Hard-hitting questions you wish the Duggars would answer

[Pandie5]

Do you think they can sue In Touch? On what grounds? Supposedly they got the police reports fair and square through the Freedom of Information Act. What kind of lawsuit could they inflict on In Touch?

I think they'd try. Especially if it meant redirecting liberal media profits to them. They could try a religious freedom game. Slander. Who knows. These guys don't think about the law in the same way. And now they have a generation of lawyers, like Michelle Bachman, or that guy in CA trying to get the death penalty on the ballot for homosexuals, who try to warp the law to their religion. Remember how Josh wanted to be a lawyer once ipon a time?

(Shaking head) I really hope the long term fall out from all this is that Americans, non-religious and religious alike, start seeing the bigger of growing extremist views and pay attention to who politicians are taking funds from. Some of these groups have money enough to change laws. The Walton family donates millions to campaigns against attempts at improving education policies in states other than Arkansas! Yes, Walmart is in other states, but why be involved in education? Wage laws, union issues, sure. But education? That should be determined by parents and tax payers in each state and school district! Hobby Lobby recently won their small case on birth control and healthcare...It will get worse if people don't pay attention.

[Pandie5]

My last snarky questions...

#1. To JB. Can you show us the Gothard rules related to reporting your son's sin? And can you overlay your actions to shownus how you followed those rules? #1 attempt. Try to handle it privately.(Break down the legal-eaze for viewer on mandatory reporters...) #2 attempt. Bring a witness when dealing with the accused offenses. (Make sure Gothard hear you say you brought a witness on nat'l tv, so you stay in his good graces) 3. Attempt at reconciliation, remove offender from church community until the repent.

#2.For Michelle, After 19 kids, how is your bladder control? This is an issue that I'm sure will help many struggling women if you discuss it openly and honesty.

[ILoveJellybeans]

What therapy did your kids have-both Josh and the daughters who were abused by him. Who was it with and for how long. This is what Bill Gothard teaches about sexual abuse. Do you agree with this and does this represent what you told your daughters?

What did you tell Anna when she started courting Josh. Does she know the full details-what happened and the number of victims, or did you minimise it in the same way the pedocop said you did with him? Do you, or did you ever worry that Josh's daughters would be in danger?

What about the victims. Not Josh, do not turn this into a Josh thing. How did you talk to them, how did they cope with it, and how did you feel knowing that your son molested your daughters. How did you explain this to them in the context of purity-you have given lots of anecdotes about how sexual contact in this way before marriage is sinful, and how girls who have been touched sexually are inpure...do you feel this way about your daughters? And no, this is not just about sex, I know his dick remained in his pants the whole time. You would freak out if Derick or Ben touched your daughter's vagina consensually before marriage, and tell her that it was wrong and sinful to do that.

What do you teach your kids about consent? How does this fit into your doctrine about how women should have sex whenever their man wants it, and how children are supposed to unquestioningly obey authority?

In the police report, one of your daughters said that she and her siblings were spanked with a rod. Why did you never say that when asked about whether you believe in spanking? What do you hit them with, where (although I presume on the butt cause that's what she said) and what things do you spank for? How many times do you usually spank them for each instance of bad behaviour? What age do you start spanking your kids, and what age do you think it is right to still spank your kids until? Do you let your older kids spank their buddies? Have you ever bruised your children or caused welts that have lasted over an hour?

[NoJulius]

I just want them to answer the questions, they have been already asked, honestly.

When Megyn asked about the therapy Josh AND the girls got, Boob seemed to get lost in details about Josh's Christian treatment. Not a single word about the girls. (Trying to avoy the topic by endless babbling about Josh and Little Rock)

Megyn had to demand a second time what kind of help was offered for the girls. When Boob started to repeat something about Josh's treatment, Michelle seemed to realize that that's not the answer Megyn wanted to hear and interjects that ALL got a counselling. Boob added it had been a professional one...

I got the impression that it doesn't correspond with the truth at all... :shifty-kitty:

(Sorry for poor grammar...)

