Josh & Anna Smuggar: A Series of Unfortunate Events

[bluebonnet]

As do I. But not forever. Josh was a child, too. at the time. He was only 14 years old. You've made mistakes before, I'm sure. Lord knows I have. I'm glad I can forgive and grateful that I can be forgiven.

Mistakes =/= Serious Crimes

[Dawn16]

I don't think there would be this much anger against Josh, the adult, had he not hitched his star to an organization that has spread hatred and lies about the gay community - including accusations that they are going to molest children given any opportunity.  Most of us dislike hypocrisy.

I personally would have just as much anger toward him and his parents if they had never said a word on that issue.  I don't want his supporters to believe that it's all about liberals taking down a soldier of God fighting against homosexual sin.  It is certainly not for me.  A lot my anger does stem from his arrogance (daring to joke about incest being just one example), his parents lack of concern for their daughters' well-being by putting them on national television and forcing them to act sweet, and their constantly repeated beliefs about temptation and defrauding. 

[CherryAmes]

It's not up to me to forgive Josh Duggar.  Forgiveness is not the issue.  He committed a crime, multiple times - he did not make mistakes.  In our society, generally, even minors are expected to pay for those crimes to some degree or another even if that payment only comes down to getting treatment and appropriate follow up.  This was not done for Josh Duggar and for that it is not unreasonable to question the way things were handled both by the parents and by those in the community who were made aware of his crimes.

[Aja]

At fourteen I knew that incest was disgusting and wrong. We are biologically hard-wired not to be sexually attracted to siblings for a  reason. When someone is, it means something has gone very, very wrong inside their head. And early adolescence is when these kinds of mental problems start manifesting.

Edited May 26, 2015 by Aja

[NextIteration]

As do I. But not forever. Josh was a child, too. at the time. He was only 14 years old. You've made mistakes before, I'm sure. Lord knows I have. I'm glad I can forgive and grateful that I can be forgiven.

 

For most of us and our value and belief systems, Josh did not make a "mistake", Josh committed a crime, serially, again and again and did not stop - until someone told on him, bringing it to the attention of his parents.

 

Exacerbating all that, his parents failed to act in the proper manner and went about trying to hide what happened, instead of going directly to Child Protection for proper assistance in the matter, further exposing Josh's victims to shame, trauma and guilt.

 

Finally, after all of this, Josh and his parents had the gall to spew hate at others, accusing people for no reason of being child predators.

[Aw my lahgs]

As do I. But not forever. Josh was a child, too. at the time. He was only 14 years old. You've made mistakes before, I'm sure. Lord knows I have. I'm glad I can forgive and grateful that I can be forgiven.

 

Of course we have. We all have made mistake, dumb, stupid mistakes.... However, what Josh did was not a mistake!! 

He committed a 4th degree felony! He's a child molester.. Not a teen who did a dumb thing... He committed a crime, multiple times!

[Jamiesmum]

His victims were, as far as the reports and data about the family can be interpreted, potentially between the ages of 5 and 12. Isn't THAT enough? Blood relationships have nothing to do with the horror of what he did.

(I'm uncomfortable with the idea that somehow it's "more" horrible because it's incest. He molested young girls who were not capable of consent. That is ENOUGH. His relationship to them is beside the point to me.)

He molested girls who had to see him on a daily basis, who did not know if or when another occurrence may take place. And they had to serve him and be joyful about it. They had no respite from their abuser. He was across the table at home school. He was in the next chair while watching TV. He was behind them at home church. There was no escape. Horrible as it is for any molested child, one who does not live with their abuser has an opportunity to have a break from the absolute awfulness even for a short period of time. They live in fear, yes, but not the fear that putting on a load of washing is cause for an attack. Or that story time with the family is fraught with danger. His relationship is very much the point. His relationship put him in a position of unceasing power over them. And his nasty comments over the years reveal that he was comfortable enough to believe he still maintained that power.

Edited to remove double posting.

Edited May 26, 2015 by Jamiesmum

[JenCarroll]

 

There are two issues with Josh.  He is blatantly unrepentant and his entire adult life has been a mission of hatred and hypocrisy.  His apology was a non-apology, and it was all about him him him.  Worse, he and his entire family acted as though these very serious charges were just bad teenage mistakes.  No, they are serious crimes.  Furthermore, he and his family wield great influence, time they like to spend telling people that they should be just like the Duggar cult because everyone else are a bunch of child predators.

This. Exactly this.

