Every Sperm is Sacred?

             There are many things I love about living in the South. People are very friendly overall, the lifestyle is laid back, and the food (when its not deep fried) is pretty damn amazing. However there are quite a few things that make me hesitant to boast my Southern heritage. When I travel and meet new people from wherever I'm at, I often get shocked expressions that I do in fact wear shoes, I'm not a teen mother, and my cousin is not my husband. I have to admit that these things pale in comparison to the embarrassment I feel for being from the same state as a certain over-sized family I'm sure you've all heard of before.

             I've had apprehensive feelings about Duggars for a while now. At first they were just a local oddity - this gaggle of strangely beautiful children raised in a very protective environment, but they seem to be transforming their family into a media-loving cash-cow. When I first saw them in public they were out herding their 14 children along the streets and had just signed a contract with Discovery Health. They were closely followed by a camera crew during their not-so-inconspicuous family outing. Since then, they have moved on up to a grand total of 19, with the last one just barely surviving her birth. That poor woman's va-jay-jay. What I just don't understand if how they could want more. Usually I'd think rumors like that are just media drama trying to fan the flames, but no, they are for real. After all the issues with the last one, and the fact that Michelle is at very high risk for pregnancy complications, like preeclampsia which can cause a stroke or even death.... Seriously...why?

Someone saw the Sound of Music one too many times.

             My disgust with Jim Bob and Michelle and their brood of J-named children has many reasons. To be fair, though, I do admire the fact that they at least take care of their children and at least try to be involved with their lives, which is more than I can say for many parents with just a fraction of the offspring. They base their lifestyle on a sect of Christianity called Quiverfull. This movement is founded on Psalm 127 which says something along the lines of children being arrows in a warrior's quiver and that a blessed man has many. Are they building an army for God or what? They firmly believe that God will choose the correct size for their family and Michelle seems intent on having children until she is physically incapable of doing so. My loins are filled with sympathy for her's, but then again, she's making that choice..

Not Acceptable

             Many people think its not anyone else's business what these people are doing with their family. However, with the environmental challenges we are facing, I think after you top a dozen it is everyone else's business. Regardless of how well behaved and beautiful those children are, each of them will have children (and if they are anything like their parents, it won't just be one or two). That alone is enough to give me nightmares. Overpopulation is already a huge issue and families like this make me want to pull my hair out. It is entirely selfish. I feel guilty just toying with the idea of having three kids one day, which would be my absolute max. Being one, if not the, most resource-depleting country on Earth, it is our responsibility to reign it in. They are devout Christians, avoiding sin at all times. But what about their sins against the environment or the Earth itself? Last time I checked it was very much a part of "God's Creation." Even if they were to cover their enormous house in solar panels and have each of their children drive hybrid cars, it would not take down the toll on the environment as much as having just one less child would, or even better just keeping it below double digits. They claim to have their children's best interest in mind, but have they stopped to consider the state of world they will be leaving behind for them? 

             The environment aside, what effect does this kind of family have on the children that comprise it? How can two parents possibly have meaningful relationships with each and every one of their 19 children? How do some not get lost in the fray? They implement a kind of buddy-system, where an older minor child is assigned a younger child to care for, dress and feed. Like I've mentioned before I have siblings that are a great deal older than me, so instead of 2 parents I sort of got 6. My mom and dad were/are workaholics so I can relate to this idea of having brothers and sisters semi-raising their younger siblings, but I hope they at least try to give them all the attention they deserve. Do these older children feel exploited for having to take on this responsibility? How do all of them feel about being followed around by a TV crew? Surely one of them has had the thought that maybe another brother and sister wouldn't be as desirable as actually getting close their parents. Would any of them have the 
balls to tell their parents if they did?

Caring or Child-Collecting?
(her other 6 children not pictured*)

               To be fair, the Duggars aren't the only people doing this, but since they are in my region and they are the only one's I've seen in real life, they've become the chosen ones. There are a handful of other shows based on parents with broods of chillins'. For example the Hayes family in "Table for Twelve", or the Bailey family in "The Bailey Multiples." A few celebrities are doing it as well: Marie Osmond (8), Angelina Jolie (6), Mel Gibson (8), Eddy Murphy (8)m and Kirk Cameron (6). However, (and let me say it is very unlikely that I will ever defend either of these people on any other point) in Jolie and Cameron's defense, I do admire that they at least made a difference in the lives of children who were already living and in need by adopting, which I admire. There are even people that have become psuedo-celebrities from it, scary people like Kate Gosslin (8) and Nadya Suleman (Octo-mom, for those few lucky one's of you who haven't been exposed to her brand of attention-seeking media exposure yet). Really, Nadya is probably the worst case of this entire post, she makes the Duggars look like saints. Anyone that already has 6 children, is on welfare, and yet somehow found the a way to get plastic surgery should not be given fertility drugs. Period. 

             In Biblical times I could understand how having so many children would be advantageous, back then we were still trying to guarantee the continuation of our species. I just don't understand why they keep doing this. It also seems unfair that Michelle keeps popping out kids left and right like a sprinkler while this guy seems to be having all the fun knocking her up and then plastering his face to every camera in sight. Why not just enjoy the children you have rather than relentlessly trying to add to the clan? 

On an end note: Jim Bob might have the creepiest face I've ever seen in person.


What do you guys think?
Whether you agree or disagree or neither, let me hear it.
Can you help me understand what would drive people to continue like this?