Religious Conservatives’ Attempt To #DefendTheDuggars Backfires Hysterically

Religious conservatives trying to defend the reality show family stars of “19 Kids and Counting” are seeing their Twitter campaign backfiring this weekend.

A Change.org petition asking TLC to cancel its popular reality TV show “19 Kids and Counting” gained traction this week after E! Online and The New Civil Rights Movement published stories that were soon picked up by the mainstream media and LGBT blogs. That petition, which focuses on a fear-mongering anti-trans robocall recorded by “19 Kids” matriarch Michelle Duggar, exploded. Early in the week it had just 7000 signatures. Now, over 150,000.

So the religious right jumped on the bandwagon. The American Family Association posted their own viciously anti-gay petition, as did other swindlers and exploiters on the right. 

LOOK: Top Anti-Gay Group Says ‘Duggars Are Under A Malicious Attack By Rabid Homosexual Activists’

The religious right website Lifesite News also posted a petition, which quickly got over 140,000 signatures. Lifesite also began a #DefendtheDuggars social media campaign on Twitter, hoping to draw attention to the story. LifeSiteNews.com’s managing editor John Jalsevac also created a #DefendtheDuggars Tweetfest! on Facebook, complete with “sample tweets,” like:

– I stand with the Duggars against liberal bullies! #DefendtheDuggars http://bit.ly/1yZW6Xz

– I support traditional marriage, and I support the Duggars! #DefendtheDuggars http://bit.ly/1yZW6Xz

Meanwhile, their hashtag, #DefendTheDuggars, was quickly co-opted by some of Twitter’s best LGBT activists.

At the core of the issue is not whether or not the Duggars should have their TV show, which reportedly has netted them millions of dollars. At the core of the issue is that TLC and the show’s producers aren’t being honest with the Duggar family’s practices and beliefs. Also at issue is the outrageous hypocrisy that conservatives are claiming liberals have no right to boycott or petition a company about their beliefs, but conservatives claim they do.

So Twitter made sure that those lapses in transparency are being corrected.

Take a look, and feel free to join in at #DefendTheDuggars.

 

UPDATE 11/26:

#DefendtheDuggars has grown into a wonderful fundraiser for @LuciesPlaceAR for homeless #LGBT youth! Take a look on Twitter!

 

Image via Twitter