Duggar Fox News Interviews - Mild, Inappropriate Lying

[Londish]

Sorry I'm late to the party on this, but does anyone have a source for the Duggars potentially suing Fox? I would love to read more details.

[DuggarWatch]

In all seriousness, they have every right to be upset about something so private being out in the public. I loathe these people and take a dim view of those who make their living off making a spectacle of themselves getting pissy about privacy, but abuse victims should be the only ones able to announce their abuse to the public.

Jill and Jessa are delusional. They have been convinced to believe that Josh was just "a little too curious about girls."

It doesn't seem to register to them that, in the police investigation of 2006, the investigation was about felony child molestation, not about "being curious." What makes it even worse is that four of the victims were incestually molested. Jill doesn't even understand that the reason she is crying is because the facts in the police report are horrible and shameful. She says she's only upset that these things have been made public and that what happened wasn't that bad. She doesn't seem to understand why everyone else is outraged. The girls interviewed, now young married women, don't seem to have a clue that the whole family image of living by 'Christian family values' has been busted. She still believes she's part of the idealistic big house on the prairie with wonderful parents.

It doesn't seem to dawn on them that Ma and Pa Duggar were guilty of neglect, child endangerment, failure to report a crime, and the only thing which prevented their arrest was that the statute of limitation had expired before anyone called the cops. They've swallowed their parents' Kool-Aid that it all "was dealt with years ago." In reality, it was not properly dealt with years ago. It's not just Josh who has been outed; the parents and their much-touted parenting skills have been outed. Those are genies which can never be put back in the bottle. Nor should they be.

[KittenMitten]

Sorry I'm late to the party on this, but does anyone have a source for the Duggars potentially suing Fox? I would love to read more details.

Hi Londish. I can't imagine on what grounds the Duggar's can sue Fox and/or Megyn Kelly. I did Google it though and could not find anything. Just the threat of suing for the release of records. Not hearing about that lately. :roll:

[FloraKitty35]

I agree. Dealing with molestation cases, especially if the victims were minors, are a PR nightmare from hell.

The only chance the Duggars would have had to salvage a bit of their reputation was admitting that they were very wrong about how they handled the whole thing, and that they have learned their lesson since then.

That could have worked because the situation J'Chelle & Boob were in back then was undoubtedly a very difficult one were quite a few parents would have failed to act properly.

Would have been difficult to sell for them, since they are still in this crazy cult which is led by a molester, but it still would have been way better than the interview they gave.

Reputable PR agencies usually refuse to work with clients who don't want to follow their advice, and I doubt that Boob would have been cooperative.

Given the amount of hubris Boob & Mullet are possessed with they would never admit that they bungled handling the molestation and its aftermath.

[ShepherdontheRock]

RE Jill and Jessa being deluded: I agree.

But I think both of them are very ashamed of it happening. I think, even in a lot of situations where it IS dealt properly, even when people are in a culture with healthy attitudes about this kind of thing, victims blame themselves for years; I think maybe on some level they felt as though they caused this mess and maybe that's why they did the interview. If of, course, JB and J'chelle didn't make them do it; but I doubt convincing them would have been hard.

Basically, I think that there's a good probability they think that this is their fault and maybe they think talking about the liberal media or whatever will make things right. I doubt they have a clue how sorry people feel for them, even though we hate everything they stand for.

[DuggarsTheEndIsNear]

RE Jill and Jessa being deluded: I agree.

But I think both of them are very ashamed of it happening. I think, even in a lot of situations where it IS dealt properly, even when people are in a culture with healthy attitudes about this kind of thing, victims blame themselves for years; I think maybe on some level they felt as though they caused this mess and maybe that's why they did the interview. If of, course, JB and J'chelle didn't make them do it; but I doubt convincing them would have been hard.

Basically, I think that there's a good probability they think that this is their fault and maybe they think talking about the liberal media or whatever will make things right. I doubt they have a clue how sorry people feel for them, even though we hate everything they stand for.

