Josh courting before Anna?

[PregnantPornStar]

I think a lot of it is because around 2013-14, the Duggars' profile really rose, what with the quick-succession marriages and pregnancies and endless promotion by TLC after Honey Boo Boo went bust. I think it all came out when it did because they were just so out there in everyone's faces, and exposing it became easier. That, and I think that now that most of the kids are a bit older (namely, all parties involved in what happened are adults or very close to adulthood), there was less guilt about exposing everything or worry about the media hounding child victims.

I'm glad the cat's out of the bag and now everyone knows that all was not well and that maybe the way the Duggars raised a family is not sustainable or healthy, but I wish TLC hadn't given them a show (since I'm pretty sure they knew) and that Josh had gotten proper help when he was a teen.

I am reading this right now and am utterly shocked that this was out there for so long. I cannot even believe it didn't come to light.

Honestly, my husband was stationed overseas for four years and we didn't have American TV. Not really anyway, so I kind of "forgot" about the duggars and had never been a huge follower anyway. I was always horrified by the idea of having 19 kids or however many kids they had circa 2009, but still...that and the fact that I am a pretty hardcore atheist were enough to make me think the family was super nuts, but again, I didn't pay that much attention. Not even until the second scandal (in all fairness I would have likely got sucked into the first but we were in the process of moving as that was happening)

Anyway, excuse my rambling. I have had too much wine and am suffering from a back injury that I have yet to be treated for so the wine is me self medicating until I can see a doctor tomorrow.

[sunshine]

It is amazing that Josh's actions were buried 2 times and finally this year it got the attention of the media! Strange, it is very strange.

Almost like it was prefectly planned to occur after the season has ended. So what is really going behind the scenes in the Duggar home? :shifty-kitty:

[Imrlgoddess]

Almost like it was prefectly planned to occur after the season has ended. So what is really going behind the scenes in the Duggar home? :shifty-kitty:

This was my original reaction. The timing was a little too odd for me. I believe the "all press is good press" adage when it comes to JB & the clan. I also believe Josh became Isaac on the altar. At he & the Holt girls young ages they may not have been courting the way it's thought of today, but perhaps a family agreement. A literal arranged marriage, a betrothal set up by two powerful-in-their-own-mind father's who wanted to seal a union.

Even with all Josh's acton's now, I still see a set up for "the Prodigal Son", he bears the brunt of all the family daemons. Even the most hardcore followers are going to talk about what a lying/cheating bastard he is, there's only a certain sect of ppl (FJ) who will do & say he's a product of his parents psychosomatic delusions. To the leghumpers they are martyrs who had a single sheep stay.

[RosyDaisy]

This was well timed and carefully orchestrated outing. Based on the tension we saw during the final episode, the Duggars had to know the shit was about to hit the fan. I don't think they planned this, though. This was all InTouch's doing.

[imjustasteph]

The timing wasn't exactly an accident, I don't think, but not exactly timed either.

There was a person protesting outside the Duggar home because of Michelle's robocalls and other 'activism.' A reporter asked what that was all about and got a tip. They did the FOIA, and the Duggars got a call from the police letting them know it was going on and that they were in talks with the city attorney to know what was to be released. They may have known during filming that it might or might not be released.

Then they were told that the atty had said law required releasing it, and that it would be released soon (I think they were told the day before it was mailed).

When InTouch got it, they basically immediately published it.

So the 'timing' is more about how their increased public hate spells got them more attention for a bit there, and a protester happened to turn a reporter on to the facts.

[Rubyroo]

Ooh can I add what I remember about that? The tipsters were a lesbian couple very offended by the robo calls. They posed for a kissing photo with the TTH in the background to protest. They essentially realized the molestations were a much spoken about secret their entire town knew but no one outside the town really knew. Badass girls there. They stopped the duggars in their tracks.

If Meeeeeechelle hadn't made the robo call, the dug dugs might have ridden the gravy train for a few years longer. Silly Meeeechelle.

[TeenWitch]

Ooh can I add what I remember about that? The tipsters were a lesbian couple very offended by the robo calls. They posed for a kissing photo with the TTH in the background to protest. They essentially realized the molestations were a much spoken about secret their entire town knew but no one outside the town really knew. Badass girls there. They stopped the duggars in their tracks.

If Meeeeeechelle hadn't made the robo call, the dug dugs might have ridden the gravy train for a few years longer. Silly Meeeechelle.

Where did you hear this? Very interesting. I agree with the posts saying the molestations must have been known throughout town, or at least a popular rumor. When I read the first few pages of this thread, the Alice info gave me chills, especially because it was from years before the scandals came to light. if Alice knew and was discussing it online, she likely discussed it with people in real life too. I just wonder if those in the Duggar circle were shocked or not.

[AmazonGrace]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... -home.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... crets.html

[livinginthelight]

It does look like one member of the lesbian couple is the one that broke the story recently, out of anger about the robocalls. (This person is almost certainly not Alice, as she is on the scene more recently.)

I find it rather satisfying that the catalyst for the Duggar downfall is those darned robocalls!

And as for the speculation years ago - WOW! I wonder what else is happening right under our noses.

I'm kinda proud, though, of FJ folk for not jumping on a rumor bandwagon. Yes, something important was missed. And it's good to be aware of this. But it's also important to not automatically believe every rumor we hear. If we jump on rumors too quickly, the "crying wolf" effect might happen, and then true victims will again be ignored/dismissed.

[RosyDaisy]

If I'm not mistaken, one of the lesbian women had family in Springdale who knew about the rumors, and the other worked at InTouch in some capacity.