Why Do We Keep Congratulating the Terrifying Duggar Family?
That crazy Duggar family from the reality show 17 and Counting was on the Today this morning. Because mom just gave birth to baby number 18. Why are we encouraging these people?
Sister site Jezebel recently debunked some things about the clan, an Arkansas family in which the dad is named Jim Bob and all the girls have long hair and wear long dresses. Oh, plus, heh, everyone is home schooled. Not trying to judge here, but, um, the whole thing is a little too Jesusy and FLDSy for regular TV. The family's website is creepy as hell (read the part about birth control pills), as was their TV appearance this morning in which mom said that the idea of having too many children would be like saying there are too many flowers, the kids nodded glumly when Ann Curry mentioned the parenting time sign-up sheet they use, and then Jim Bob and Michelle lamely tried to plug their show and new book.
We don't understand why TV consistently ignores the glaring fact that these people are nutcases and that raising 18 children seems negligently abusive dismayingly negligent to those kids and that birthing 18 babies (and counting??) is aggressively abusive to one's body. Why are we smiling and nodding—and tacitly encouraging these people to procreate more—when we should be calling some sort of authority, or at the very least running scared for the hills?
Plus, they just ruin TLC's otherwise-feel-good family block of the remarkable Little People, Big World and the cloying but cute Jon & Kate Plus 8. So there.