[Julia]

As do I. But not forever. Josh was a child, too. at the time. He was only 14 years old. You've made mistakes before, I'm sure. Lord knows I have. I'm glad I can forgive and grateful that I can be forgiven.

Forgiveness is between Josh and his victims, and Josh and God. Consequences, on the other hand, have to do with the larger society, which has laws, if you're not so fortunately situated as to be able to flout them with impunity due to your family connections.

Bluntly, I don't think forgiveness is for us to give. We weren't the injured party. Sympathy? Sure. Even empathy if you're so inclined. Not forgiveness. But even if someone is spiritually confident enough to feel that they can forgive in place of God and the victims, there's a path for reentering society as someone who's shown themselves to be a predator, and Josh chose not to take it.

Edited May 26, 2015 by Julia

[CarolMK]

I've seen some posts about the possibility of the show continuing without Josh and Anna. I was thinking about how Jon and Kate plus 8 was changed to Kate plus 8 once Jon and Kate got divorced. Overall, it didn't do nearly as well as the original show but they still seem to have at least a few shows per year. The show went on hiatus for about 3 years between 2011 and 2014 when it returned. Maybe TLC will bring back something along the line of "Duggar Daughters". It will be difficult if not impossible to show the younger Duggar siblings without the parents though. Public opinion of Josh is very negative now, but I'm not sure if as many people blame Jim Bob and Michelle for what happened. Personally, I do hold them responsible and I wouldn't like to see them getting paid again for a 19 Kids and Counting show. Jana and Jinger, living in the Duggar household, probably would not be able to participate either even though both are over the age of 18. It's a mess all around and I don't know if TLC can come up with a solution other than cancellation or just doing a couple of specials with Jessa and Jill's families. 

[bluebonnet]

I don't want to see any Duggar show, not unless it's a show about how they left the Gothard fundy cult.  

[Aethera]

Folks, another reminder not to speculate about whether others in the family may have been abusers, including the parents.  We will continue to edit out or hide those speculations.  If part of your posts disappears, that could be why.

 

Things are getting heated again, regarding the "is it a mistake and why can't you forgive it" idea - let's remember not to pile on those with whom we disagree.  Stay respectful, please!

 

 

[Julia]

I don't want his supporters to believe that it's all about liberals taking down a soldier of God fighting against homosexual sin.

For me, the relevance of that particular advocacy is that Josh believes we need national legislation to keep people who he believes are predisposed to sexual predation away from children, and that (entirely imaginary) predisposition should affect their ability to hold jobs, have families and choose where to live.

The person in this conversation who is most insistent that someone like Josh should be kept from public life is Josh.

Edited May 26, 2015 by Julia

[Aja]

 

As do I. But not forever. Josh was a child, too. at the time. He was only 14 years old. You've made mistakes before, I'm sure. Lord knows I have. I'm glad I can forgive and grateful that I can be forgiven.

I think that, at least for me, it goes way beyond the scandal that has just come out. Many of us on here have been following the Duggars and expressing concern about the harm their beliefs are causing since the early specials. Many of us have been looking past the shiny People magazine covers for many years. But, for all of our speculation, all of our misgivings, all of the things that the Duggars have done over the years that we have disagreed with, none of us were really expecting anything this awful. Personally, up until a week ago, the situation the Duggar girls are in has always made my heart heavy and made me feel helpless as I watched these bright, sweet girls being browbeaten and brainwashed into fundie baby-zombies. That's how I've always seen it. Therefore, the scandal, for me, has only confirmed the darkest, deepest fears I had for the females in that family. It's worse than we realized, and a lot of us feel deeply personal about it. The facts of the scandal on their own are enough to turn anyone's stomach. But coupled with the oppression and abuse the girls have been suffering for years, live on TV, it's almost too much.

[Cherrio]

The question I am asking this morning is:     Who will be the first one to sell out?     Or leave or both.

 I am not attaching a negative to selling out in this case because I do not think that any of the Duggars have any other way to support themselves.  Only a few have a GED if I am not mistaken?

 They have been brought up with beliefs that would make it very difficult to function in the real world. I would not count Josh's job and life as functioning the real world considering who he was working for.

           If the Kellers have one brain cell among them, I would hope they would get Anna and the kids and head for Oprah's.   Many have stated she has no place to go, but unlike so many who only have shelters as an option, Anna I am sure would be offered countless invitations.  Some with a price attached, some without.

[Literata]

The Today Show speculated this morning that TLC might decide to continue the series under the guise of "showing REAL reality TV -- how a family handles a crisis of a monumental nature." But I really don't think that will fly with the viewing public, or with advertisers.

