(CW: CSA) Josh & Anna 51: An Unappealing Appeal

[fluffernutter]

Amy has a post up on instagram, basically encouraging Anna to leave Josh and saying how hard it must be to be surrounded by so many people supporting Josh. I tried to share it but I am not tech savvy. 

[Stephanie66]

3 hours ago, ElizaB said:

I always am reminded of the fact that while Hitler was one of the most evil people in the world he loved dogs and treated animal very well. So even evil people can’t be evil 100 percent of the time. 

Right. And he loved his wife. 

I don't think Joshua cared about his family, though, or he wouldn't have spent that much time to hide what he was viewing online.

[irish_dancing_canadian]

1 hour ago, fluffernutter said:

Amy has a post up on instagram, basically encouraging Anna to leave Josh and saying how hard it must be to be surrounded by so many people supporting Josh. I tried to share it but I am not tech savvy. 

I saw that and I believe Amy offered to help Anna and the children too.

[Cheetah]

2 hours ago, fluffernutter said:

Amy has a post up on instagram, basically encouraging Anna to leave Josh and saying how hard it must be to be surrounded by so many people supporting Josh. I tried to share it but I am not tech savvy. 

Here's the text of it:  Anna, I feel for you. No woman wants to be in your shoes. You’re faced with an impossible decision and you’re being surrounded by the wrong kind of support. 

You’ve been taught since you were a child that marriage is forever and you prayed for God to send you a partner. You’ve constructed a life and a family with him. You didn’t choose any of this, and your kids certainly didn’t either. I’m not coming after you with some sort of tough love thing. This is what’s simply on my heart and I can’t help but to express it. 

I cried as I read the letter your own father wrote in support of your husband this week. It’s no wonder you’re struggling to know what to do to protect your own kids… you’ve obviously never had an example there. That’s awful and I’m so sorry for that.

But my Mom was a fierce protector and so am I. She showed me how to stand up and speak up . If no one else in your life is saying it, I need you to understand that there is no shame in divorcing Josh.

Someday your kids will be old enough to understand what kind of guy their father really is. You can’t protect them from the truth for forever! 
I’m saying all of this publicly so that when they do grow up, they will also know that they had family members shouting from the rooftops that they were worth protecting all along. Your children look up to you so much… Please be the role model they need in their life. Dillon and I are more than willing to help you. 
Josh has chosen how history will remember him. By staying and supporting him you’re allowing him to choose that for you, too. And I know standing up to all of this seems impossible now, but as a Mama, your instinct to protect your kids always has to be stronger than your fear.

The only people you would upset by leaving are the ones willing to sacrifice you and your children’s safety to protect Josh and his secrets.

@annaduggar 

-From a Mama who won’t turn a blind eye

[SassyPants]

Amy even used the “d” word, divorce. She didn’t mince words!

[HideousGreenShirt]

34 minutes ago, Cheetah said:

Someday your kids will be old enough to understand what kind of guy their father really is. You can’t protect them from the truth for forever! 
I’m saying all of this publicly so that when they do grow up, they will also know that they had family members shouting from the rooftops that they were worth protecting all along. Your children look up to you so much… Please be the role model they need in their life. Dillon and I are more than willing to help you. 

I thought the above, especially the bolded, was the best part of Amy's post. Anna obviously will stay in the Duggarborg and never leave, but her kids WILL one day be able to see the support from family members and the literal thousands of comments from complete strangers wanting better for them. 

[Cam]

56 minutes ago, Cheetah said:

The only people you would upset by leaving are the ones willing to sacrifice you and your children’s safety to protect Josh and his secrets.

I found this a painfully honest way to end her post. Blunt and to the point. 

 

Edited May 17, 2022 by Cam

[Father Son Holy Goat]

So it’s safe to say Amy isn’t invited for Sunday dinner anymore.

[Jrodseyeliner]

Yes go Amy!! She is right, those kids will grow up and learn what their father did and then they will question what their mother did or didn’t do… 
 

1 minute ago, Father Son Holy Goat said:

So it’s safe to say Amy isn’t invited for Sunday dinner anymore.

Or Deanna…. Safe to say that when Grandma Mary passed away, all gloves were off. No need to keep sweet and then the trial happened. Let it rip I say!! 

[Father Son Holy Goat]

Indeed. Well done Amy!

[DalmatianCat]

1 hour ago, HideousGreenShirt said:

I thought the above, especially the bolded, was the best part of Amy's post. Anna obviously will stay in the Duggarborg and never leave, but her kids WILL one day be able to see the support from family members and the literal thousands of comments from complete strangers wanting better for them. 

