Of all the men who have married into the Duggar family, no one has been as outspoken as Derick Dillard.
The husband of Jill Duggar has drawn criticism for his ultra-conservative views in the past, but despite the considerable backlash over past statements, it seems he has no intention of keeping his views to himself going forward.
Fans first became aware of Derick’s more far-right stance when he attacked Jazz Jennings in a series of increasingly offensive social media posts back in August.
Jennings is a transgender teen who, like Derick, stars in a TLC reality series.
In a tirade of tweets that former fans and other celebrities have denounced as a full-blown campaign of harassment, Derick argued that Jazz is mentally ill and setting a dangerous example for America’s young people.
Now, Derick has turned his attention to the ever-growing problem of systemic racism in America.
Not surprisingly, his thoughts on the matter are attracting still more criticism to a family that’s already endured numerous PR disasters over the course of the past three years.
“The US is one of the least racist countries in the world. In unity, let’s strive to protect & improve this anomaly in history,” Derick tweeted yesterday.
His remark seems to be a reaction against the NFL anthem protests that began during the 2016 preseason.
Dillard first expressed his opposition to the protests with a retweet from Fox News on October 1.
Not surprisingly, Derick was swiftly chastised for what many fans see as an appallingly naïve worldview.
“Your privilege is showing… racism may not exist in your ‘world’ but it’s real everywhere else,” tweeted one fan.
“We still have instances of police brutality and targeting of the black community. Derick, you’re white. That’s why you’re not seeing this,” commented another.
Derick’s latest tweet stands in sharp contrast to one that he posted on August 12, in which he condemned the activities of white supremacist hate groups in Charlotteville, Virginia.
“It’s deplorable what’s happened in Virginia this wkd. Praying 4 those affected by these unacceptable violent acts of hatred. Racism is evil!” Derick tweeted following riots that left one woman dead.
It’s unclear what may have caused Derick to reverse course on the issue of racism in America, but many believe it’s part of a cynical effort to pander to his base.
Those closest to Dillard believe he sees a future for himself in politics, and this may be the beginning of his attempt to make a name for himself amongst certain fringe groups.
Watch Counting On online for more from reality TV’s most controversial family.
