When it comes to the movement known as Black Lives Matter, the Duggar family is showing a wide gulf in response. In fact, there’s a clear dividing line, with one Duggar daughter’s family expressing support for the key point of the movement, while the other married daughter’s in-laws and husband call for boycotts and firing.
The Duggar family is quite conservative, not only in their Christianity but in their politics. They’ve never been secretive about that. Both Jessa and Jill married conservative Christian men, approved by Jim Bob Duggar. However, it’s become clear recently that one of the young Duggar-in-law men isn’t as conservative as the other, and now there’s a new divide.
Ben Seewald, husband of Jessa, has shown a few times that he doesn’t adhere to conservative politics in quite the manner of the Duggar family. While they vocally support conservative Republican politicians, he recently declared that a Republican isn’t the answer to America’s problems and that the focus should be on God rather than the promotion of political views. He has also scolded Duggar fans for insulting President Obama.
Now Ben has also spoken up about one of the deaths that has led to Black Lives Matter protests — Terence Crutcher.
The Duggar son-in-law retweeted evangelical preacher and author Russell Moore, who called for an end to the loss of life.
Grieved to hear about #TerranceCrutcher. Another life lost. Another community traumatized. This situation has to change.
It isn’t Ben’s first time addressing the question of systemic racism, either. Jessa Duggar Seewald shared a video in January in which Ben speaks to rapper Flame about shootings — specifically naming Baltimore and Ferguson, as well as South Carolina, the Duggar son-in-law described the events as “… racially charged things.”
He spoke about the same in August, 2015, asserting that racism is a problem in America, though he also used the same argument that Jessa Duggar espoused to great criticism before the pair married, saying that racism is due to the devil and belief in evolution.
Still, it’s clear one Duggar daughter’s husband does believe racism exists, and that it is a factor in recent deaths and must be addressed.
While Ben’s quotes call for an end to the deaths, Jim Bob Duggar’s other son-in-law, Derick Dillard, is moving in the opposite direction. Rather than speaking about the events that motivate protests, Dillard is supporting his mother in a call to end protests. Further, they aren’t even addressing protests in the streets that have blocked roads or otherwise caused inconvenience. The protests these Duggar-in-laws want stopped are the peaceful protests being carried out by NFL players before games — the silent kneeling during the playing of the National Anthem.
Jessa Duggar Seewald’s mother-in-law tweeted two weeks ago that she would be boycotting the NFL until the organization forces players to stand and salute for the National Anthem.
This week, while his sister-in-law’s family offered the controversial suggestion that these deaths are worthy of mourning, Dillard piled on, joining his mother’s protest and sharing her tweet with over 100k followers.
As for the rest of the Duggar family, they aren’t directly addressing Black Lives Matter, protests, deaths, or charges. The family’s main social media accounts have shared a few Biblical quotes that could be intended to address protests and uprisings, but could equally easily be a more general commentary
What does it mean for the Duggar family? Black Lives Matter is a pretty major political movement at the moment, and a divide on it — especially one the sons-in-law are being vocal and open about to their followers — could definitely disrupt family harmony. Will it bleed over into their show, though? The Duggar family has been sticking to the script on-screen for years now, revealing news and keeping secrets on their own schedule — so probably not.
[Featured Image by Duggar Family Official/Facebook]