Republican Family Values - Diddling Duggar Edition

Let us say at the outset that it's a real tragedy any time a person -- especially a minor -- is the victim of sexual predation and assault.  That this happened in a family that holds itself up as a paragon of  "pro-family," Christian evangelical, Republican values makes this appalling (but not altogether surprising):

In the wake of a tabloid report alleging that he molested several underage girls while he was a teenager, reality-television star Josh Duggar said Thursday that he “acted inexcusably” and was “deeply sorry” for what he called “my wrongdoing.”

The 27-year-old Duggar, a high-profile member of the evangelical Christian family that stars on TLC’s “19 Kids and Counting,” also resigned his post with the Family Research Council, a conservative lobbying organization.

 But wait, there's more:

Hours before Duggar’s statement, In Touch Weekly had published a partially redacted police report from the Springdale Police Department in Arkansas that, the tabloid said, contained details of the allegations against Duggar. The report redacted the name of the suspect and the alleged victims, all juveniles, but listed Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar as relatives. The incidents occurred in 2002 and 2003.  (our emphasis)

Translation:  several of the victims were his younger sisters.

In case you're not familiar with the Family Research Council's "values":

The FRC, a conservative Christian organization led by Tony Perkins, is known for its advocacy against same-sex marriage, “with the mission to champion marriage and family as the foundation of civilization, the seedbed of virtue, and the wellspring of society.” [snip]

The FRC is known in Washington for hosting a Values Voters Summit, which regularly gathers Republican politicians trying to run for president. The organization’s budget in 2013 was about $13 million, according to its financial statements.

“Family Research Council is one of the major players among the pro-family social conservatives and has a major D.C. presence,” said Tobin Grant, a political scientist at Southern Illinois University, who compared the FRC to the Heritage Foundation or the American Family Association. “It still represents an old guard of people who are pushing the culture wars and traditional family values.”

Not mentioned: the FRC is classified as a "hate group" by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Perhaps parents Michelle and Jim Bob (!) were too busy "quiverfilling" their family (19? 20? 21? 22? children - we lost count) to pay enough attention to what Josh was up to:

The Duggars, who endorsed Mike Huckabee for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, have been likened to the “Quiverfull” movement, which urges its followers to have as many children as God will give them.

Many Quiverfull-style families opt to homeschool their children, who are raised in the belief system of their parents.

Or perhaps something else was rotten at the core:

The Duggars have previously promoted the teachings of Bill Gothard and the Institute in Basic Life Principles, a conservative organization that was once popular among the Christian homeschooling movement. Gothard resigned from the institute he founded in 2014, after allegations of sexual harassment, molestation and failing to report child abuse.

Be sure to go to the article for bonus pics of Duggar with pals Mike "Huckster" Huckabee, Gov. Scott "Koch Head" Walker, and Sen. "Tailgunner Ted" Cruz."

UPDATE:  Huckster comes to the defense of confessed abuser Josh Diddler Duggar.

BONUS:  Is there a connection between home schooling and home sexing?  The indicted members of this North Carolina family seem to raise the question.