 

If the show were to follow Smuggar as he sought professional help, maybe that would be of interest ... but IMO, that's never going to happen, given that any therapist worth his or her salt would want to treat him in a way that would fly in the face of all the patriarchal nonsense.

 

I've seen some posts about the possibility of the show continuing without Josh and Anna. I was thinking about how Jon and Kate plus 8 was changed to Kate plus 8 once Jon and Kate got divorced. Overall, it didn't do nearly as well as the original show but they still seem to have at least a few shows per year. The show went on hiatus for about 3 years between 2011 and 2014 when it returned. Maybe TLC will bring back something along the line of "Duggar Daughters". It will be difficult if not impossible to show the younger Duggar siblings without the parents though. Public opinion of Josh is very negative now, but I'm not sure if as many people blame Jim Bob and Michelle for what happened. Personally, I do hold them responsible and I wouldn't like to see them getting paid again for a 19 Kids and Counting show. Jana and Jinger, living in the Duggar household, probably would not be able to participate either even though both are over the age of 18. It's a mess all around and I don't know if TLC can come up with a solution other than cancellation or just doing a couple of specials with Jessa and Jill's families.

 

This all makes sense, but seems awfully complicated. Given the family makeup, I think it's going to have to be all or nothing, or all but the Smuggars.

[JenCarroll]

I would guess that right now, Jim Bob is plotting strategies for how to bring in money. One possibility is to set some of the girls up to do interviews where they explain that kids make mistakes, all is forgiven, they're long since healed, etc. The problem with that is the follow-up questions and not being able to predict whether the girls hold it together. Maybe some of the Christian broadcasters? They could wax on about the power of forgiveness and not being your own victim, and if they cry it can all be attributed to their overwhelming love for the lord. Thoughts? Will interviewers continue to accept the "pre-approved questions only" rule? (This is, of course, only my guess about one angle that could be under discussion, nothing more.)

Edited May 26, 2015 by JenCarroll

[kathe5133]

What about TLC?  Somebody took the time to send a letter to Oprah, which the Oprah people turned over to the police.  "Alice" has been quite vocal on message boards.  And there is the mystery someone who the lent a book to which contained some sort of incriminating letter.  Where was TLC in all this?  The person who contacted Oprah didn't try to contact TLC?  "Alice", who appears to be quite computer savvy couldn't get an email through?  I think TLC knew about this all along.  I honestly don't know how I feel about that. 

[dillpickles]

The question I am asking this morning is: Who will be the first one to sell out? Or leave or both.

I am not attaching a negative to selling out in this case because I do not think that any of the Duggars have any other way to support themselves. Only a few have a GED if I am not mistaken?

I think all of the older ones have A GED. Jessa might be the only one with a HS diploma, though.

[Literata]

The question I am asking this morning is: Who will be the first one to sell out? Or leave or both.

 

I think we can hope until the cows come home, but it's not going to happen.

 

I'm sure that now, even more than before, the kids' heads are being filled with "We're being attacked because of our faith" nonsense. Boob and MEchelle are going to work even harder to convince them that this crisis wasn't a result of Smuggar's actions, but of some vast left-wing conspiracy. And this undoubtedly is bringing up all kinds of horrible stuff for the girls, who will likely retreat into what they know best -- hearth and home -- to process it as best they can and to try to find comfort.

 

I really don't think any of them will see this as an opportunity to make a change. They're just not equipped to deal with anything like this.

[Adiba]

I personally would have just as much anger toward him and his parents if they had never said a word on that issue.  I don't want his supporters to believe that it's all about liberals taking down a soldier of God fighting against homosexual sin.  It is certainly not for me.  A lot my anger does stem from his arrogance (daring to joke about incest being just one example), his parents lack of concern for their daughters' well-being by putting them on national television and forcing them to act sweet, and their constantly repeated beliefs about temptation and defrauding.

I agree with this idea of separating the crime from the politics/ religion/ ideology of the perpetrator and his family. As galling as the hypocrisy is, it does not affect the seriousness of the act.

However, the fact that Josh was raised in such a patriarchal/legalistic cult may have affected the choices he made and his inability to control his deviant urges--coupled by the likelihood that he never received professional help after he acted on those urges--resulted in the "perfect storm", as a previous poster stated. That is where my mixed feelings come in--disgust at the crime, empathy for the victims, and a small bit of compassion for the perpetrator.I have to add that any small amount of compassion for Josh would shrink or disappear if more allegations come out that he has continued to reoffend into his adult years.

