So the Huckster is at it again. The King of the fundamentalist wing, has come out in the defense of Josh Duggar and the Duggar family.
By now, I suppose you have heard the story of Josh and the incidents of molestation against several girls, including his sisters. You’ve probably also heard about the cover-up. That is parents knew that he did this and helped him avoid prosecution. If you need more information on the story, here’s a link that breaks down what happened and when.
What’s most unfortunate about this whole ordeal is that from the beginning, Josh didn’t stand a chance. His parents were science-denying fundamentalist extremists who used the Bible as if it were a modern day guidebook. His mom, Michelle, used her va-ja-ja as an assembly line, mass producing one child after another. His father, Jim Bob (the name alone gives it away) used and exploited his family for profit and notoriety. That’s the environment Josh grew up in. Am I justifying him? Absolutely not.
What is most frustrating is how it plays against the narrative of the Christian Right: Family is so important. They name all their favorite money-making, bigot-toting endeavors after family. Focus on the Family, Family Research Council (where Josh worked), American Family Association, Family Watch International, United Families International, World Congress of Families… and the list goes on. It’s all about the family. Or at least that’s what they tell themselves.
And now, Josh and his family have the Huckster coming to their defense. That’s right, Huckabee released a statement saying that “Josh’s actions” were “’inexcusable,’ but that doesn’t mean ‘unforgivable.’” And then he goes on to chide the rest of us for being so appalled by this story and by the cover-up.