HAMILTON, INDIANA: The Indiana chapter of Moms for Liberty, a conservative parents group has issued an apology after quoting Adolf Hitler in their June 2023 newsletter. The quotation, which is claimed to a Hitler rally in 1935 intended to indoctrinate children, was reportedly printed on the front cover beneath the masthead which read, "He alone, who owns the youth, gains the future."
The local Moms for Liberty chapter chairwoman Paige Miller decided to alter the newsletter after The Indianapolis Star covered the phrase and added a "context" section to explain why they thought it was OK to use a Hitler quotation as motivation for their members, the Daily Mail reported on the controversy.
'The quote from a horrific leader should put parents on alert'
The updated version of the newsletter featured an additional passage stating, "The quote from a horrific leader should put parents on alert. If the government has control over our children today, they control our country's future. We, The People, must be vigilant and protect children from an overreaching government," as per The Indianapolis Star. However, Moms for Liberty felt obligated to remove the phrase and apologize after being criticized by an anti-hate watchdog group. By Thursday morning, the chapter had changed the content of its newly released newsletter 'The Parent Brigade' and had substituted a message of regret from chapter chairwoman Paige Miller for the Hitler quotation.
'We should not have quoted him in our newsletter and express our deepest apology'
The statement reportedly read, "We condemn Adolf Hitler's actions and his dark place in human history. We should not have quoted him in our newsletter and express our deepest apology," the publication reported. In response to The Indianapolis Star's report, the official National Moms For Liberty account took to Twitter and Instagram to accuse the news outlet of "intentional dishonesty" and claim that the quote was taken out of context. The account stated, "Everyone knows Hitler is bad... but we aren't surprised - all they want is clicks. Do better."
What is Moms for Liberty?
Moms for Liberty was founded in early 2021 by three conservative women named Tina Descovich, Tiffany Justice, and Bridget Ziegler in Florida, and quickly expanded with local chapters across the country. The group has faced criticism and gained national media attention for its efforts to oppose Covid-19 safety measures in schools, advocate book bans, limit discussions about race and LGBTQ identities, and influence local school boards with conservative values.
As per Vice News Moms for Liberty portrays itself as a wholesome, grassroots movement that is focused on protecting students, however, it examined its close association with the white supremacist group, proud boys. The publication notes, around the country, Moms for Liberty has formed links with extremist groups and militias, which are joining forces with the “parental rights” group at protests and school board meetings, and in turn, pushing the already far-right organization toward even more extreme ideology.
Moms for Liberty was added to Southern Poverty Law Center's 'Hate Map'
Recently, Florida-based Moms for Liberty and similar organizations were added to the Southern Poverty Law Center's "Hate Map," part of the release of their "Year in Hate and Extremism 2022" report. The inclusion of anti-government groups increased the total number of listed "hate and anti-government extremist groups" to 1,225 in 2022. These groups were compared to neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan.
"It´s disappointing, but not surprising, that the largest anti-student inclusion movement organization has allegedly used a quote from one of the appalling figureheads in history," Rachel Carroll Rivas, deputy director of research, reporting, and analysis for the Intelligence Project at the Southern Poverty Law Center told AP.