Of course they thought they caused this mess, that's what they've been told their whole lives. If they hadn't been such hussies, Josh would have been a perfectly behaved young man. There's no way they didn't internalize that.

Yes, you're right, it does happen outside of this culture. But, it happens even more in this culture because this culture grooms girls to believe that, regardless of age, they're at fault for a man's sexual arousal and actions.

[FloraKitty35]

Of course they thought they caused this mess, that's what they've been told their whole lives. If they hadn't been such hussies, Josh would have been a perfectly behaved young man. There's no way they didn't internalize that.

Yes, you're right, it does happen outside of this culture. But, it happens even more in this culture because this culture grooms girls to believe that, regardless of age, they're at fault for a man's sexual arousal and actions.

I survived being sexually abused as a teenager. I was blamed by some of the adults in authority when I spoke out, for "being a nasty girl, who just wanted a boyfriend". I knew that was bullshit at that time and I still believe that it was bullshit. It still stung to be told that, I don't even want to know how painful and soul crushing it must be to be told that and actually be expected to believe that nonsense.

[RosyDaisy]

Can a mod please intervene. This topic too important to keep derailing it. I realize we are a self-policing forum, but Joshgate threads are already moving fast with relevant posts. I wouldn't ask this if it weren't for the fact that this has got to be the biggest scandal since Tool'oween. Please help.

Back on topic now. I call bullshit on safeguards. The only real safeguard would have been Josh in a juvenile facility. There are ways around safeguards, including cameras.

There was so much WTF going on in those interviews. The worse was having 2 victims who were clearly were coached on what to say beinbg interviewed. The second was turning this into a political debate. Fuck you Fox and other media outlets. This is about a batshit crazy family whose son molested his sisters and they did nothing about it.

[TeaELSee]

I just wanted to chime in to say, I love the title of this thread.

Perfect.

[DuggarWatch]

I just wanted to chime in to say, I love the title of this thread.

Perfect.

Yeah, a felony crime is definitely inappropriate. But, I've never heard of a 'mild' felony! :lol:

[DuggarsTheEndIsNear]

Can a mod please intervene. This topic too important to keep derailing it. I realize we are a self-policing forum, but Joshgate threads are already moving fast with relevant posts. I wouldn't ask this if it weren't for the fact that this has got to be the biggest scandal since Tool'oween. Please help.

Back on topic now. I call bullshit on safeguards. The only real safeguard would have been Josh in a juvenile facility. There are ways around safeguards, including cameras.

There was so much WTF going on in those interviews. The worse was having 2 victims who were clearly were coached on what to say beinbg interviewed. The second was turning this into a political debate. Fuck you Fox and other media outlets. This is about a batshit crazy family whose son molested his sisters and they did nothing about it.

Why would we need mods to step in? This thread has largely stayed on topic. Yea, there were a few instances here or there that weren't on topic, but those are over with. All the recent discussions have been on topic.

[Librul]

Can a mod please intervene. This topic too important to keep derailing it. I realize we are a self-policing forum, but Joshgate threads are already moving fast with relevant posts. I wouldn't ask this if it weren't for the fact that this has got to be the biggest scandal since Tool'oween. Please help.

Back on topic now. I call bullshit on safeguards. The only real safeguard would have been Josh in a juvenile facility. There are ways around safeguards, including cameras.

There was so much WTF going on in those interviews. The worse was having 2 victims who were clearly were coached on what to say beinbg interviewed. The second was turning this into a political debate. Fuck you Fox and other media outlets. This is about a batshit crazy family whose son molested his sisters and they did nothing about it.

What? Why is everyone acting like a mod and trying to control every thought and post? Every thread strays a bit. No need to report it or start hand slapping.

I hope this interview hurt Megyn Kelly's reputation, but Faux News humpers are as delusional as Duggar humpers. Jessa and Jill did not come off well in their interview, and Ma and Pa were pathetic...can't imagine this show having any legs after these fiascos, but you never know. Jessa was aggressively stupid, Jill simply ignorant. Whoever prepped the family for the interviews did a lousy job, even with Kelly's softball questions.