Now, saying all that-- would I trust him around children unsupervised? No. I also think the show should be canceled. Finally, I think that he should not hold public office.

[NextIteration]

The Today Show speculated this morning that TLC might decide to continue the series under the guise of "showing REAL reality TV -- how a family handles a crisis of a monumental nature." But I really don't think that will fly with the viewing public, or with advertisers.

 

Was it a Tamron Hall segment?  She just did one on her MSNBC show with Stephanie Marcus from the Huffington Post.  The speculation about a "real" reality show there was based on the (imho ill-concieved) WaPo OpEd from Friday.  Of note, Stephanie Marcus could barely sputter her words out she's so incensed about the situation and the victims and the audacity of Josh and his parents politically.  Essentially insinuating that Josh belongs in jail.

[IndianPaintbrush]

I'm not trying to defend him or his actions, but I am trying to understand how to think about the idea that any actions taken or remorse shown aren't enough.  Can anything ever be enough?

This is a really good question and it's one I've struggled with all weekend.  Nothing can be done about the statute of limitations, but there are some things I'd like to see happen.

 

The first step? No more television cameras and magazine covers.  The gravy train stops immediately and stays that way for a loooong time.  Then, Josh and the victims need to start counseling from licensed professionals who specialize in this kind of treatment, who do not blame victims, and who have never been associated with Gothard.  Finally, the Duggars stop publicly characterizing homosexuals and transgenders as child predators and sexual deviants.  They are free to believe whatever they want in private, but I do not want to hear their hypocritical, bigoted bullshit in robocalls and social media postings.

 

I don't believe any of those will happen.

Edited May 26, 2015 by IndianPaintbrush

[NextIteration]

I agree with this idea of separating the crime from the politics/ religion/ ideology of the perpetrator and his family. As galling as the hypocrisy is, it does not affect the seriousness of the act.

 

This was a huge bone of contention in my household yesterday with my daughter, which really surprised me.  I can definitely see it from that side as well, it's just more difficult for me to separate.  She brought up the fact that so many liberals defended Lena Dunham (ugh) and that she got a virtual pass from liberals because she is a supporter of all the "right causes".

[bluebonnet]

This was a huge bone of contention in my household yesterday with my daughter, which really surprised me.  I can definitely see it from that side as well, it's just more difficult for me to separate.  She brought up the fact that so many liberals defended Lena Dunham (ugh) and that she got a virtual pass from liberals because she is a supporter of all the "right causes".

No, people defended Lena Dunham because the person who brought the charge against her couldn't read and claimed a 17 year old Lena molested a toddler.  Lena was 7 when the incident occurred, and every professional pointed out that this was normal behavior.  A true example of playing doctor.  Josh, on the other hand, was 14.  There's a huge difference here.  

Edited May 26, 2015 by bluebonnet

[HumblePi]

Of course we have. We all have made mistake, dumb, stupid mistakes.... However, what Josh did was not a mistake!! 

He committed a 4th degree felony! He's a child molester.. Not a teen who did a dumb thing... He committed a crime, multiple times!

You're absolutely right. A sin is not always a crime, and a crime is not always a sin. But this was a sin that was also a crime. It's just inexcusable for Josh or his parents to treat this as a sin alone. Nobody will ever know to what extent his molestations went on. He was only discovered because Jim Bob caught him in the act. Now, he molested five different children. In our minds we think 'oh five times' but no. Five separate incidents over a long period of time and it could have been many multiples of times he molested each girl.

 

Josh and Anna have taken down their website. I'm sure people are thankful for that. Nobody needs to see a smiling Josh Duggar who we know now was hiding some dark and vile secrets from the public. Michelle and Jim Bob knew when they signed contracts and cashed checks from TLC that they were not only setting themselves up for public scrutiny but every one of their children as well. There was some talk about a spinoff show for Jill and Derick and I would bet there would be a spinoff for Jessa and Ben as well. I hope that TLC decides to leave the Duggar controversy in the dust just as they had left the Honey Boo Boo controversy behind.

[truthtalk2014]

Was there more than one police report released?

Not that I know of.  I went back and looked for what I had seen.  I was mistaken in that abuse happened at TTH - although it may have.  What I saw was on page 14 the address in Tonkitown (or whatever).  I realize now that it was the address of the place they lived when the interview was being given.  I believe that is correct.  If not, please correct me. lol

[ToukieSmith]

Here's what I'm struggling with:  Josh Duggar (and the whole family) is getting a bunch of much-deserved blow-back on this situation.  What he did was reprehensible, and we probably will never know all the details.  I'm not even sure I want to know.

