started by a viewer, and not a member of the extended family (I'd be okay with the elder Seewalds, Cathy or Dan, Sean or Frank Sun, or Oprah et al.) then I would not trust the GoFundMe at all.

Hmm, that is true. I guess I'll just stick to the petition, and maybe a Duggar/Seewald/Dillard will think of it.

[skippy]

Anna in the People article kept calling it "teenage mistakes."  No dear, as you know full well, it was sin.  He sinned!  ARRRGGGHHHH!  I hate it when they try to whitewash things.

If someone else had done it, I would be a sin.

[leighroda]

I think beyond the tragedy of the girls who were abused, one of the sadder parts of this is that had it been handled at the time appropriately much of this scrutiny would have been avoided. Granted they were still new to TV when this happened and there wasn't really a precedent... Maybe it would have caused them to not make it beyond the specials, I don't know, but I think in the long run if the people involved would have gotten the treatment/counseling they likely needed the general public would have been much more forgiving... Let me be clear that I do not believe this should be swept under the rug or not a big deal, it's a very big deal, but if it was truly a "teenage mistake" as they want to call it, if it had been handled appropriately at the time I don't think people would be calling for blood as they are now, Josh's job would not be effected (granted he may not have had the same cushy job without the public exposure he had from being on TV, he would at least have a job which is more than what he has now).

It makes me sad that something this traumatic was happening under their own roof but JB and Michelle were so focused on having 5 more kids and parading them in front of America as a "perfect family". And how they are so adamant about making rules for everyone like not allowing stores to sell alcohol, and taking away rights from people who haven't done anything wrong like when they preach about lbgt marriage. I wonder if they'll figure out a way to spin this to blame Michelle's gay sister.

[silverspoons]

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/945/442/875/petition-of-tlc-to-drop-the-show-19-kids-and-counting/

Still working on the gofundme, I'll add that in soon.

I had been trying to find a petition. This one has almost 12,000 signatures since last night. I'll admit I'm not familiar with which sites might be better. Just trying to find one that gets enough signatures to be effective(which I assume is100,000 +?)

https://www.credomobilize.com/petitions/tell-tlc

[CalamitysChild]

http://act.weareultraviolet.org/sign/tlc_duggars/

 

A petition via Ultra Violet to have the show cancelled. Their petitions often get tons of attention and have been proven to cause action to be taken. 

[TaxNerd]

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/945/442/875/petition-of-tlc-to-drop-the-show-19-kids-and-counting/

Still working on the gofundme, I'll add that in soon.

What is the go fund me for? All the kids are still under JB's authority. Wouldn't it be like donating directly to them?

To the previous suggestion that Oprah give each girl $1million, unfortunately money doesn't solve people's problems. Look at lottery winners. Just handing out cash can easily lead to a path of self destruction, especially if they have grown up without having any tools whatsoever to handle money of their own.

[dillpickles]

http://act.weareultraviolet.org/sign/tlc_duggars/

A petition via Ultra Violet to have the show cancelled. Their petitions often get tons of attention and have been proven to cause action to be taken.

I signed all three, one of them will work.

[Wellfleet]

I don't consider the inability to get sex from someone as repression. The Duggars are repressed. They are not allowed to express normal, healthy desires in any way. That's repression. 14 year old boys are hormonal and are learning to understand what is going on with their bodies. Masturbation is a normal, healthy outlet for those feelings. I wouldn't characterize "practically every" 14 year old as repressed. Not all 14 year old boys are thinking about sex or wanting sex constantly.

 

Having never been a 14-year old boy, I can't speak to the "waiting sex constantly" issue. I once heard a [male] school psychologist refer to teenaged boys as "hormones with feet" - but the Duggars and their kind are most certainly repressed, sexually and in many other ways.

[Glade]

The majority of 'child offenders' were molested themselves, so I think the imperative really should have been on treatment and counseling (and not fundamentalist christian counseling, which would have seen consensual sexual contact with a non-relative as equally 'sinful.') for him and his victims.  It's not a surprise that this was covered up though, since these people just had kids to beat them with rods, neglect their emotional needs and brainwash them.  That is exactly the kind of environment in which cycles of intergenerational incest and abuse tend to thrive.  Sending Josh to juvenile hall would not have rehabilitated him (and yes, at 14, rehabilitation is possible) or really protected the other kids from being preyed on by someone else.  I really hope this "family" is broken up and loses their influence and can't keep their abuse a secret anymore.  

[Lemons]

I'm sorry to sound cruel and yes his parents own most of this shit but i have two sons. They knew better at that age. Trying to absolve him of this is not right. He should have been removed from the home and received real counselling.

 

Not only that, but most boys would be repulsed if they touched their sisters like that.  And these people think that homosexuality is unnatural?  Wow.

