Dillards 40: Majoring in Grifting

[LiterallyBananas]

Remind me how Jill and Derick (mostly Derick) have gone downhill since they got married? I haven't consistently followed this thread and I'm having a little trouble piecing things together.

I know they were initially in Central America and he was doing some sort of mission work that's relatively acceptable within their circle, coupled with a bad case of white savior complex. And then somehow they ended up back in the US in California without any real source of income, Derick still asking for donations to fund some arbitrary new mission work with college students. I think. 

But what happened between Central America and now and why is he crazier than before? And Jill isn't exactly happily going along with all of this, right?

I mostly lurk on FJ... but I'm slightly lost and I'm nosy so it's really bugging me that I can't totally follow what's going on. 

Edit -- That screenshot @metheglynposted at the beginning of the thread answered most of my questions. Sorry. Do we know how many times were they actually in Central America/El Salvador/whatever mysterious location? And we think they spent donations intended for another mission trip and swept that under the rug instead of actually going back?

What the f are they doing?? Their lack of long term planning would drive me crazy. 

FWIW, I always think of dill pickles when I hear Dillard. Because I am 5. 

[seraaa]

7 hours ago, NeverBeenKissed said:

What the actual fuck? This sentence has me and my PMS hormones completely enraged!

From their blog post:

"Last night, we were able to have a Muslim family into our home for an American dinner"

What is an American dinner? Are these Muslims not American? Muslim is not a nationality!!!! 

II guess they could mean American food

[ophelia]

Am I the only one who thinks that not only the Pecans could pass as siblings, but the Dullards as well? I noticed that in their latest blog posts. But maybe that's just me, being my awkward self. ;-)

[HereticHick]

2 hours ago, seraaa said:

II guess they could mean American food

Which means what?  

By the way, Derick, Crazy-eyes Sierra has taken a Hurricane Harvey refugee family (looks like parents + 1 small child) into her home. And she's not asking for donations: 

 

[Knight of Ni]

It bothers me that he randomly switches between third and second person in his blog. 

[eleanora3]

I'm still so confused about baby Samuel. Why have we barely heard or seen anything about him? 

[JenniferJuniper]

35 minutes ago, eleanora3 said:

I'm still so confused about baby Samuel. Why have we barely heard or seen anything about him? 

There are pictures of him out there.  In a couple he looks like his uncle James.

[onekidanddone]

11 hours ago, NeverBeenKissed said:

What the actual fuck? This sentence has me and my PMS hormones completely enraged!

From their blog post:

"Last night, we were able to have a Muslim family into our home for an American dinner"

What is an American dinner? Are these Muslims not American? Muslim is not a nationality!!!! 

Does DerDork know the Muslim family ARE Americans and probably eat the same stuff he does?  Maybe not the pork ribs, and they might eat Halal meat.. but still DerTwit's ignorance shows no limit.

[singsingsing]

It's like saying, "Last night, we were able to have a Christian family into our home for an American dinner." Most Christians aren't American, so it stands to reason that Christians wouldn't know what American food is, right? Derp.

I'm not sure what the Muslim population in NW Arkansas is like, but I'm guessing Derick and Jill haven't met many Muslims, and have interacted with even fewer. 

"Sharing an American meal with a Muslim family" just sounds so insulting and ignorant to me. If they're from another country, say that. "We were able to share an American meal with a family who recently moved here from Yemen." That at least makes some form of sense.

[Georgiana]

I think it's kind of weird to call anything an "American Meal" in America. That's just a meal. I didn't call everything I ate in China a "Chinese meal" or a "British Meal" in England. 

Now, if it's specific like a Southern  (American) Meal, a traditional British Pub meal, BBQ or whatever, then sure. But Derick is clearly seeking to "other" these people by making it seem like an "American Meal" would be something distinct to them, presumably because they are not REALLY American. 

Shut the hell up, Derick.

[ThunderRolls]

Details will be coming soon on how you can be involved in supporting this ministry. 

Please, no. Spare us the details! 

[Audrey2]

My family has been in the States over 140 years, and I still have no idea what I'd cook if asked to make an American meal. I might be a real smart alec and look up foods indigenous to North America or something.

[CTRLZero]

11 hours ago, bella8050 said:

Hey Derick you know lots of people go back to school, it's genrally seen as a positive thing. Most do it while holding down a paying job (or 2) and/or have a family, and do so without asking for donations

I wish I'd known grifting was an option before I spent all those years working, taking classes when I had the time, energy, and money saved to finally graduate from college in my mid-30s.  I suppose Derick has no current role models to steer him in the direction of a job, but he's asking people who probably do work hard to fork over part of their paychecks to him.  Grrr.

