The TLC show 19 Kids And Counting may be at risk, but it hasn’t stopped the stars of the show from pursuing their political agenda. Josh Duggar appeared Wednesday at a rally to speak against the legalization of same-sex marriage in Arkansas.
Duggar is an Executive Director with the Family Research Council — a conservative lobbying organization that is currently one of the most vocal opponents to gay rights. In his official capacity, he appeared as a speaker Wednesday on the steps of Arkansas’ State Capitol building.
Duggar called for the state and federal government to ‘honor our vote’ — to uphold the law that was passed by vote in Arkansas a decade ago, making same-sex marriage illegal in the state.
It was my honor to join the "Honor Our Vote" rally on the Arkansas Capitol steps today! @FRCAction @FamilyCouncil #AR pic.twitter.com/m0VAHqKo9S
— Josh Duggar (@joshduggar) November 19, 2014
The rally was to send a message to the state Supreme Court, saying that the state’s residents continue to oppose marriage equality. (The Federal Supreme Court will soon hear marriage arguments, after refusing to do so earlier this year.)
However, Duggar’s presence is sending another message to television audiences, and this message may be putting 19 Kids And Counting at risk.
A petition that’s gaining a lot of attention cites Josh Duggar’s position with the Family Research Council as one of the reasons TLC should break ties with the Duggar family and, by extension, the battle against LGBTQ rights.
It isn’t just Josh’s position, though: the petition cites Michelle Duggar’s participation in a robocall against an ordinance that would have allowed transgender people to use the bathroom that fit their identity, and the family’s donations to support other anti-gay legislation.
A number of petitions (this one, this one, and this one, for example) have sprung up in opposition, calling for TLC to protect the show, and the family’s conservative values — values so conservative that Jessa’s first kiss wasn’t until her wedding day.
The petitions maintain that the Duggars are being attacked for those values, despite not mentioning their same-sex marriage stance at all on the show. On the contrary, though, the family has indeed used the fame earned through the reality show to further their agenda.
It’s also relevant to note that, while the anti-Duggar petition has garnered over 84 thousand signatures, the ones for keeping the show have fewer than 100 each. Are Josh and Michelle Duggar putting 19 Kids And Counting at risk for political gain?