I think that’s probably the best part as well. It will be a good record for the kids one day if they want a different perspective.
However, while I don’t disagree with anything Amy is saying, after reading it I did wonder if Anna would be able to file a cease and desist? I doubt she appreciates the post and if Amy (and others) have reached out to her multiple times privately and she’s already turned them down, I wonder if she’s starting to feel harassed/bullied and what steps she would/could take to get them to stop.

[Father Son Holy Goat]

I think Amy is doing this as much to reach out to Anna as she is to distance herself from Josh.

Speaking of the devil, I humbly propose a prison nickname for him- Cracker Sweeper. 

[ToriAmos]

Good on Amy. It's bad that all of this has to be done over social media, but it's become a public battle for values and even if Amy does have other, private avenues to talk to the M kids and Anna (which it sounds like she doesn't), the more people who publically call the Duggars out the better.

 

[AussieKrissy]

46 minutes ago, DalmatianCat said:

I think that’s probably the best part as well. It will be a good record for the kids one day if they want a different perspective.
However, while I don’t disagree with anything Amy is saying, after reading it I did wonder if Anna would be able to file a cease and desist? I doubt she appreciates the post and if Amy (and others) have reached out to her multiple times privately and she’s already turned them down, I wonder if she’s starting to feel harassed/bullied and what steps she would/could take to get them to stop.

will jim bob pay any of annas legal fees to make her life easier 

Plus possibly they could realise  the optics would be bad I am sure the media would pick up anna puttign a cease and desist on amy and that would just make even more people see amy's message 

Bury your head in the sand is a duggar staple

[onekidanddone]

Those poor kids. Now they are being fed lies on how persecuted there father is. That he is innocent and truly a Godly man. 
One day when they are grown up one of them will door some googling and find out the truth. 
They will find out their mom chose and abuser pedophile over her own children. 
It won’t be pretty 

[AussieKrissy]

7 minutes ago, onekidanddone said:

Those poor kids. Now they are being fed lies on how persecuted there father is. That he is innocent and truly a Godly man. 
One day when they are grown up one of them will door some googling and find out the truth. 
They will find out their mom chose and abuser pedophile over her own children. 
It won’t be pretty 

I hope they can overcome the brainwashing and emotional abuse and denial they are currently subjected to. To be able to see and process their way into the light 

Anna was brainwashed by the best and is in full denial she is going to be sadly, brilliant at doing it to her own children 

[Scrappinmac]

Wait- Anna's father wrote a note to the judge too?  That's one I'd like to see!

How does one day "Please let my son-in-law off easy- he has to support my daughter and grandkids, but won't put any of them in danger. I promise!"

[Cam]

29 minutes ago, Scrappinmac said:

Wait- Anna's father wrote a note to the judge too?  That's one I'd like to see!

How does one day "Please let my son-in-law off easy- he has to support my daughter and grandkids, but won't put any of them in danger. I promise!"

Pretty much like how you worded it.

Here’s a screenshot:

 

 

Edited May 18, 2022 by Cam

[DalmatianCat]

1 hour ago, AussieKrissy said:

will jim bob pay any of annas legal fees to make her life easier 

Plus possibly they could realise  the optics would be bad I am sure the media would pick up anna puttign a cease and desist on amy and that would just make even more people see amy's message 

Bury your head in the sand is a duggar staple

The Duggars have been pretty bad at understanding how optics work in most situations lately (running for office being one of the most glaring examples).

I do think that right now JB is doing everything he can to keep Anna happy…for a lot of reasons. He doesn’t want another Jill situation on his hands, and he probably also wants to make sure all the little Ms have a functioning mother so he, Michelle, Jana, and anyone else at the TTH don’t have to end up caring for them full time. If Anna is upset about Amy and wants something done, I think he’ll do it.

Also…something about Amy’s post just seems a little off to me. I agree with the sentiment, and I understand the purpose of doing it so the kids can know someone was on their side one day, but on the other hand…it seems more performative then genuine. I wouldn’t be surprised if Jill and Derrick and Jeremy and Jinger have reached out privately offering help. If Amy has offered help privately and it’s been refused, lambasting it all over social media isn’t going to suddenly win Anna over. If Anna has a written record of refusing help and asking Amy to stop, I just feel that her post could be taken as harassment.
Also…what exactly is she trying to “save” Anna from? Josh is in jail, so he’s not bothering Anna and the kids. Not divorcing Josh is not illegal…women have stayed with their husbands for much worse (think of everything Anthony Weiner did before Huma Abedin finally left him for good. It still boggles my mind that she gave him so many chances…and she has a lot more resources and education than Anna.) Why women stay is tricky and Anna isn’t the first woman to do so. 
It’s not unlikely that social services have been involved and apparently think the kids are safe. The kids are attached to Anna and probably feel safe at their home. Suddenly  moving would only traumatize them more. Anna’s own brother has made some statements before about supporting her leaving Josh. Based on the lifestyles of a few of her siblings, they’d probably support Anna leaving Josh as well. I’m taking their silence as way to honor a request from Anna, more then as support for Josh.