[AlwaysExcited]

Your family has always been portrayed as „almost perfect†on TV. Most of your fans love you for your „right and godly†lifestyle. Do you feel like you were lying to them having a secret so dark?

Did you lie to and forced your kids to lie police in 2006? Or are you lying now? (Have you ever been honest about this story to anyone? Yourself included?)

Did you tell everything to Keller family back when Josh courted Anna? Or did you lie/hidden things from them?

Did people who slept over in your house and let their kids to spend time with Josh all knew about this? (Like Bates)

In interview you say that girls didn’t know Josh was touching them. You only told them after he touched the youngest one and you decided to send him away. Why did you hide this information from them? And, would you even tell them if Josh had stayed home?

How on earth you managed to get treatment for the entire family while filming TV specials?

And, will you ever stop lying?

[YoshiCat]

Did you offer to pay for counseling for the fifth victim?

How could Josh be both "still a kid" but at the same age be courting, making a decision about marriage?

Your religious beliefs include a lot of physical abuse, including hitting children with a rod. Your religion does not have ordained ministers, just layman leaders. Do you avoid having ordained ministers because they're mandatory reporters and would be legally obligated to report the physical abuse?

[YoshiCat]

I think they'd try. Especially if it meant redirecting liberal media profits to them. They could try a religious freedom game. Slander. Who knows. These guys don't think about the law in the same way. And now they have a generation of lawyers, like Michelle Bachman, or that guy in CA trying to get the death penalty on the ballot for homosexuals, who try to warp the law to their religion. Remember how Josh wanted to be a lawyer once ipon a time?

(Shaking head) I really hope the long term fall out from all this is that Americans, non-religious and religious alike, start seeing the bigger of growing extremist views and pay attention to who politicians are taking funds from. Some of these groups have money enough to change laws. The Walton family donates millions to campaigns against attempts at improving education policies in states other than Arkansas! Yes, Walmart is in other states, but why be involved in education? Wage laws, union issues, sure. But education? That should be determined by parents and tax payers in each state and school district! Hobby Lobby recently won their small case on birth control and healthcare...It will get worse if people don't pay attention.

I'm not a lawyer but a former reporter and we get lots of education in media law. From what we knew now, I don't see where they have any grounds to sue anyone.

I'm not sure what you mean by a "religious freedom gambit" but the legal right to religious freedom is something that can only be violated by the government and would involve the government somehow preventing them from practicing their religion.

As for slander/libel, they're public figures and In Touch would have had to say/print something that they knew to be false. In Touch has done stories based on the police reports and no one has suggested that anything they've printed is untrue.

You can't sue just because a media outlet says/prints something you don't like.

FYI, slander refers to things that are spoken, libel refers to things that are printed.

[DuggarWatch]

Furthermore, the "he was curious, we dealt with it, he knows better now" attitude would be warranted if Josh was, say, five or six years old at the time, when it's normal for children to be curious about their bodies and the bodies of the opposite sex, and some experimentation and curiosity is normal. Fourteen is well beyond old enough to know better, and fourteen is certainly old enough know not to act out your sexual curiosities ON A FIVE-YEAR-OLD. That's not normal sexual curiosity; that is a deep psychological problem.

Actually, Josh was 15 when he was with the 5-year-old and he was 6' tall!

[DuggarWatch]

I think they'd try. Especially if it meant redirecting liberal media profits to them. They could try a religious freedom game. Slander. Who knows. These guys don't think about the law in the same way. And now they have a generation of lawyers, like Michelle Bachman, or that guy in CA trying to get the death penalty on the ballot for homosexuals, who try to warp the law to their religion. Remember how Josh wanted to be a lawyer once ipon a time?

I think In Touch magazine would just LOVE to be sued by the Duggars for any reason. Imagine interviewing Ma and Pa Duggar on the witness stand in a court of law! If the Duggars lie in court, they can be found guilty of perjury and put in jail.

