Topline
A local chapter of the conservative group Moms for Liberty issued an apology Thursday for quoting Adolf Hitler in its first newsletter, as the movement that seeks to ban mentions of sexuality, gender, and race from schools continues to grow across the country.
A sign reading “We Do Not CO-PARENT with the Government” is seen in the hallway during the inaugural … [+]
Key Facts
The group used the 1935 Nazi-rally quote “He alone who owns the youth gains the future” in the first edition of a new newsletter called “The Parent Brigade,” as first reported by the Indianapolis Star.
The group, called “extremist” by the Southern Poverty Law Center, has since apologized in a Facebook post and said members “condemn Adolf Hitler’s actions and his dark place in human history.”
The group’s other recent Facebook posts encouraged members to attend a “class in Biblical citizenship;” celebrated several recent state bills that ban discussion of human sexuality in early grades and remove “obscene or harmful” books from school libraries; and called the Pride celebration scheduled in Carmel, Indiana “perverted.”
Key Background
Moms for Liberty is a Conservative nonprofit that was founded in 2021 and has been criticized for harassment and “anti-government” behavior. Vice news earlier this week posted a report examining the close relationship between Moms for Liberty and the Proud Boys, a white supremacy organization. The Southern Poverty Law Center called the Moms for Liberty and 11 other right-wing “parents’ rights” organizations extremist groups in its annual report. Co-founder Tiffany Justice was interviewed on Fox News about the report, calling the label “absolutely absurd” and adding the group’s members “are very concerned about the direction of the country.” President Donald Trump has said he will speak at the group’s annual summit alongside fellow Republican presidential candidates Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley.
Chief Critic
“They should not have quoted Hitler. Period. Parents are passionate about protecting future generations from tyranny, but Hitler did not need to be quoted to make that point,” co-founders Tina Descovich and Tiffany Justice said in a statement to Forbes.
Big Number
115,000 across 275 chapters. That’s how many members Moms For Liberty claims to boast.
Further Reading
Inside Moms for Liberty’s Close Relationship With the Proud Boys (Vice News)
Moms for Liberty’s Hamilton County chapter apologizes for quoting Hitler in newsletter (Indianapolis Star)
Dark Money And Education Parent Grass Roots Groups (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2023/06/22/conservative-moms-for-liberty-chapter-apologizes-after-hitler-quoted-in-newsletter/