In the first part of their interview with Fox News’ Megyn Kelly, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar explained their actions after their oldest son, Josh, sexually assaulted five girls–among whom, they now confirmed, were his sisters. One of their claims for why they waited so long to report Josh’s behavior would be almost laughable if the implications weren’t so serious.
Jim Bob said that after it became apparent the situation was well beyond what they could handle, he did consider going to the police right away. But a conversation with a friend made him change his mind about turning Josh in. That friend said that “government programs” didn’t do a very good job of handling juvenile offenders. That ultimately led him to take Josh to rehabilitation instead–apparently that program where Josh spent a summer working on houses.
Frankly, this doesn’t pass the smell test. Consider that Josh, to his credit, admitted what he did right away. That, in my book, makes him look several times better than a number of people who have sexually assaulted others. Jerry Sandusky immediately comes to mind. Even when the evidence against Sandusky was so overwhelming that it could have stretched from State College all the way to my home in Charlotte, he was in complete denial. Indeed, I wouldn’t be surprised if Sandusky still claims he’s innocent.
If I heard Jim Bob right, he’s asking us to believe that a judge wouldn’t have taken that into account. He’s also asking us to believe that said judge wouldn’t have made sure Josh got into a program that would have definitely turned him around. Well, excuse me, Jim Bob, but you’ll have to pardon me if I don’t think your story adds up. Frankly, I’m surprised Kelly didn’t press you on it, because your claims are just plain implausible.
Almost as nauseating was Jim Bob and Michelle’s admission that they knew of other families in their circle where “even worse” instances of kids being assaulted had occurred. It makes one wonder–did those families handle it in the same way? It only proves that as concerned as we are about the curricula in homeschooling programs like the ones the Duggars use, we’ve missed a more fundamental problem–making sure kids are safe. There has to be a way to do it that doesn’t raise Fourth Amendment issues. And we have to find a solution soon–without a real tragedy taking place to force a solution.
