Duggar son allegedly molested girls including sisters

[Anonymous]

I think that if Josh Duggar was the child of a more mainstream family, he would have probably made out with girls in middle school. We had quite a few girls and boys who were sexting, making out and even having sex in our public middle school (one girl even got pregnant 6 years ago).

However, he got in trouble because he molested a non-family member and she told her parents. If it was just his sisters, it would not have probably been made public. I do think that the Duggar parents would have addressed it, but I do not think that he would have had to face what he is facing now.

I do believe that the public does not care about the victimization of the sisters. This is rubbernecking rather than genuine outrage. I think the embarrassment the girls are facing now is much worse than the groping that they faced from their brother.

[Anonymous]

The more I've read/thought about this, it's become progressively more disturbing to me. I can't get it out of my head how smiley and 'normal' the young women sisters are on camera (the ones who we presume, based on the ages, to be the victims). One would never have known that they endured such a private violation, and probably had to swallow it all, act like nothing happened, 'forced' to accept apologies, etc. And, if the girls had slept in the same room (like in their current home), how did it come to happen, with Josh sneaking in; did he command each of them to be silent. Ah, the whole thing is just disgusting, very disturbing.

[Anonymous]

I posted the Blaze article. I agree with the author's analysis. I am agnostic/atheist and I was a Democrat (until recently) and I can't stand the gleeful giddy horribly mean attacks on this family.

It is truly awful. I have watched the show. I truly like the family and they have a right to live their lives how they see fit. They are not judgmental and they have never claimed to be perfect. They seem to be kind. The parents handled this difficult issue the best way they knew how. I agree with Matt Walsh that there were no perfect solutions to this problem. How would any of us have acted in this situation? They were the parents of the offender plus the victims so they should have had a big say in how to deal with the issue.

I think the parents are responsible, caring, thoughtful parents. they reached out for guidance and counsel. they did not sweep this under the rug.

I am tired of the judgmental vicious attacks. So many so-called open minded liberals are completely judgmental about Christians.

And yet, if someone makes fun of the Jewish religion and criticizes the shameful stupidity that is Zionism, they are quickly attacked as being an anti-semite.

Only Politically Correct Libards are allowed to attack people for their religion. Who are the true hypocrites? The zealots who are attacking the Duggars vicously.

[Anonymous]

This might have been pointed out already but does anyone find it way too much of a coincidence that the founder/leader of the Quiverfull movement, author of the home schooling program that the Duggar's use, and the "police officer" that they went to who didn't file any charges all were either convicted or charged with child sex abuse or child pornography crimes?

For an isolated family, they certainly surround themselves with predators disguised in religion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I posted the Blaze article. I agree with the author's analysis. I am agnostic/atheist and I was a Democrat (until recently) and I can't stand the gleeful giddy horribly mean attacks on this family.

It is truly awful. I have watched the show. I truly like the family and they have a right to live their lives how they see fit. They are not judgmental and they have never claimed to be perfect. They seem to be kind. The parents handled this difficult issue the best way they knew how. I agree with Matt Walsh that there were no perfect solutions to this problem. How would any of us have acted in this situation? They were the parents of the offender plus the victims so they should have had a big say in how to deal with the issue.

I think the parents are responsible, caring, thoughtful parents. they reached out for guidance and counsel. they did not sweep this under the rug.

I am tired of the judgmental vicious attacks. So many so-called open minded liberals are completely judgmental about Christians.

And yet, if someone makes fun of the Jewish religion and criticizes the shameful stupidity that is Zionism, they are quickly attacked as being an anti-semite.

Only Politically Correct Libards are allowed to attack people for their religion. Who are the true hypocrites? The zealots who are attacking the Duggars vicously.

I think I know you! Do you live in Alaska?

[Anonymous]

Your premise that this family doesn't judge others is completely false. So stop acting like they are the nicest family ever. They aren't.

[Anonymous]

Do the PPs understand that this is a problem for families not involved in fundamentalist religion and politics? It's not isolated. It seems like no one here can see past the parents and their TV show.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I posted the Blaze article. I agree with the author's analysis. I am agnostic/atheist and I was a Democrat (until recently) and I can't stand the gleeful giddy horribly mean attacks on this family.