The same goes for the Police department. How stupid are these people for publicly suggesting that the police chief might have taken a bribe or was on some personal agenda? I bet there are a whole lotta police officers just waiting to issue traffic tickets to Duggars and I surely would not want to be a Duggar and actually need the assistance of the police.

Both of those jokers are certifiably stupid!

[Pandie5]

Do you believe your family will play a part in the Apocalypse? (It's snarky. But I believe they think they will be part of it.)

[Captain Obvious]

I would like to ask them:

1. The police report shows several instances of abuse, the first two being in March and July 2002. The report said you punished Josh after these two times. What punishment was that?

2. Were you concerned for your daughters' safety after the first occasion? The second occasion? If not, why not?

3. It wasn't until the following year that you took action against Josh. Why was that?

4. Why did you wait until after the 2006 investigation to arrange counselling? Did you only do this because the police/CPS told you to?

5. You talk a lot about the importance of purity and encourage your daughters to dress modestly. This didn't stop Josh's behaviour. What do you think about the family's standards of purity and modesty back in 2002, knowing what you know now?

6. Did you worry that the girls has "lost pieces of their heart" and that their capacity to get married would be affected by what happened to them?

7. You dress all the girls in skirts regardless of their age. At what age can a female child cause a male child or older boy/man to be tempted sexually?

8. Is there anything you think the girls could have done to prevent what happened to them?

9. What advice would you give Josh and Anna about how to keep their daughter safe?

10. You have mounted a campaign against transgender people using public facilities. How do you respond to allegations that it is hypocritical for you to do so, knowing that you did not prevent molestation in your own home? (Bonus question: "define hypocritical").

11. What has been worse: the actual "inappropriate touching" or the details of it being made public?

[LilMissMetaphor]

@Jill and Jessa- why didn't you respond to Josh's inappropriate touching with disgust and outrage? Did you not understand what he was doing to you?

What the fuck kind of question is that? Would you ask rape victims why they didn't struggle harder?

[Zoria]

1. Are you suggesting that TLC knew about this before it became public news?

[Pandie5]

I think In Touch magazine would just LOVE to be sued by the Duggars for any reason. Imagine interviewing Ma and Pa Duggar on the witness stand in a court of law! If the Duggars lie in court, they can be found guilty of perjury and put in jail.

The same goes for the Police department. How stupid are these people for publicly suggesting that the police chief might have taken a bribe or was on some personal agenda? I bet there are a whole lotta police officers just waiting to issue traffic tickets to Duggars and I surely would not want to be a Duggar and actually need the assistance of the police.

Both of those jokers are certifiably stupid!

I wouldn't doubt the whole community wasn't amused. I read an article about local reaction. They have few sympathizers. Before they became well know, people reported they had a live and let live attitude about them. But long before the national endorsements and local robocalls, etc, the Duggars were trying to get liquor stores closed, etc. Messing with people's jobs and businesses and personal beliefs. I'm sure people got sick of the precieved preferencial treatment of certain community members and their church, if in fact JB knew the first police officer he told.

Hell, he owns a used car lot! How poetic is THAT? That is probably how many in the community still sees him. A used car salesman. Hiding past issues to make a buck.

[SassyPants]

Derick- I hear that you have a new job. Where will you be working and what will you be doing?

[Goldduggar]

Definitely need clarification of what counseling took place, for whom, when and for how long.

I would drill them more about Josh being the one to tell his parents (I don't believe Josh told his parents. I think one of the sisters told his parents. Jill is my guess. I think they came up with the "Josh confessed" story to gain sympathy for him). What prompted Josh to tell Jim Boob and Mama? If he told after molesting two of the sisters, then why would he molest a third time knowing he'd have to confess again? (It just doesn't make sense he told on himself!).

How did you punish Josh after he told you the first time? How did you punish Josh after he told you the second time? The Police Report mentioned that all of the children have been spanked on their behinds with a rod. Was this one of the punishments you inflicted on Josh when he found out? Did Josh need to confess to the Church?

How did the church react? What did they want or expect you to do?

What are Josh's plans now?

