So, I saw this thing from Ed this morning and I was surprised that some people, notably Sarah Posner, think that it’s a very big deal that one member of the enormous Duggar family was a sexual predator as a teenager and has, as a result, had to resign as a lobbyist for the Family Research Council. Now, when I say it like that, it makes it sound like I don’t think molesting kids is something to get concerned about. That’s not what I mean, obviously.
What I mean is that I didn’t realize that the Duggar family was anything more than some reality show novelty act. I never considered them as spokespeople for anyone, including the religious right. Sarah Posner has a very different view:
The Duggars are no ordinary spokespeople for the religious right; they are super-spokespeople. For years, they have been held up as exemplars of biblical living, of devotion to Christ, and of, especially, homespun honest living and sexual purity. It’s long been obvious to many that this is a product of marketing and packaging, not reality. But now no one can pretend anymore.
Posner is careful to give some examples to support her view, and I am not going to contest her basic characterization here. But, if this is correct, then it just goes to show how thoroughly I am able to ignore a major area of our popular culture. I probably haven’t thought once about this family in the last five years.
Every once in a while, I am forced against my will to acknowledge that there are popular reality shows, like Here Comes Honey Boo Boo and Duck Dynasty. And these shows and some of their more popular characters seem to have an ability to inject themselves occasionally into the national political dialogue.
I find this irritating and my default reaction is to run in the other direction.
So, maybe it matters greatly that the Duggars aren’t quite as flawless as they’re made out to be. Maybe this will cripple the religious right.
I just have a blind spot for this stuff and find it hard to believe.
