The Duggar Interview - With Megyn Kelly

[quiverempty]

Sorry if mentioned before, but I've been trying to work....

Anyway, I've noticed JB try and downplay what happened by stating the girls are asleep - they hardly noticed kind of thing. Admittedly, I only perused the police report a few weeks back, but isn't there detail, first hand accounts, from most if not all of these girls, who recounted the incidents many years later? If they were going to prosecute, but for the SOL, you need first hand accounts - anything else would have been hearsay. So they weren't asleep and knew full well what was going on, each of them at least once.

Yes, there were first hand accounts in the police report. It sounded like Boob was trying to lesson the blow during this interview and make people believe that the victims were completely unaware of what was done to them. The police officer doing the interviewing in the report specifically showed the victims an anatomically correct drawing of a woman and the minor pointed out where the victim was touched innappropriately, and at least one of them even described in detail, one of the events that happened. Boob is a bald-faced liar... isn't lying a sin? :angelic-halofell:

[doggie]

They are praying hard that the media buys this load of crap they are peddling.

Nevermind it is all falsehoods.

even god can't fix this mess. he can't work such large miracles.

[VelociRapture]

Yes, there were first hand accounts in the police report. It sounded like Boob was trying to lesson the blow during this interview and make people believe that the victims were completely unaware of what was done to them. The police officer doing the interviewing in the report specifically showed the victims an anatomically correct drawing of a woman and the minor pointed out where the victim was touched innappropriately, and at least one of them even described in detail, one of the events that happened. Boob is a bald-faced liar... isn't lying a sin? :angelic-halofell:

I can't remember the specifics of the report now (I did a summary on them in Part 1 of the main thread and kind of wanted to bleach my brain afterwards). I think we need to keep in mind one big fact:

The reports were taken three or so years after the assaults took place.

What this means is that JB could be telling the truth that the girls had no clue at the time what had happened (at least the two that were sleeping) and only found out after their parents spoke with them about Josh's confession. Given the spacing between the assaults and the investigation, there would have been more than enough time for their parents to teach them about appropriate touching and all that stuff. So JB may be twisting the truth a bit, but it may not be a flat out lie.

[The Duggar's Mohel]

I'm disgusted by the Duggars' response but at the same time, it worries me that victims can be identified to the press like this. Even with the names redacted, it's very easy to figure out who some of the children are. If this is legal, the law should be changed. Jim Bob and Michelle deserve to have their actions criticized by the public but the girls do not deserve to be known as victims. Yes, it's their parents' fault for putting them on TV but the legal system should not be helping to ID them.

This goes back to my point. If the Duggars had done the right thing and gone to the authorities before the statute of limitations ran out. Josh as a minor would have been prosecuted with basically a slap on the wrist and his "record" not what we have now, which is a police report, but his "record" would have been permanently sealed. The only reason we know what we know, the ONLY reason is because Boob and J'Chelle sat on this and shielded Josh from the authorities.

[Talitha Cumi]

Let's do it. I'll help, if someone wants to assign me a portion of the interview.

I will too! I've read both police reports carefully.

[longskirts]

It was only easy to identify that they were daughters of Jim Bob and Michelle. Under normal circumstances it would be very hard to identify a victim in a report redacted in that manner.

We don't even know with any sort of certainty who the non sib victim is because it is supposed to be protected with redaction and was with the same leval as the other four.

We didn't even know which of the five female siblings are the four sib victims.

So don't let this special circumstance be the bar you gauge all redacted reports.

I disagree. There was debate over whether Jana or Jill was a victim but the other sibling victims were easy to identify. If the report were about abuse in a normal-sized family with only a few siblings, it would be even easier to figure out which family member was a victim. For example imagine a family with two children, one of whom abused a sibling and someone outside the family. Sure, you can't tell who was abused from outside the family but it would be obvious that the other sibling was abused and that victim would be identified by a report like this. That's not okay.

[snowmebo]

He may not of inserted his fingers and touched the outside. Not by going by the duggars excuse of, " lightly over the panties, "... just an idea as they are liars.Plus, remember most children sleep very, very deepy. Most adults do not sleep as sound. Lots of children I know, including the one I have have slept through events that should of woken the dead!

That is a good point, about kids sleeping soundly. However, when it comes from Boob's mouth, I don't believe a word of it.

[longskirts]

This goes back to my point. If the Duggars had done the right thing and gone to the authorities before the statute of limitations ran out. Josh as a minor would have been prosecuted with basically a slap on the wrist and his "record" not what we have now, which is a police report, but his "record" would have been permanently sealed. The only reason we know what we know, the ONLY reason is because Boob and J'Chelle sat on this and shielded Josh from the authorities.

You're right, that's what they should have done. But it's not their daughters' fault that they didn't.

