Family values hits a perverse peak with "19 Kids and Counting" (the reality TV show's title changes as new babies are added to the family). This show celebrates an Arkansas family for producing a lot of children. Good for them. Each baby is given a name beginning with the letter "J". This celebrates family dad James "Jim Bob" Duggar. Since there are a lot of names beginning with the letter "J", we can expect mother Michelle to keep getting pregnant (as long as she is able). This show is making a statement, of course. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to make babies and you don't have to be a rocket scientist to get the point being made, here. They are saying "no, No, NO!" to birth control...
Many wonderful people have big families. If you have the time and money, great. In one episode, the older daughters are seen making an audio for their book; elsewhere, some of the sons work on their video. This means money. Book and video deals can be a gravy train. Jim Bob and Michelle also have time on their hands. They "homeschool" their children. A full-time parent and teacher must to be very smart. One of the weaknesses of homeschooling is your child's lack of socialization skills. Children meet a diverse group of peers in public school. Many wonderful homeschooling parents make sure their children join groups, where they meet and interact with other children. The Duggar family builds its own peer group...
As of this writing, this TV show was "suspended" due to a sex scandal involving eldest son Joshua "Josh" Duggar. What happened is unclear, since molestation can cover a lot of territory. One of the early explanations from the Duggar family was that son Josh was simply "playing doctor." That's very normal. Then, it was disclosed that he was 15-years-old while "playing doctor." That's not normal. None of this was shown on his TV program. In fact, the television family seems super-sensitive regarding any extra-marital sexual activity. For example, when daughter Jessa Duggar was "courting" Ben, the couple demonstrated the "side hug" as healthy physical contact (it kept the couple's fronts from touching)...
Josh moved to Washington DC with his wife Anna. If you're thinking there is potential for significant political activity in the Washington DC area, you're correct. Off-screen, the Duggars are a very politically-involved family. Jim Bob and his family advocate for Gov. Mike Huckabee, Sen. Rick Santorum and other "conservatives". Naturally, the younger Duggar family started having children. They decided to use names beginning with the letter "M" (nicely honoring mother Michelle). The second Duggar family has "3 Kids and Counting". This makes it a total of "22 Kids and Counting" (if you're counting). Although the two families live apart, they are often seen together, through the magic of television and money...
They don't watch TV, but hope you watch them. Blessedly, the show may no longer be in production, but episodes are reproduced on the Internet. They seem very nice. Of course, father Jim Bob and eldest son Josh are especially involved in politics. However, it's mother Michelle who may have raised the most eyebrows. While campaigning against a law that would allow transgender individuals to use a women's bathroom, she feared males with past child predator convictions will claim they are female and take the opportunity to molest young girls in the bathroom. A concerned mother is a wonderful mother, but most sexual molestation does not usually occur between children and transgender women in public bathrooms.
* 19 Kids and Counting (2008-2015) Jim Bob Duggar ~ Michelle Duggar, Josh Duggar, Jill Duggar, Jessa Duggar