[Hana Chan]

Well, TLC has taken some initial action - 19K&C has been pulled from the schedule. No word yet if they plan to cancel the show entirely yet, but it seems possible.

[Aja]

Hoo doggies. I read Mike Huckabee's statements. Everyone knows he's hypocritical to the point of it being just comical (harping about the immoral lyrics in pop music and then getting up onstage to play Cat Scratch Fever with Ted Nugent etc), but that's just sick. And it just goes to show that those right-wing fundy extremists will defend ANYTHING if it comes from their side, even child molestation. The best any of them can do as say "look, he was only fourteen, he had a weird upbringing." I know lots of people who had weird upbringings. I know people who were molested as young children who did not go on to fondle their siblings as teenagers. I know people who had unimaginable childhoods involving drugs and neglect and they also did not go on to fondle their siblings as teenagers. Someone upthread made a very short post in which they stated "Josh should have been immediately removed from the home." Period. I could not agree more. It's pretty black and white. Whatever went wrong in Josh's head, whatever kind of counselling he needs, whatever could have been done preemptively that wasn't, those are all separate issues. He should have been REMOVED from "temptation" (since, apparently, his own underaged siblings were temptation) and he should not have been allowed around them unsupervised from that point forward. He's a predator.

[BitterApple]

I'm not sure if I believe Amy's boyfriend but I'll let it go at that.

The worst thing about this is the fact that Josh never received any real treatment. A stern talking-to and time spent remodeling a house are not a replacement for intensive therapy under the guidance of a licensed clinician. God only knows whether the behavior truly stopped or continued and escalated without being reported.

[Oldernowiser]

My current prediction is that they're going to go on Oprah or Sixty Minutes, the victims will be forced to announce that it was no big deal, that they forgave him long ago, it's up to Jesus to judge us all, seventeen mentions of praying and purposing about it, crocodile tears from JB and Michelle about how this was a private matter and they only did what they thought was best for the family, a few shots at the liberal media, and then they'll be counting on it all going away because they really do think people love them too much to cancel this stupid show.

[Boofish]

We just heard back from the site administrator, and he said no, he doesn't want that posted.

 

Again, thanks for asking.

No worries; glad I asked first!

[TaxNerd]

The rumor around the FreeJinger site, years ago (over 5, when that 'sin in the camp' stuff came out), was it was a Holt girl who Josh 'touched inappropriately', and they were in a courtship.

Looking back, it could have been. Since the Holts family stopped contact with the Duggars abruptly.

He also could have never touched her, but instead confessed to it happening as he claims he disclosed to Anna while courting. It's possible the Holts just reacted to the news and cut ties immediately.

[skippy]

Like Bitter Apple, I also have mixed feelings. I'm not sure that the sisters and Josh hate each other or haven't genuinely forgiven him. I don't think they are uncomfortable around him. And I don't think his children are in any danger.

I think canceling the show will mean a childhood of loneliness for the youngest children. The only chance they have of getting the help they need is keeping them in the public eye, and they will simply be even more ignored.

I think Michelle and possibly Jill are at risk for depression, if they aren't already there.

Not saying to keep the show on the air. At this point, it's now a very different show. But cutting it off suddenly will create a strong ripple effect that has a lot more to do than seeing Jim Bob, Michelle and Josh finally get humiliated.

One of the things that makes incestual molestation so horrid is that the victim almost always does indeed have strong affection, love, for her/his molester. I'm sure the girls do "love" their brother, but simultaneously they feel revulsion, despair, anger, resentment, shame. There is no way they are "over it". Even victims who eventually get very good counseling do not get "over it".

[TheFinalRose]

What I hate is the fundies tossing around the term "forgiveness" as if it neutralizes everything and anything that went down. And I don't believe any of those young girls were in a position to "forgive" Josh his trespasses immediately upon discovery, which I have a feeling is what they were forced to do. Imagine the internal struggles the girls go through berating themselves for still "remembering" what happened, or for having "angry thoughts" towards Josh when they "forgave" him.  It's so messed up.  

 

 

 

[Fuzzysox]

After reading everything for the last two days it leaves you wondering if he touched anyone else that he didn't admit to? I had to ask because it's really a fucked up situation all around.

 

Now with the internet they have been outed it will never go away and I'm left wondering too if their cult will shun them too? I can't imagine anyone would want them around. 

[frenchtoast]

It makes my heart ache. On the flip side, I'm so proud to be a mod of this forum, how you've all expressed yourselves so thoughtfully and with sympathy. It's made it a welcome place for others to post about their experiences, too. We may not be able to do much for the these victims, but we all know it's not just them, and you've all made this a safe place for people to share. And that's just as important.

 

No matter who was molested, the entire family is affected. And I wish that on no one. 