[quiverempty]

How did Megyn not reference the police report AT ALL during this interview? It's basically the only reason we know that the allegations against Josh were in fact true. Reminds me of when Boob said 'we felt the final step was to go to the authorities' as if saying, well, we thought about doing it as our first step but that just didn't seem right so we prayed for his criminal behaviour to disappear

[The Duggar's Mohel]

You're right, that's what they should have done. But it's not their daughters' fault that they didn't.

I'm not saying it is, but I think this is another lesson to be learned here. Hiding something like this leads to nothing good on so many levels. And actually dealing with it head-on, will save everyone heartache down the road.

The Duggars are fast becoming a cautionary tale.

[SassyPants]

The one thing that totally threw me off was the emphasis on that the records should have never been released and that this was some kind of payback to the family. That threw me off really bad while I was watching it because I had not expected that they would have taken that route. I think they did do a fairly good job of bringing it back to that topic as a point to change the questions or too not answer.

Then just when I had gotten over it, they start showing the clips of the two girls for friday talking about 'how as victims the records should have never been released outing us (them) as victims'. I did not see that coming at all.

Me too. I thought they were going to ask for forgiveness and privacy for their family; admit that what they did do was likely, and in hindsight, not what was best for all. These people are either so brainwashed they can barely navigate the planet or thoroughly evil.

[chelleinchicago]

TMZ is going after the Duggar parents!

[CreationMuseumSeasonPass]

I'm sure they wouldn't talk to Anderson Cooper. He has the gay, you know.

Oh no! Not the gay! Just by saying it you become more susceptible to catching it. Quick, before I come down with a case of the fabulous rainbows! On another side note, as a journalist I wanted to scream at my TV every time Megyn said the police report was illegally obtained. It realllly got my blood heated.

[SassyPants]

A few questions and thoughts, based on the best of my recollections:

- Jim Bob said he took Josh to work with him. Where was that? I thought their income at that time was basically rent checks.

- If Michelle and Jim Bob had instituted safeguards and had been watching Josh all the time vs. "like" all the time then he shouldn't have had to make that second and third confession, right?

- Shouldn't the girls, after Josh's first confession + lessons to the girls about inappropriate touch + watching Josh + other safeguards have reported Josh vs. Josh (and his soft heart) feeling the need to confess again? Didn't the police report indicate that one or more of the girls had reported Josh?

- Sounds like Jim Bob was saying that Josh only touched the girls over their clothes except for when he touched them under their clothes. Did I get that right?

- In the world according to Gothard, I thought children were expected to act as young adults by the time they're 12. Now they're referring to Josh, at the time, as a "young teenager", a "child", and that the legal cutoff for a pedophile diagnosis is 16?

- Without speculating on who victim #5 was (I don't want to know), was it a good idea for Jim Bob and Michelle, under the circumstances, to leave the house and hire a female teenager vs. an adult as a babysitter? Also, why was the babysitter sleeping? Was she babysitting overnight?? Something's really not adding up for me here.

1) As a politician in LR, AR

2)I do no think the safeguards came into play until after Josh was rehabed

3)Yes, JB contradicted himself as he tried to minimize the offenses

4) I'll bet JB and M were home and the babysitter stayed overnight. Certainly if they had a known offender in their home, they wouldn't knowingly bring in outside people to spend the night in their absence.

[TuringMachine]

I hate the "the media is re-victimizing the girls" argument. Partly because it's a distraction from Josh, but mainly because there's enough truth to it for people to buy into even though there's a major flaw. Tabloids are not why everyone knows what happened to the girls, Jim Bob and Michelle are. They're the ones that made their children's lives public.

[skulduggery]

The comments I'm referring to are several pages back, so I'll just do it memo-style:

RE: the duggar girls sleeping through their assaults.

Yes, it is possible, and yes I know that everyone's experience being molested can be different. I just don't think Mullet's version of events are plausible, both through my own personal experience and the fact that Mullet said that the girls "poured their heart out" to the police. If they slept through it, or didn't really understand what happened to them, why did they have to pour their heart out to the police?

RE: criticizing Jill and Jessa Duggar, because victims.

I am a victim of fundyism, physical and psychological abuse, and sexual abuse. That has never stopped anyone from thinking critically about me or anything I say, why should they be different? IMO they are worse because they are willing to go on national television and try to doublethink everyone into coming to the simultaneous conclusion that what happened to them wasn't a big deal while making a big deal of the media putting it out there. They can't have it both ways, just like they can't ask for people to stop criticizing them while they have openly criticized women and LGBTQA people who don't live their life according to the Bible.

So, if anyone has anything to say about Jill and Jessa's interview then it will not offend me at all. That is what this forum is for. Plus I think most of posters here have shown that they are capable of intelligent and thoughtful criticism. Like I said before, I don't believe in bashing the Duggars, because it's pointless and makes them martyrs and that's what they want. But I don't want anyone to be afraid to analyze and criticize profoundly stupid and harmful statements they may make.