[DuggarsTheEndIsNear]

What? Why is everyone acting like a mod and trying to control every thought and post? Every thread strays a bit. No need to report it or start hand slapping.

I hope this interview hurt Megyn Kelly's reputation, but Faux News humpers are as delusional as Duggar humpers. Jessa and Jill did not come off well in their interview, and Ma and Pa were pathetic...can't imagine this show having any legs after these fiascos, but you never know. Jessa was aggressively stupid, Jill simply ignorant. Whoever prepped the family for the interviews did a lousy job, even with Kelly's softball questions.

Honestly, if the majority of Fox viewers are like my employer's father in law, I doubt they're even going to think twice about this whole thing. Based on the Wednesday interview (the only one he watched because he found it dreadfully boring), he didn't see the big deal because they'd done a good job of not actually giving any real facts. It wasn't until I told him what really happened that he was disgusted by them. But, he wasn't going to go around digging for more answers than were presented to him in the interview.

[RosyDaisy]

You're right. I'm sorry for asking the mods to step in comments. I was being hand-slappy and shouldn't have. I need to learn to not be so snippy. Again, I apologize.

[Mama Mia]

I swear, I think many of the people here are upset that Jill and Jessa just aren't feeling shamed and victimized enough. Disgusting. And phenomenally hypocritical.

Yes, the " safeguards" we're horrible and victim blaming -- but not nearly as victim blaming as all of this outrage over Jill and Jessa not being traumatized.

[RosyDaisy]

I am in no way upset over Jill and Jessa's reactions. I believe they were coerced into being interviewed. I am a sexual assault survivor, and my heart goes out to them. I don't blame them for anything. The guilty parties are: Josh for molesting them, JB and Michelle for the cover up, and the media (among others) for turning this into a political fodder.

This pretty much cut ad dry for me. Innocent children were molested, and Josh was never held accountable by law. That's it. The excuses being thrown out don't matter because there is no excuse. Excuses are nothing more than distractions.

[JenniferJuniper]

I swear, I think many of the people here are upset that Jill and Jessa just aren't feeling shamed and victimized enough. Disgusting. And phenomenally hypocritical.

Yes, the " safeguards" we're horrible and victim blaming -- but not nearly as victim blaming as all of this outrage over Jill and Jessa not being traumatized.

I don't think that's what most people are upset about.

I think most people are horrified that these young women who were sexually assaulted by a member of their own family when they were little girls have been convinced that it was no big deal. Even the "under the clothes" assaults endured by "the other ones" (their little sisters) are dismissed as nothing but the mild actions of a curious boy.

Despite what they said and how they've behaved, I don't believe for a second they weren't (and continue to be) traumatized by these events, the extent of which we probably will never know. Jill is already prepared to treat her newborn son as a potential future predator. Jinger hasn't talked, but her sobs at the rehearsal dinner over all the things she's been through in her life and how she is "unworthy" speaks volumes. At the time, many of us wondered what on earth this sheltered young woman could have been talking about. Now things make a little more sense.

Watch Jana's head lower when Michelle starts talking about how women are responsible for men's sexual actions in the last episode before the story broke.

Don't believe the happy, shiny smiles for a minute. It's all part of the horrible dysfunction in this family. Dysfunction that will - as it almost always does -resonate down through the next generations.

[lascuba]

I don't think that's what most people are upset about.

I think most people are horrified that these young women who were sexually assaulted by a member of their own family when they were little girls have been convinced that it was no big deal. Even the "under the clothes" assaults endured by "the other ones" (their little sisters) are dismissed as nothing but the mild actions of a curious boy.

Despite what they said and how they've behaved, I don't believe for a second they weren't (and continue to be) traumatized by these events, the extent of which we probably will never know. Jill is already prepared to treat her newborn son as a potential future predator. Jinger hasn't talked, but her sobs at the rehearsal dinner over all the things she's been through in her life and how she is "unworthy" speaks volumes. At the time, many of us wondered what on earth this sheltered young woman could have been talking about. Now things make a little more sense.