 

But, how can a person ever come back from this kind of thing?  Without excusing or minimizing the impact of his actions, he apparently did this at the age of 14.  Can he ever demonstrate enough public remorse to be allowed to get on with his life in some way? Should he have never married, never had kids, or never tried to have a job linked to his faith?  Even stipulating that there are some options for his life that he foreclosed upon with his actions, is there ever anything he can do to be allowed to be a productive adult?  

 

I'm not trying to defend him or his actions, but I am trying to understand how to think about the idea that any actions taken or remorse shown aren't enough.  Can anything ever be enough?

 

It depends on the person.  Context is everything.  I suspect that a grown man molesting girls is not going to get any sympathy from anyone ever.  A 14 year-old kid molesting girls gets some consideration because of his age and his behaviors after the fact (was he repentant, did he make amends, was forgiveness granted).  I don't know what went on behind closed doors.  Josh may have been repentant and his victims may have forgiven him.  OTOH, he seems comfortable calling gays molesters without meaningful consideration of his own history.  Making incest jokes is never okay and you should always be differential to your victims, IMHO.

 

If the fundie men supposedly have no self-control, are constantly at risk for succumbing to temptation, and aren't expected to take any responsibility for their actions, it seems asinine that the fundie women should look to them as "leaders" and headships. Why follow someone so weak?

 

They don't have any other POV to draw from.  If you were raised by these knuckleheads, your thinking would be just as idiotic.  Its a shame and fascinating at the same time.  You know that a couple of folk at the top know what time it is.  The next tier of folk don't want to know what time it is so they don't ask the proper questions.  The next tier have no clue, but they listen to/follow the top 2 tier of folk.  Ignorance is bliss until crap hits the fan.  Unfortunately, the 3rd tier of folk will be hurt the most because they have no idea how to fin for themselves.

Edited May 26, 2015 by ToukieSmith

[graefin]

Josh and Anna have taken down their website. I'm sure people are thankful for that. Nobody needs to see a smiling Josh Duggar who we know now was hiding some dark and vile secrets from the public.

Their website has been back up since at least yesterday. There's a link to the family statements on it.

[bluebonnet]

 

Josh and Anna have taken down their website.

It was down for a couple of hours over the weekend, but otherwise the website has been up.  

[NextIteration]

There's a huge difference here.  

 

I don't want to go wending way off topic here, I should have written my post more clearly with attribution to my daughter's point.  My apologies.

[HumblePi]

This is a really good question and it's one I've struggled with all weekend.  

 

The first step? No more television cameras and magazine covers.  The gravy train stops immediately and stays that way for a loooong time.  Then, Josh and the victims need to start counseling from licensed professionals who specialize in this kind of treatment, who do not blame victims, and who have never been associated with Gothard.  Finally, the Duggars stop publicly characterizing homosexuals and transgenders as child predators and sexual deviants.  They are free to believe whatever they want in private, but I do not want to hear their hypocritical, bigoted bullshit in robocalls and social media postings.

 

I don't have believe any of those will happen.

How about Michelle and Jim Bob come in front of the public with some sort of 'mia culpa', specifically to lesbians and gays, for being guilty of judging homosexuals as child molesters and admit how wrong they were since they found out their own son was a child molester. The LGBT community deserves an apology from the Duggars for lobbying to have the rights granted to them through legislation be reversed.

Edited May 26, 2015 by HumblePi

[autumnh]

I would guess that right now, Jim Bob is plotting strategies for how to bring in money. One possibility is to set some of the girls up to do interviews where they explain that kids make mistakes, all is forgiven, they're long since healed, etc. The problem with that is the follow-up questions and not being able to predict whether the girls hold it together. Maybe some of the Christian broadcasters? They could wax on about the power of forgiveness and not being your own victim, and if they cry it can all be attributed to their overwhelming love for the lord. Thoughts? Will interviewers continue to accept the "pre-approved questions only" rule? (This is, of course, only my guess about one angle that could be under discussion, nothing more.)

 

I bet there is a book deal to be had in there somewhere...still so much UGH

[HumblePi]

Their website has been back up since at least yesterday. There's a link to the family statements on it.

I'm sorry to hear that. It was the one decent thing they had done.