[ms.o]

My office offers a monthly class for adults who are supervising kids who have been involved in Juv system for sexual offenses.  We tell parents about proper supervision, the importance of therapy, and how to appropriately talk to kids about what is going on.  We've learned that the recidivism rate for these youth is approx 12% IF they have received proper therapy.  The goal of the juvenile system is not to punish per se, but to "nip in the bud" these behaviors. One of my co-presenters actually did his thesis on the subject and found that juvenile offenders were more likely to have lived in a home with ongoing physical/verbal abuse then sexual abuse.  

 

All this to say - there are teenagers who have abused other kids but do not  continue the behavior into adulthood.  But they need professional therapy.  More importantly, the victims should have been given therapy. I'm only 2 hours from the Duggars.  They can come live with me!!

Edited May 22, 2015 by ms.o

[BitterApple]

What I hate is the fundies tossing around the term "forgiveness" as if it neutralizes everything and anything that went down. And I don't believe any of those young girls were in a position to "forgive" Josh his trespasses immediately upon discovery, which I have a feeling is what they were forced to do. Imagine the internal struggles the girls go through berating themselves for still "remembering" what happened, or for having "angry thoughts" towards Josh when they "forgave" him. It's so messed up.

I agree. The victim interviews took place three and a half years after the incident yet one of the girls burst into tears after the investigator asked her if she knew why she was there and what they needed to discuss. The emotions were still very close to the surface. I think the girls have learned to cope in their own ways but are still in need of counseling.

[Reddust]

My male cousins were always grabbing the girl cousins and trying stuff when they could get them alone, I was 12 and the worst of the boys were 16 & 18.  I thought that sort of thing happened a lot.  I must be naïve.

[neece26]

 

God only knows whether the behavior truly stopped or continued and escalated without being reported.

 

Exactly.  And now he has daughters of his own in the mix that need to be considered.   It was not just a one off incident that could be labeled a "mistake", It was a pattern of behavior.

 

I don't see a path forward for the show because there is no real redemption arc to this story for Jim Boob, Michele or Josh.  The public loves to see holier than thou hypocrites get taken down a notch or two.  Perhaps there would be some version of the show with just the girls in the future but the brand may be damaged beyond repair for the Duggar name.

[natyxg]

I agree. The victim interviews took place three and a half years after the incident yet one of the girls burst into tears after the investigator asked her if she knew why she was there and what they needed to discuss. The emotions were still very close to the surface. I think the girls have learned to cope in their own ways but are still in need of counseling.

 

If secular girls can be so deeply affected by something like this, for someone with their background it has to be even worse, I think. If they cannot even dance  and have those million rules about modesty, thinking they were touched were they were touched is bound to be devastating because they would see it as such a dirty and sinful thing.That is what I thought when I read the part about the girl crying, that she was probably one of the most obedient ones who really bought into their ideology and probably felt quite damaged and dirty for it.

[Wellfleet]

I've always thought that Anna resembled the Duggars and blended right in with the older girls.  Now that everything has come out about Josh, it makes their relationship a bit more skeevy.

 

According to my DVR, after today, there are no episodes of 19 Kids scheduled to air until Wednesday morning.  Plenty of time for TLC to rearrange their schedule to put something new in the lineup.  Right now Matt Rolloff, Kate Gosselin, the Sister Wives, and couponers and hoarders across America are probably doing a happy dance at the thought of their shows possibly being brought back to replace the Duggars.

 

I'm just wondering if they will air next season's episodes that they have already filmed.  There is stuff on Josiah's courtship and Jessa's pregnancy.  If they are planning on showing these episodes, I would bet that there is a lot of editing going on behind the scenes right now.  I doubt we will see a special on M4's birth (if they bring the show back, I wouldn't be surprised to see the opening lineup changed so that they don't have to show Josh and his family), but I'm guessing that there are still people who want to see something later this year on Jessa and her new family, along with updates on little Israel.

 

True enough. MSNBC - where a survey presently shows that 81% of people are voting to see the show cancelled - just announced that TLC is "pulling the show from its lineup..." and went on to say that this is apparently not the same as a cancellation. I think - and fervently hope - that TLC will make this permanent. Setting everything else aside - for financial reasons alone - it's the smarter move. I hope they can see it that way. How long could it last if they do bring it back? Like the Gosselins, there will be people watching out of curiosity for a few weeks, but that will drop off quickly. In addition, there would have to be a lot of changes made. Josh and Anna completely eliminated. No more big, rattling "...and I delivered every one of them..." intro. Lots of editing to existing footage. And which sponsors would want to be associated with it? While all the time continuing to pay Boob? No, as poor as I think TLC management is, I don't see them bringing the show back. 

Edited May 23, 2015 by Wellfleet