Watch Jana's head lower when Michelle starts talking about how women are responsible for men's sexual actions in the last episode before the story broke.

Don't believe the happy, shiny smiles for a minute. It's all part of the horrible dysfunction in this family. Dysfunction that will - as it almost always does -resonate down through the next generations.

I don't think it matters whether they currently feel traumatized or not--they feel what they feel about their own experiences and that's their right. They could very well be lying about that but until they say otherwise I'm going to take their word for it. But I do agree with the rest of your post. I haven't seen angry that they're not traumatized enough; people are pissed at what they said. Whatever Jill and Jessa feel, they still deserve to be held accountable for their words and told that they're wrong. And they are absolutely wrong in they way the dismissed Josh's actions in the larger context--it's fine if THEY are fine with it, but the "2 out of 3 families" was very deliberately dismissive of sexual abuse among siblings. Jill's implication that her son will of course grow up to want to molest his sisters because Y chromosome=pervert, so she will use the safeguards her parents instituted is so out of line that as unintelligent and fanatical as I've always thought her to be it still managed to shock me.

[blessalessi]

..... Jill doesn't even understand that the reason she is crying is because the facts in the police report are horrible and shameful. She says she's only upset that these things have been made public ....

What is shameful about being molested? Why should Jessa feel shame?

And who made you God and gave you the right to tell other people what they feel?

For fucks sake, your post is about as controlling as so many of the fundies we snark on here.

[Mama Mia]

om

What is shameful about being molested? Why should Jessa feel shame?

And who made you God and gave you the right to tell other people what they feel?

For fucks sake, your post is about as controlling as so many of the fundies we snark on here.

Seriously. People say " oh no. They can feel whatever they feel...I wouldn't dream of telling sexual assault survivors how to feel! I wouldn't dream of shaming them! It's their culture that's doing that!! -- but these young women just don't know they are traumatized!!! They are coerced, they are lying, they are carrying this around every second and it impacts them non- stop!! " ....ummm,....okay :roll:

Right. How dare they act like it's just a fucked up thing that happened to them in the past. The nerve!

and , yes, well I haven't been in their exact situation, I have been sexually assaulted.

[YoshiCat]

Seriously. People say " oh no. They can feel whatever they feel...I wouldn't dream of telling sexual assault survivors how to feel! I wouldn't dream of shaming them! It's their culture that's doing that!! -- but these young women just don't know they are traumatized!!! They are coerced, they are lying, they are carrying this around every second and it impacts them non- stop!! " ....ummm,....okay :roll:

Right. How dare they act like it's just a fucked up thing that happened to them in the past. The nerve!

and , yes, well I haven't been in their exact situation, I have been sexually assaulted.

I think they probably don't really know how they feel. They've been told how to feel and forced to act as if that's how they feel. And if that's not how they actually feel, they probably feel wrong and guilty for not feeling they way they've been told to feel.

The problem is that they were probably never allowed to feel how they really felt, to express their feelings and be told that those feelings are fine.

Controlling parents try to control everything, especially what their kids think and feel. They have a mold and you will fit that mold, you WILL be the exact person they've decided you will be. Anything else is unacceptable. It's like you're a doll that they're going to dress and program.

They may have lingering major or minor trauma from what happened or it may be that they shrugged it off and aren't bothered by it any more. Any feeling is possible and is valid. But I doubt these girls ever got that message or even a way to sort it out.

[Mama Mia]

I think they probably don't really know how they feel. They've been told how to feel and forced to act as if that's how they feel. And if that's not how they actually feel, they probably feel wrong and guilty for not feeling they way they've been told to feel.

The problem is that they were probably never allowed to feel how they really felt, to express their feelings and be told that those feelings are fine.

Controlling parents try to control everything, especially what their kids think and feel. They have a mold and you will fit that mold, you WILL be the exact person they've decided you will be. Anything else is unacceptable. It's like you're a doll that they're going to dress and program.