Anyway, that's my opinion for whatever it's worth, typed on three hours of sleep.

[chelleinchicago]

TMZ agreed that there was an argument to be made about revictimization but that the parents' attitude and craziness was a much bigger issue. They asserted that TLC now has a clear answer as to what to do and the show should be cancelled immediately.

Still no word from TLC. They're too far up their ass looking for a way to save this trainwreck or at least salvage a couple of cars. I've worn out several keys on my laptop writing to Discovery Viewer Relations.... If those bastages stage a Brady Brides spin-off after the girls have been sent out to do this effing apologist interview for their brother, I'm going to have to regroup before I can continue.

[mamallama]

So much to say so little ability to quote multiple posts from 20 pages back so here goes.

I can't believe they're trying for Christian persecution by a tabloid. They exist to "out" celebrities the majority of their stories have no facts to back them up. If anything they held off for years while these rumors were circulating,

If the fact that the victims were unaware and therefore nothing bad happened then I guess if a suitor were to roofie one of the daughters that wouldn't be a problem?

I think in light of the weird sexual stuff in this cult this may not be that big a deal for the older girls. They have to have sex on their wedding night with a man their daddy picked out who they've barely had a chance to get to know. To add insult to injury dad shares it with the entire country. On the other hand, I can't believe he's trying to minimize it after all those years of calling holding hands hand sex now digital penetration isn't rape?

I know three women who were molested as girls. One came from a family where she as the only girl was expected to serve her 4 brothers and she felt she was not valued as much as they were. One came from a family of 10 kids and one came from a family of 12. The one who came from the family of 12 had years of therapy but when she told me she became very agitated and said that she seriously felt that people should be forcibly sterilized after their fourth child. Once I realized that it made sense why Boob knows so many families with the problem.

Personally I think the police chief needs to make a statement that when she received the OPRA request she prayed and consulted her pastor and Jesus laid it on her hear that it must be released.

[ApologistsBeDamned]

You're right, that's what they should have done. But it's not their daughters' fault that they didn't.

But it is Jan Jill and Jessas fault that at the ages they now are they still subscribe to this cult.

I am sorry but I just can't get too worked up over this outing.

I know they had no say being public figures as a child but they have had a say at remaining public figures still attached to that cult long after the age of 18.

Edit to add Jinger

[luv2laugh]

Megyn Kelly is on Fox News right now on The Five about it right now. She's telling some new things.

[chelleinchicago]

I hate the "the media is re-victimizing the girls" argument. Partly because it's a distraction from Josh, but mainly because there's enough truth to it for people to buy into even though there's a major flaw. Tabloids are not why everyone knows what happened to the girls, Jim Bob and Michelle are. They're the ones that made their children's lives public.

The old, 'Look at the shiny object I'm waving at you and pay no attention to the bear shitting on the rug' strategy. These people would find a way to portray themselves as persecuted if they were given a free trip to Disneyworld with the ability to go to the front of every line.

There's a war on Christmas, people!!!!

See what I did there?

[Buzzard]

Jimchelle's response to finding out about josh was WE MUST BE BAD PARENTS. Not "OMG my poor babies!" or "OMG we have to do something to protect our children!" No, all about THEM

With respect to the show - Why should the whole family be punished for the actions of one of our children 12 years ago? Um, no... Its not all about YOU or the family, its about the brand that you sold. You sold a righteous life, openness... godliness... and LIES.

In addition to Megyn not calling them out on the Gothard connection, she didnt get into what they did to Josh. We know they likely beat the ever loving snot out of him. They may have even done it in front of the other children. What does michael pearl say about diddling your sisters??? It cant be good...

The whole thing was a farce. Friday wont be any better.

TLC, end it NOW!

[RosyDaisy]

Thank God I celebrated my husband's promotion and raise last rather than watch this shit last night. Watching it this morning triggered an anxiety and vertigo attack.

[SassyPants]

If you want your privacy and to avoid being re-victimized despite the fact that your parents claimed that you had no idea that anything untoward had happened to you {despite the fact that the police report refutes that claim}, why would you go on TV at all? Further, if your parents were really concerned about the incident and the family's reputation and integrity, the parents would either quietly ask for privacy and respect for the victims or tell the 100% truth and not some easily proven fabricated story.

They want it both ways.

They want the media to shut up, thereby getting the privacy and respect that believe they deserve,

And they want to be able to use the media as a platform for their lucrative to both them and TLC, show.

Wondering what the advance and rai$e is it that TLC offered them to put.it.out.there?

[Buzzard]

Christ on a cracker, Megyn just said on "the five" that she "went there with them" regarding whether Josh had been exposed to abuse.