Duggar Actions Have Real World Consequences

Over the course of 2014, I had picked at the political activism of the Duggar family, their role within the Quiverfull movement and some inane PR propaganda they had been involved in. But with the 2016 election cycle already gearing up, it is important to focus in on the influence and power they personally wield.

As a reminder, Libby Anne writing over at Love, Joy, Feminism has this bit of insight to offer, "Duggar Actions Have Real World Consequences."

Libby Anne opens with the recent overturning of the Fayetteville, Arkansas ordinance outlawing discrimination against people on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity

But what caught my eye is this,

This sort of political involvement is typical for families like the Duggars. The other day I was talking to a friend who grew up in another large Christian homeschooling family, whom I had thought was probably uninvolved politically given the level of dysfunction and abuse was going on, and was surprised when she told me that “most people in [my state's] General Assembly knew of me when I was 15.” This was true in my own family of origin as well._

Many have heard me state, that the bread-and-butter behind the Quiverfull movement is shear numbers. In other words, "warriors" for God - "be fruitful and multiply" (Gen 1:22;8:17;9:1). As originally founded by Mary Pride in her book The Way Home, the movement is based partly on Psalm 127:3–5 (KJV):

Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD:
and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man;
so are children of the youth.
Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them:
they shall not be ashamed,
but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

The motivation, a missionary effort to raise up many children as Christians to advance the cause of the Christian religion. This is why it is important to heed Libby Anne's final point, what started out a a novelty show has turned into something much more dangerous:

It’s long past time to see the Duggars as “quaint” or snark fodder. It’s time we fully understood the political influence the Duggars and other families like them wield or seek to wield, and the real world effects of that influence. It’s time we understood the world they aim to create—a world where LGBTQ individuals are marginalized and denied their rights at best, and forced to undergo anti-gay conversion “therapy” at worst. It is a world where gay people will be barred from the teaching profession, stigmatized, and treated as dangerous and depraved. This dystopia may look far fetched at the national level, but it is likely not so far fetched in Fayettville, Arkansas.

Duggar Actions Have Real World Consequences