It's no secret that Jill and Derick Dillard have been on the outs with the rest of the Duggar clan for some time. As the family struggles through the aftermath of Josh Duggar's arrest by federal officials, people are wondering why the Duggars still have a platform.
This has led many fans to rehash how the cancellation of 19 Kids and Counting was handled, as well as how Counting On deviated from its original purpose. Counting On was originally supposed to allow two of Josh's victims, Jill and sister Jessa, to continue to provide for their families and share their stories with the world.
Of course, Jill and Derick leaving the show for not being properly compensated is an example of how all isn't what it seemed. Derick decided to comment on that and a whole lot more in a recent series of tweets with fans calling to #CancelTheDuggars.
Derick Dillard hasn't forgotten his feud with the extended Duggar family as the latest family scandal plays out. Derick is slamming how the Duggars handled controversy around Josh Duggar the first time around and is supporting fans who believe it's led to Josh's recent arrest by federal authorities.
Many fans disappointed by Josh's latest arrest took to Twitter to call for an end to the whole family's platform.
As fans called for an end to the family's relationship with TLC, Derick, who left Counting On with Jill and their children over a year ago, seemed to agree. The show was created to focus on Jill and Jessa after it was revealed they were among Josh's victims in his teenage sexual abuse scandal, which came to light in 2015.
Yet Jill and Derick were never appropriately compensated for appearing on the show, nor was Jill compensated for her time on 19 Kids and Counting, something that Derick squarely blames father-in-law Jim Bob Duggar for.
Fans on Twitter began debating whether or not Counting On should be canceled as #CancelTheDuggars began to trend. One fan said if that was the case, YouTube should remove all the Duggar channels from its platform as well, arguing that Josh isn't involved in Counting On or the channels, but they both still give the family a platform.
Someone challenged the idea, asking why some of Josh's victims should suffer for him allegedly continuing his predatory behavior.
"If you cancel one show cancel all. Why should Jessa and Ben or John an abbie suffer>? That's my point," the Twitter user replied.
"Josh and his parents have nothing to do with the other kids. Leave their show alone. Josh was already removed from the original show. Counting on doesn't even talk about him."
No one expected Derick to show up on the thread dismissing Counting On as another of Jim Bob and Michelle's shows. The user reasoned that Josh was grown and his parents weren't responsible for his actions.
"Then why was 19K&C cancelled?" Derick asked in response. He went on to explain if Jim Bob and Michelle weren't part of the mess, the show could have continued without Josh.
Derick went on to say that Counting On was essentially a rebrand to keep the family on the airwaves. The commitment to doing right by Jill, at the very least, wasn't held. It was one of many issues leading Jill and Derick to exit the series.
Derick went so far as to say audiences were deliberately deceived, and had the truth been told, he and Jill might have stuck around. But as Jim Bob and Michelle began making their reentry into reality through Counting On, Jill and Derick found themselves among those deceived.
The fan then pushed back, noting that Jill and Derick are the only ones to publicly claim this as truth and the others haven't severed their ties with the family.
"How do you know they're not trying to leave?" Derick said.
"They didn't know what we knew when we knew it. As I've said before, we were told to not talk to the others about what we learned. And based on our history, I don't know what scare tactics are used on the others to keep them compliant.
"We pushed back for a long time & pretended like there was nothing wrong on the outside before we finally got to the place where we quit. Everyone has their own context, including timeline, incentives, fears/threats, information, etc. that they must operate within."
Aside from what he outright said, there were also some interesting tweets Derick liked but did not reply to. Among the most bold was, "IBLP/ATI is a literal cult of Bill Gothard. It teaches his perverse version of Christianity that encourages submission and victimization.
"Fertility is placed above individuality or personhood. Jim Bob keeps the children compliant thru financial/emotional abuse."
One of the most heartbreaking tweets he liked speaks to the issue plainly. It notes that while Jill is still not allowed in the family home or to have contact with her younger siblings without Jim Bob's permission or interference, Josh is able to be in contact with anyone without restriction.
A lot about the Duggars may be unclear to the world watching them through a particular lens, but what's clear to everyone is that the victims in this situation have a long way to go toward healing. Some family rifts can't be mended, and this very well may be one.
