I don't think the government should step in and sterilize Michelle or take some of her kids away, but I think it's perfectly OK for people to be critical of the number of kids they have, and it's also OK for people to be critical of women who get abortions.

they seem to take care of their family who knows we dont live there.

of course she can have as many kids as she wants...that does not make it any less cringe worthy.

I think that she has the right to have as many children as she can AFFORD. They're not on assistance are they?

That said, the wonderful thing about America is that everyone is entitled to an opinion. I may not LIKE said opinion, but that doesn't mean that others aren't entitled to it.

there's nothing wrong with her doing it..its her body and home and her kids are happy and healthy right?

i dont care that she has as many kids as she does but my heart hurts for the mothers who cant have child, or like myself one who has lost a child at birth, that it is so easy for her to keep having them. It just feels odd to see her keep doing it over and over again

I am pro-choice and proudly so. I don't have to agree with her personally about her choice to have 19 children, but I do support that is her choice to do so.

I agree with most of you on this issue. They seem to be financially stable and have a loving home and family. Still sounds crazy to me though and also - isn't having children after a certain age risky? just a thought..

doesn't jim bob ever leave that poor woman alone? jesus!

In my area there are a lot of families (mostly Jewish, but not all) who also do not believe in using any form of B.C. they also have numerous children, maybe not 19 but I have seen families with more than 10 pretty often. I think as long as you can support them without government assistance you should have as many children as you want. Its the many women out there who are already on government assistance and having 4-5 kids that are a problem, and a drain on our government.

A lot of times liberals are all about the right to choose when its their choice. While I personally don't agree with such an extreme life style at least their kids aren't a burden to society. I know folks with 1 or 2 kids in and out of juvenile facilities or jail. Or people having 5 or 6 babies on welfare.

i definitely wish they'd stop - but i wouldn't force that choice on them.

I find comfort in knowing that despite the twisted way these kids have been raised, there are chances that some will be gay and possibly have kids out of wedlock and every other thing that scares the crapola out of christians.

oh, and KrisB - thanks for speaking for the liberals...they usually are too timid to speak for themselves

Niami, why would you wish painful things on people you've never met (and children, no less) ? And besides having many siblings and being *gasp* Christian, what's twisted about the way they've been raised?

these aren't even in the same set of choices! if they can support their family (& yes, they've got a tv show, etc) & they enjoy children, they are raising their children with values & to be respectful...(i do wonder about the shape of her uterus though...)

the choice of a woman to be able to kill her baby because he's/she's viewed as an inconvenience or for whatever reason is the complete opposite on the spectrum! one is about giving life, the other is ending it for selfish reasons.

& when you ask 'does she have too many?' where would one draw the line? 18 is okay, 19 is too many? 19 is okay, 20 is too many? it's quite difficult to start drawing arbitrary lines like that.

I don't know much about their parenting style or religious views (although I think I can guess them =P), but it seems like they're under scrutiny 24/7, so if there's something wrong or if they don't treat their kids right, someone will notice quickly.
I'll bet there are many parents of only children who treat them much worse than these two.

as long as they can afford to care for all those kids,they can have as many as they want.

All 18 plus the one on the way are considered a blessing. We have been given an opportunity to be apart of this familys life via tv. We should not have no control over how things are done in the Duggar household. They are respecful, law biding, citzens who are also giving back to their community and reaching out to help others. Michelle is not getting tummy tucks and taking expensive shopping sprees and Jim Bob is not buying hookers and drugs. Its so easy to point out the negative cause we are always shown the bad side of things there are good things in this world despite what we see. I send them love, health and happiness.

Let's get real- they can afford them because they have a TV show! And what about the environmental impact of all those kids? I support the right to choose but feel that whether it is 19 abortions or 19 children there is such a thing as too much. That said, it is the mother's right to have all of those children. Maybe as a society we ought to stop watching shows about these families and take away the financial backing. Maybe that would help stop the continued reproduction (financially and the glorification of it all).

I think they have a very happy family and I think she's a great mom. I say more power to them. I don't know how old she is but she seems to have a very healthy reproductive system!

Niami your comment is hateful and I truly feel sorry for you.

The Duggars aren't on assistance, they built their house themselves. I'm sure they get compensated somehow from the show but they were doing just fine without the show and I'm sure they still would be.

People want to hate them because they are good people and good people make some people feel very self-conscious.

Agreed, haus. (with everything)

I will never understand their decision to have so many children, but that's what they have chosen to do and I can't fault them for it.

A complete red herring.

Nobody is saying we should turn into China and limit how many children one can have. That doesn't mean that people can't think Michelle Duggar's choice is wrong.

How can this even be a debate? The right to choose means THE. RIGHT. TO. CHOOSE. Period.

Yeesh, Niami. Here's one better: I hope you give birth to a Republican, and I hope that little Republican grows up and has 20 children. How'd ya like that?

she has the right to be her freak self.

I agree with the very first poster. That being said, I think it's sad to see the older kids bear the responsibilities of their siblings. The older kids are RAISING their siblings, that's not right. I have seen the show and think they have some great family values, but there are some things that just don't sit right with me. The foods they eat are toxic (processed, check out their site for their menu) as well, hard to buy healthy foods with that many mouths.

And seriously, how do they find time to make more children!?

I believe in the right to choose, which includes protecting the Duggar's choice to have a ridiculous number of children. The fact that I support their legal right to do it doesn't mean that I can't put judgment on their choices though. People may also judge a woman for having an abortion, but she should still be able to choose for herself. People may not approve of our choices in life, but they are OUR choices and those rights should be protected under the law IMO.

I just think that there are too many people on the planet already. I mean I don't think it should be the government's business, but I don't personally think people should have that many kids. That's crazy.