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Different rules for different folks

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  1556.1
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  2/10/2009 10:27 am

I am a bit confused by the interview with the mother of octuplets. She is being grilled about her choices and tried and convicted in the court of public opinion. Whether or not anyone agrees with her choices, shouldn't the same rules in interviewing apply to her as to the couple who just had their 18th baby? No one was hammering at them in the same way that Nadya is being questioned. Obviously her situation is more difficult than two parents raising a whole lot of kids - but is her decision any more irresponsible than theirs? Let's face it - anyone who has raised children, with or without a spouse, would not say it is an easy job. Why are we so determined to judge her and refuse to offer her help because she has made a bad decision? Doesn't she need help more than the average mom? And why should those who would willingly help babies born into a more traditional setting not also have the same concern for these children that she has so unwisely brought into the world? I would like to see the interviews with her a little less focused on showing how immature and unwise she is, and a little more focused on how those children can be helped now that they are here. The press could do a lot to change the focus of attention to the children and their well-being.
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Different rules for different folks

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  1556.2 in response to 1556.1
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  2/10/2009 11:26 am

Her situation is not at all the same as the Duggars. There are two of them, and they are able to take care of all of their children financially and, apparently, in every other way.

This woman is living with 14 children -- 10 of them under two years old -- in a 3-bedroom house with her parents. She said she has spent $100,000 on in vitro procedures. She has no income and is getting food stamps, which means that taxpayers are helping to support all those children. She has NO INCOME. No income. 14 children and no income. Taxpayers will be supporting her and all of those children for a long time. That's why she deserves to be interviewed differently from the Duggars. She's obviously mentally unbalanced, and those children -- and her parents -- are going to suffer for it. The doctor who helped her make all of these babies should be put in prison.

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Different rules for different folks

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  1556.3 in response to 1556.2
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  2/10/2009 11:54 am

Anyone in this day and age having these large numbers of children should be ashamed of themselves..while the single mother is obviously mentally unbalanced and needs mental treatment this should NOT excuse the Duggers in the amount of kids they keep insisting on having and bringing into this world which is being depleted of its resources..and everyone is insisting that this couple are able to bring and raise all of these kids without help..are you serious? are they wealthy? or are they using the money they get from sponsers for doing this show? that is not raising kids on your own that you and you alone can afford...they are using the kids and keep having kids to keep the show going to keep the money coming in... SHAME ON ANYONE WHO THINKS ITS OKAY TO HAVING THIS MANY KIDS..... there are children already born and with nothing .... no parents...etc... and if they really wanted to have kids why not have some of the kids out there in need of parents? it seems that the only reason to have this many kids is to get a reality show these days.... it is sickening to see these type of irresponsible adults bringing children into a world depleting its resources just so you can have fame fortune and tv sponsers help pay your way in the world because youre an oddity.....sick...and shame should fill these peoples soul and if it doesnt then its because they only see if the money signs hanging over their many childrens cribs..... they are all sick..and the people who watch and therefore propogate this type of show are just as sick...
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Different rules for different folks

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  1556.4 in response to 1556.3
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  2/10/2009 1:59 pm

I didn't say I thought it was OK for the Duggars to have so many children; I said that their situation is entirely different from that of this unbalanced woman with 14 children. I said that at least the Duggars are not using taxpayers' money to support all their children and they appear able to take care of all of their children. Don't put words in my mouth.
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Different rules for different folks

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  1556.5 in response to 1556.1
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  2/10/2009 2:34 pm

OK - most everyone seems to be in agreement that having that many kids, by any means used, is a bad idea. My question still remains the same - what about the kids? Do we need to waste so much time and energy and venom focusing on how stupid their parents are, or could that outrage be collectively used more responsibly in some creative problem solving. The children are here (by no choice of their own) and just because their parents were a little wacky in their decision making, don't they still deserve to have what any child needs to survive and thrive? I'm as stumped as anyone else about how to look out for the best interest of the kids, but I still wish the focus could shift to them instead of their parents. They don't deserve anyone's anger or scorn.
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