It is truly awful. I have watched the show. I truly like the family and they have a right to live their lives how they see fit. They are not judgmental and they have never claimed to be perfect. They seem to be kind. The parents handled this difficult issue the best way they knew how. I agree with Matt Walsh that there were no perfect solutions to this problem. How would any of us have acted in this situation? They were the parents of the offender plus the victims so they should have had a big say in how to deal with the issue.

I think the parents are responsible, caring, thoughtful parents. they reached out for guidance and counsel. they did not sweep this under the rug.

I am tired of the judgmental vicious attacks. So many so-called open minded liberals are completely judgmental about Christians.

And yet, if someone makes fun of the Jewish religion and criticizes the shameful stupidity that is Zionism, they are quickly attacked as being an anti-semite.

Only Politically Correct Libards are allowed to attack people for their religion. Who are the true hypocrites? The zealots who are attacking the Duggars vicously.

I think I know you! Do you live in Alaska?

Ha. No she doesn't and I can tell because her sentences are complete. They are all factually inaccurate though so I can see how you would guess that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I posted the Blaze article. I agree with the author's analysis. I am agnostic/atheist and I was a Democrat (until recently) and I can't stand the gleeful giddy horribly mean attacks on this family.

It is truly awful. I have watched the show. I truly like the family and they have a right to live their lives how they see fit. They are not judgmental and they have never claimed to be perfect. They seem to be kind. The parents handled this difficult issue the best way they knew how. I agree with Matt Walsh that there were no perfect solutions to this problem. How would any of us have acted in this situation? They were the parents of the offender plus the victims so they should have had a big say in how to deal with the issue.

I think the parents are responsible, caring, thoughtful parents. they reached out for guidance and counsel. they did not sweep this under the rug.

I am tired of the judgmental vicious attacks. So many so-called open minded liberals are completely judgmental about Christians.

And yet, if someone makes fun of the Jewish religion and criticizes the shameful stupidity that is Zionism, they are quickly attacked as being an anti-semite.

Only Politically Correct Libards are allowed to attack people for their religion. Who are the true hypocrites? The zealots who are attacking the Duggars vicously.

"They are not judgmental and they have never claimed to be perfect."
They have a right to their opinions and views. But don't claim they are not judgmental. They have repeatedly expressed their opposition to LGBT cprople, abortion, and other issues. They have judged others, quite publicly.

"I think the parents are responsible, caring, thoughtful parents. they reached out for guidance and counsel. they did not sweep this under the rug."
Seriously? Molesting 5 girls is treated with a stern talking to, and helping a family friend do construction? How did that actually counsel Josh? And their sexual abuse counseling for the girls actually blamed them for their brothers behavior. As far as sweeping, Jim bob would not let Josh be Questioned about it in 2006. How is that not sweeping it under the rug?

Let's be clear - I am not attacking the Duggars for their lifestyle or world views. They have every right to live the way they want to - except for allowing Josh to molest his sisters and teaching the girls it was their fault.

[Anonymous]

I don't watch the show and know nothing about the Duggars. But I have watched this situation closely because I unfortunately do have experience with sibling sexual abuse.

Were the parents perfect? No. However:

(1) The girls told. Many cases of sibling sexual abuse, the family is so dysfunctional that the secret remains, sometimes for decades, because the kids cannot talk to their parents
(2) the parents believed. Sometimes the parents do not believe
(3) the parents took some action. sending the kid to do construction is not perfect. but they did act to try to protect their daughters. whether they did enough is debatable but it sounds like they did actually try to do something, which does not always happen. Family meetings, asking forgiveness, etc. Believe me, I had nothing even remotely like that.

I wish my situation had been more like the Duggars.

I actually am sympathetic. Would you call the police on your son? Personally, I am not sure I would, but I would have insisted on counseling--because that is part of my culture. They did what they thought was the right way to go in their culture, which is messed up, in my view, but it seems to me they were trying to do the right thing.

I think the whole situation is so depressing and stuff like this is actually so, so common. People just never talk about it. There is this idea of youthful "experimentation" which is just messed up and often makes it hard for siblings to even know they were abused.

I feel for everyone involved in this situation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't watch the show and know nothing about the Duggars. But I have watched this situation closely because I unfortunately do have experience with sibling sexual abuse.