For all we know Anna could be working feverishly on a plan to leave Josh, but she is biding her time and getting her ducks in a row. Amy publicly demanding she leave could potentially make it more difficult for Anna to get ready to make her move.

I guess the oddest thing about the post is that Amy actually seems *more* upset by the character reference letters than she was during the entire trial. Like…what gives? Why are you so upset now? Right now is the safest Anna and the kids have probably been in awhile.

Even if Josh only gets five years, that’s five years that Anna has to make a different decision than she’s making right now.

 

Edited May 18, 2022 by DalmatianCat
Typos

[Bad Wolf]

I didn't see anything in that letter that said that Josh was sorry, or that he needed real therapy, not Jesus jail. I also didn't see anything that if the judge were merciful, that he (Michael Keller) would ensure the children's safety.

If I were the judge, I would dismiss the letter as rubbish.

[GuineaPigCourtship]

There is nothing any of those letters can say that will make a difference. Josh has been found guilty of a heinous crime. Donating money, cleaning up a whole damn box of crackers, or splitting the bill for car trouble doesn't make him not guilty. If there was solid evidence that he was innocent, it would have come up at trial.

[FleeJanaFree]

“The only people you would upset by leaving are the ones willing to sacrifice you and your children’s safety to protect Josh and his secrets.” is perfect. I hope Anna really ponders this. 

[Dandruff]

2 hours ago, DalmatianCat said:

I guess the oddest thing about the post is that Amy actually seems *more* upset by the character reference letters than she was during the entire trial. Like…what gives? Why are you so upset now? Right now is the safest Anna and the kids have probably been in awhile.

Even if Josh only gets five years, that’s five years that Anna has to make a different decision than she’s making right now.

I also wonder what's behind Amy's post, though I enjoyed reading it.  Josh is expected to be away for at least five years (and counting), during which the M kids should be safe, and a divorce might not be of any benefit.  Why is Amy making a public statement now?  Does Anna appreciate it, resent it, or neither?

Could it be that Amy feels triggered by the extent of support being shown for Josh to rejoin his family?  I wouldn't blame her, as I do believe there's a safety issue.  OTOH, I doubt that the judge's decision will be substantially (if at all) affected by the support.

[Giraffe]

20 minutes ago, Dandruff said:

I also wonder what's behind Amy's post, though I enjoyed reading it.  Josh is expected to be away for at least five years (and counting), during which the M kids should be safe, and a divorce might not be of any benefit.  Why is Amy making a public statement now?  Does Anna appreciate it, resent it, or neither?

I usually loathe Dr Phil but in this case he has a saying that seems appropriate. (I’m paraphrasing). “Do you know what’s worse than staying with Josh for the amount of time you’ve already stayed with him? Staying for the time you’ve already stayed with him and one more day.”

She could divorce the predator and spend the amount of time he’s in jail getting all the help and support she can so that when he’s released she’s a strong woman capable of doing what she needs to to protect her children. 
 

She could get away from JB & Michelle. 

[Whipple]

5 hours ago, DalmatianCat said:

I think that’s probably the best part as well. It will be a good record for the kids one day if they want a different perspective.
However, while I don’t disagree with anything Amy is saying, after reading it I did wonder if Anna would be able to file a cease and desist? I doubt she appreciates the post and if Amy (and others) have reached out to her multiple times privately and she’s already turned them down, I wonder if she’s starting to feel harassed/bullied and what steps she would/could take to get them to stop.

I've said it before on Free Jinger and I'll say it again. The chickens will come home to their roosting place. Anna's children, maybe all seven of them, will hold her accountable for what she does now. Remember the Willis Family? I believe that Josh is not only a danger to his children but will be a danger to his grandchildren. He's shown a psychopathic, sadistic side. Dangerous man. Anna is a ridiculous fool and some day she will pay for her stupidity. That's just how the world works. It doesn't suffer fools. And it's not like I think I'm all that. We all pay the piper. 

Wondering how many tired old saws I can cram into one post in case you're wondering.