Duggar-mania

The latest tabloid buzz centers around the Duggar family from Arkansas, the stars of the reality show "19 Kids and Counting."

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According to my vast research on the subject--which involves watching several episodes of the show and approximately seven minutes in line at the WalMart checkout--public opinion has turned against this non-traditional family with the premature birth of their nineteenth child, Josie.
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Everyone seems to have an opinion and what strikes me as odd, everyone seems to think they have the RIGHT to have an opinion. When anyone goes against the average, everyone else can't wait to chime in--regardless of how uninformed or unqualified they are to voice their thoughts.

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• Do these people have the right to bring 19 children into the world when so many children are starving and homeless?



• Can two parents effectively raise that many children?



• Why on earth would they want to?

Like everyone else, I too have an opinion:

None of us as the right to have an opinion

on somebody else's business

that does not in any way affect society's morals or us personally.

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I cannot fathom what it would be like to parent 19 children. My four have taken all I've got and more. But just because I don't believe that is best for my family, why would I think for a moment I know what's right for someone else's?

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These people are self-supporting, debt-free, contributing members of society. They do not rely in any way on government subsidy, welfare, food stamps, or tax breaks. And their children are not clogging up the court systems with juvenile crime, truancy, or vandalism. Their premature baby's medical costs are being paid for by them and their private insurance--not medicaid. With those facts in mind, why isn't public opinion encouraging people like them to have as many children as physically possible?

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We are so quick to rush to judgement when most of the time we have failed to consider everything involved.

• Where is the public outcry against multi-married movie stars, creating children with each other's spouses?
• Where is public outrage against the immoral lifestyles of our so-called idols polluting the minds of America's teenagers?
• We scratch our heads in confusion over the skyrocketing teen pregnancy, suicide, and violence rates--while we criticize people like the Duggars who are quietly showing us another way to do things.

If people are willing to take the full responsibility for their choices, their decisions have no immoral or illegal overtones, and their results are as praiseworthy as the Duggar's--then I say, "Leave them alone!"