Were the parents perfect? No. However:

(1) The girls told. Many cases of sibling sexual abuse, the family is so dysfunctional that the secret remains, sometimes for decades, because the kids cannot talk to their parents
(2) the parents believed. Sometimes the parents do not believe
(3) the parents took some action. sending the kid to do construction is not perfect. but they did act to try to protect their daughters. whether they did enough is debatable but it sounds like they did actually try to do something, which does not always happen. Family meetings, asking forgiveness, etc. Believe me, I had nothing even remotely like that.

I wish my situation had been more like the Duggars.

I actually am sympathetic. Would you call the police on your son? Personally, I am not sure I would, but I would have insisted on counseling--because that is part of my culture. They did what they thought was the right way to go in their culture, which is messed up, in my view, but it seems to me they were trying to do the right thing.

I think the whole situation is so depressing and stuff like this is actually so, so common. People just never talk about it. There is this idea of youthful "experimentation" which is just messed up and often makes it hard for siblings to even know they were abused.

I feel for everyone involved in this situation

I'm sorry for what happened to you, PP. I don't think the Duggars handled it the best they knew how. It's what happened afterwards that is objectionable. Going into the public eye, holding themselves up as the perfect family, being so politically active.

Also, the girls never told. It was Josh who confessed, several times, crying. And as someone upthread noted, this is not an anomaly. This problem is huge in these families and communities, both inside families and all of the leaders and patriarchs.

[Anonymous]

^^^ I think they handled it the best way they knew how.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone care to speculate what we think TLC/Anna and some of his siblings will do? Do you think he will come back to arkansas? Can the family get through this and remain in the public eye?

Or are we going to keep bitching at one another?

I think they will move back to AK, they have no reason to stay where they are now that he quit his job that he moved here for. I'm not sure what tlc will do, probably cancel? Will the duggars even WANT to keep the show going? I doubt it kind of, but who knows. I think the family will be fine, they seem like they ar pretty resilient.

Why would they move to AK??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone care to speculate what we think TLC/Anna and some of his siblings will do? Do you think he will come back to arkansas? Can the family get through this and remain in the public eye?

Or are we going to keep bitching at one another?

I think they will move back to AK, they have no reason to stay where they are now that he quit his job that he moved here for. I'm not sure what tlc will do, probably cancel? Will the duggars even WANT to keep the show going? I doubt it kind of, but who knows. I think the family will be fine, they seem like they ar pretty resilient.

Why would they move to AK??

The two-letter state postal codes are confusing. For 20 years, we sent mail to my family with the correct zip code and wrong state postal code. Still arrived at the right place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I posted the Blaze article. I agree with the author's analysis. I am agnostic/atheist and I was a Democrat (until recently) and I can't stand the gleeful giddy horribly mean attacks on this family.

It is truly awful. I have watched the show. I truly like the family and they have a right to live their lives how they see fit. They are not judgmental and they have never claimed to be perfect. They seem to be kind. The parents handled this difficult issue the best way they knew how. I agree with Matt Walsh that there were no perfect solutions to this problem. How would any of us have acted in this situation? They were the parents of the offender plus the victims so they should have had a big say in how to deal with the issue.

I think the parents are responsible, caring, thoughtful parents. they reached out for guidance and counsel. they did not sweep this under the rug.

I am tired of the judgmental vicious attacks. So many so-called open minded liberals are completely judgmental about Christians.

And yet, if someone makes fun of the Jewish religion and criticizes the shameful stupidity that is Zionism, they are quickly attacked as being an anti-semite.

Only Politically Correct Libards are allowed to attack people for their religion. Who are the true hypocrites? The zealots who are attacking the Duggars vicously.

No, you never were a Democrat.

And the parents DID sweep this under the rug. Nothing was reported to the authorities - talking to a pedophile family friend does not count, even if he is in law enforcement - Josh was allowed to stay in the house, neither he nor his victims were given counseling. They are insanely judgmental; witness any of their political comments and tweets or political activities. You know how I'd act if one of my kids was molesting his or her siblings? Appropriately. Not keeping them in a situation in which they could be re-victimized. Not blaming the victims. Frankly, the only people taking any glee in this godawful situation are people like you.