 

11 hours ago, bella8050 said:

"American dinner"

If you want a recipe idea, there is a great photo over on the new Jill Rodrigues thread.  Only if you are very brave...

[seraaa]

IDK a hamburger or something? I'm trying to be charitable, but really it's a condescending statement  

[SassyPants]

"Over the next year, we will have the opportunity to serve on several missions teams." Looks like it will involve the entire family. Poor Jill.

[cascarones]

39 minutes ago, Audrey2 said:

My family has been in the States over 140 years, and I still have no idea what I'd cook if asked to make an American meal. I might be a real smart alec and look up foods indigenous to North America or something.

 

Oh goodness, this brings back the disastrous Native American food day at elementary where almost every kid brought corn bread or beef jerky and my dad had actually taken time off to come to my school and share our heritage. Brought heirlooms, photos and a sense of humor. I'd given my friend a fruit roll up to get him to ask why I didn't have a horse if we were horse people, alas my childhood plan didn't work. I did get riding lessons out of it though! 

[Snarkle Motion]

1 hour ago, seraaa said:

IDK a hamburger or something? I'm trying to be charitable, but really it's a condescending statement  

Hamburger was my first thought too! I'm guessing it was BBQ/cookout type food that people generally have on Labor Day. Hamburgers, hotdogs, corn, watermelon, potato chips, etc. That is me being generous with "American" cuisine. 

Ironically, the only type of food I would consider distinctly "American" is likely a fusion of different cultures like Cajun, Tex-mex, soul food, etc. These are American in the sense that they originated here but I highly doubt that's what Derick meant by an American meal. 

For someone so obsessed with travel and outreach to people of different cultures, his views are pretty insular. I mean, I expect that of most fundies but would think that his travel abroad would give him some perspective. 

[Drala]

American food:  This means huge portions of whatever is served, according to some Egyptians I chatted with a international conference dinner.

I googled What is American food?  The number one answer:  S'mores!  Apple pie came in fourth.  Also in the top four--chilidogs and buffalo wings.

Whatever got served and labeled as "American food," from observing what the Duggars tend to eat, I'd guess some of it was prepackaged and/or frozen.

[Gillyweed]

When I think of American food, I think of a traditional (where I'm from) July 4th meal: Burgers and hot dogs on the grill, cole slaw, corn, potato chips, watermelon, s'mores, ice cream, beer, lemonade, and soda.

[HarryPotterFan]

I feel bad for that Muslim family because they had to sit through a dinner with those nitwits. I imagine the Dullards disrespected their religion and talked about Jesus, while they fake smiles and remained polite. If the family got upset with them we probably would have heard about it, "Oh we tried to bring this family to Jesus but they rejected our plea. Please pray for them." So kudos to them, I'd probably tell Derick to stick it where the sun don't shine.

1 hour ago, cascarones said:

Oh goodness, this brings back the disastrous Native American food day at elementary where almost every kid brought corn bread or beef jerky and my dad had actually taken time off to come to my school and share our heritage. Brought heirlooms, photos and a sense of humor. I'd given my friend a fruit roll up to get him to ask why I didn't have a horse if we were horse people, alas my childhood plan didn't work. I did get riding lessons out of it though! 

Oh wow, that's awful. But also really shows a failure of our school system in teaching about Native American culture. I know my school did the bare minimum. I like the way you think though, using a fruit roll up to get a horse.

[HarleyQuinn]

Dumb and Dumber making ignorant comments on their blog? Never!

 

[Georgiana]

Well, on the Rod threads today we have discovered that SOME people consider American Food to include GOOD WEENS and weenie gravy.  Wish I was joking.  Mr. Hawkins, however, just CANNOT get enough weenies in his mouth.  Weenie gravy is REAL "man food eating".  

I hope this was not part of the "American Meal" the Dillards served.  

Spoiler

 

[NeverBeenKissed]

2 hours ago, Audrey2 said:

My family has been in the States over 140 years, and I still have no idea what I'd cook if asked to make an American meal. I might be a real smart alec and look up foods indigenous to North America or something.

Let's Mr Google pulled a site for me:

Acorns, bison, flint corn to name a few...

[HarleyQuinn]

I'd laugh if what they considered an American meal was spaghetti or something.  

[socalrules]

Wait, so no one else is confused about the part where Derick says that Jill met the Muslim family at the park for a play date with Jill's sister? Since when do Duggars have play dates at the park? Which sister? How would a Duggar sister meet a Muslim family? Color me confused. Also, Muslim isn't a country so the family is likely familiar with "American" food. Although, I wonder the Dillard's served food that would not be disrespectful to the Muslim family's Faith. 

I am not sure they are living on campus. They moved but it might just be to another Duggar house. It seems Derick's program is allowed to work in conjunction with the School but it's not a real university program. I think it's playing being in college but not really being in it.