They may have lingering major or minor trauma from what happened or it may be that they shrugged it off and aren't bothered by it any more. Any feeling is possible and is valid. But I doubt these girls ever got that message or even a way to sort it out.

So, so, SO condescending and patronizing ! Gag.

[Snarkle Motion]

Seriously. People say " oh no. They can feel whatever they feel...I wouldn't dream of telling sexual assault survivors how to feel! I wouldn't dream of shaming them! It's their culture that's doing that!! -- but these young women just don't know they are traumatized!!! They are coerced, they are lying, they are carrying this around every second and it impacts them non- stop!! " ....ummm,....okay :roll:

Right. How dare they act like it's just a fucked up thing that happened to them in the past. The nerve!

and , yes, well I haven't been in their exact situation, I have been sexually assaulted.

I agree with you that they can feel what they feel but you are missing the point. Its not about not believing them its that if they are telling the truth the problem is it DOESN'T JIBE WITH THEIR PRIOR PREACHINGS!

Like, "oh it was just a couple seconds cupping the breast over the clothes no big deal"... but had my fiance and I did that before our wedding it would have been a huge sin that would have been the end of the world for me and my family. Jill front-hugged Derick when he came home from Nepal and apologized over and over for breaking the rules. So....yes....the girls are allowed to feel what they feel but how is it that front hugging your boyfriend was a terrible thing you felt guilty and shameful over but then not when your brother molested you?

They can't preach about how any touching with their intended partner before marriage is sinful and show them feeling extremely guilty for breaking minor violations in this ridiculous protocol and then say "nope, no big deal when my brother touched me" without some people scratching their heads at this logic.

Yes, people who experience sexual assault are entitled to interpret it however they want. But you can't expect to preach this weird purity doctrine on TV that shames girls for holding hands before engagement, then say "believe us when we say our brother touching us was no big deal", and then expect the public to just accept that as you go back to preaching your purity doctrine that shames girls. Its hypocritical and while we do not have a right to impose what we "expect" them to feel as survivors that doesn't mean we cannot be critical of their teachings and how their statements do not make sense and therefore they have no business further promoting this culture of shaming girls.

[SassyPants]

I agree with you that they can feel what they feel but you are missing the point. Its not about not believing them its that if they are telling the truth the problem is it DOESN'T JIBE WITH THEIR PRIOR PREACHINGS!

Like, "oh it was just a couple seconds cupping the breast over the clothes no big deal"... but had my fiance and I did that before our wedding it would have been a huge sin that would have been the end of the world for me and my family. Jill front-hugged Derick when he came home from Nepal and apologized over and over for breaking the rules. So....yes....the girls are allowed to feel what they feel but how is it that front hugging your boyfriend was a terrible thing you felt guilty and shameful over but then not when your brother molested you?

They can't preach about how any touching with their intended partner before marriage is sinful and show them feeling extremely guilty for breaking minor violations in this ridiculous protocol and then say "nope, no big deal when my brother touched me" without some people scratching their heads at this logic.

Yes, people who experience sexual assault are entitled to interpret it however they want. But you can't expect to preach this weird purity doctrine on TV that shames girls for holding hands before engagement, then say "believe us when we say our brother touching us was no big deal", and then expect the public to just accept that as you go back to preaching your purity doctrine that shames girls. Its hypocritical and while we do not have a right to impose what we "expect" them to feel as survivors that doesn't mean we cannot be critical of their teachings and how their statements do not make sense and therefore they have no business further promoting this culture of shaming girls.

Amen. Exactly! Common sense. The Duggars, all of them, always want things both ways and then bitch, moan and cry when the public says, "wait a minute....can you explain X,Y and Z and didn't you say A,B and C??? Do you not realize how often you guys contradict yourselves? AND, if you're going to preach on TV, in magazines, on the political stage/arena, you had better be able to succinctly explain and defend your POV-

[mamallama]

Would it be condescending and patronizing if say it were a victim of spousal abuse saying, "it wasn't that bad" and people felt the need to say no it's never okay and to express the view that her reaction may be a reflection of the nature of spousal abuse and not the end of the story?