You said that all of Josh's problem were years behind you when you decided to do a reality show so that it didn't even factor into your decision about accepting the offer. Isn't it true that your first specials were filmed, such as 14 and Pregnant Again, while you were still going through this? What was your thought process on that?

When exactly did TLC find out about Josh's problem? What did they advise you to do?

Now that you realize that the Police Department issued the Police report in accordance with the law, are you going to apologize to the Police Department for accusing them of having an agenda?

If TLC hadn't come along and offered you this reality television series, do you think the TTH would even be built yet, or would you still be trying to pay it off part by part?

[NeverQuivered]

Would any of the brothers or sisters ever let josh be alone with their children or future children? Has that trust truly been restored? I don't believe it has because of Jill talking about putting safeguards in her home but would love to hear what they would say.

Yes, this is my question as well. Would you even let your kids even be near Josh once they are old enough to run around and be out of your sight?

[formergothardite]

I would want an honest answer to how much Anna, her parents, Gil and Kelly Bates, and other high ranking ATI families knew.

[friendofgreen]

Because he is a coward.

I think part this and also part they're afraid what he'll say--he might actually let a little bit of truth out (I don't think he's sharp enough to think on his feet and just regurgitate the family line like the girls have been trained to do)

[friendofgreen]

my question to jill would be regarding the implementation of the family's "safeguards" that she plans on doing. Why do you consider baby izzy a threat to his potential siblings when he's only two months old?

would you not teach him about improper touch? Being a "victim" herself you would think teaching him NOT TO TOUCH would be the first thing she'd do.

Also to JB and J'chelle, when the kids were locked in their gender room, were they allowed to let themselves out to go to the bathroom? or were they in possession of the key at all times?

I'd really love to ask Anna about what she knew, and how she could possibly not be concerned with 1 daughter already and another on the way? I'd also ask her how she could marry someone knowing they had a past history of this type of behavior.

[VelociRapture]

@Jill and Jessa- why didn't you respond to Josh's inappropriate touching with disgust and outrage? Did you not understand what he was doing to you?

:pink-shock:

Really? If you meant why they didn't react with outrage during the interview then that isn't fair - they're entitled to feel however they want to about something that happened to them. We don't have to like it or approve of it. Yeah, they've been brainwashed to feel a certain way about things and that's horrible. Effectively suggesting that they should have to feel something different is just as wrong though.

If you're seriously asking why they didn't react that way immediately after he assaulted them. . . then seriously, just what in the actual fuck?

[Imrlgoddess]

My $.02 to JB & Michelle......

If you believe God views all sin the same...why do you downplay this act while openly condemning acts that you find personally deplorable?

If all men are uncontrollable and weak when it comes to any female form...why give any fathers within your circle the option to change a diaper or interact personally with their girl children?

Was this a "dark time" simply because it's embarrassing to you personally, or because the crime was terrible and you were torn over how to deal with the situation and not exacerbate your sons mental condition?

:stir-pot:

[Furbabies]

1. Do you really believe that you are fit enough parents to be allowed to continue parenting?

2. Do you believe that females are human?

3. Will you submit to a polygraph?

[Handmaiden of Dog]

If all men are uncontrollable and weak when it comes to any female form...why give any fathers within your circle the option to change a diaper or interact personally with their girl children?

This is a major area I would love to explore further. How is it that the male children can go from child (and suspected possible molester) to father in one year? Why does marriage automatically confer men with the perfection they need as the "umbrella" to protect and guide all of their family? One minute you are not allowed to hug your fiance or look at women in immodest clothes and the next you are infallible. It is such a black and white vision of human sexuality and the maturation process that I can't wrap my head around it. This is why most families allow their teenagers an increasing amount of freedom and responsibility with every passing year because we know that is how individuals learn to make the right choices.

[SassyPants]

How come no one associated with the name Duggar has the willingness or ability to hold a paying job outside of the home?

Do you think this is a realistic goal in 2015 America?

Do you consider your family a cult that believes in isolation from others at all costs?

Do you realize that you have set your own kids up for failure?