[Aja]

HumblePi, if that ever happened, I'd check all the clocks in my house to make sure there wasn't some kind of gigantic tear in the fabric of spactime.

[Rhetorica]

Does anyone know if this is true, or are the declaring victory too soon?

https://www.change.org/p/the-learning-channel-end-lgbtq-fear-mongering-by-the-duggars/u/10863049?tk=0R4A5Dni7x6WD3Z3NZqDsuUsYe9tFnq4kO_PhDTsJkQ&utm_source=petition_update&utm_medium=email

[tinderbox]

Many of us have mentioned this was a mistake made by a 14 year old teenager who should have been/be forgiven.

I think a "teenage mistake" is something like: staying out past curfew, trying alcohol or pot, smoking, speeding or texting while driving and dating or hanging with kids the parents don't like. Fondling your sisters, and another young girl, is far beyond what I consider "normal" teenage milestones.

I don't want to be Josh's judge or jury. I have a 27 year old son and cannot imagine how upset I'd be if he were in the same situation. That said, IF what I've read is true....I blame his parents for not getting him appropriate help. I also can't imagine what those young girls went through both during and after.

[bluebonnet]

Does anyone know if this is true, or are the declaring victory too soon?

https://www.change.org/p/the-learning-channel-end-lgbtq-fear-mongering-by-the-duggars/u/10863049?tk=0R4A5Dni7x6WD3Z3NZqDsuUsYe9tFnq4kO_PhDTsJkQ&utm_source=petition_update&utm_medium=email

They declared victory for the wrong reason.  It's true that on the 23rd, TLC pulled the show from the schedule.  However, the show still isn't officially canceled.  

[autumnh]

I don't think TLC could EVER go forward with the show as long as JB & Michelle are a part of it. People will not be able to watch that and NOT think of how they covered it up and well frankly, how stuffed full of shit they are. TLC doesn't exactly have a moral compass so we know they are going to find a way to save their cash cow...I just wish they would all go away. I don't think any healing can happen as long as they have cameras rolling. Come to think of it? I don't think JB or Michelle care about that..healing schmealing.

 

Joshie said forgive me Jesus and all was right with the world.

[Aethera]

No I haven't submitted it anywhere. If you or anyone else wants to, feel free.

 

Gawker has it now. Here

[GEML]

I'm not enjoying this at all. I had real hope that Josh and Anna were moving away from the most repressive elements of their upbringing and would provide something of a stepping stone for younger children to push further. That's completely impossible for everyone now. I find the entire situation sad and disturbing. Not exactly surprising, though, unfortunately.

[3 is enough]

 

Gawker has it now. Here

Wow!  That was fast!  

[JoanArc]

Jim Bob's capital crime comments hit the news. I REALLY, REALLY can't see them coming back from this.

 

http://defamer.gawker.com/duggar-dads-political-platform-incest-should-be-punish-1706929035

 

[6 MeowMeowBeenz]

I'm waiting for this jerkweed to blame the victims and their seductive floor length dresses. 

[Wellfleet]

There's definitely similarities between Sharia law and Gothardism.

 

Yes. To start with, they're both 2nd century in their thinking. Wake up, look around, get an education and consider situations from other points of view occasionally. Just because something has been done one way for eons doesn't make it good. Slavery, for example, comes to mind. Maybe - just maybe - God intended for the human race to grow and change - for the better. 

[Aja]

JimBob's "capital crime" comment just proves that the dickhead seriously thought nobody would ever know that his own right-wing darling of a son is an incestuous child molester. 

[Aw my lahgs]

Jim Bob's capital crime comments hit the news. I REALLY, REALLY can't see them coming back from this.

 

http://defamer.gawker.com/duggar-dads-political-platform-incest-should-be-punish-1706929035

 

 

For once, I agree with the Boob :)

[Literata]

Was it a Tamron Hall segment?

 

No, Erica Hill. Watch it here:

http://www.today.com/video/pressure-to-cancel-duggar-reality-show-grows-451417667985

[HumblePi]

There hasn't been any public statement made from Oprah Winfrey or her production company Harpo. This is disturbing because if Oprah Winfrey was aware that the Duggars had a child molester living within their home wouldn't you think she would have spoken up about it? She is a victim of sexual abuse and I feel the omission on her part to expose this publicly makes her as responsible as TLC.

[bluebonnet]

Sorry for the TMZ link, but according to them advertisers are dropping like flies.  Payless Shoes and Choice Hotels are the latest to pull out.  I haven't found verification on this, but it's not looking good at all for 19 kids.