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Jilly_in_VA

(14,371 posts)
Sat Jul 1, 2023, 12:23 PM Jul 2023

Shame Went to Die at Moms for Liberty's Philadelphia Summit

In another era of politics, Republican presidential hopefuls may have hesitated before hitching their brands to an organization whose members have harassed and threatened opponents, fantasized about enacting gun violence, mingled with known extremist groups, quoted Nazi leader Adolf Hitler in their materials, and earned a designation as an anti-government hate group. It’s safe to say that time is long gone.

Five 2024 candidates traveled to the birthplace of the United States to take turns auditioning for the support of a sold-out crowd of Moms for Liberty activists and rhetorically kissing the rings of the group’s co-founders, former school board members Tina Descovich and Tiffany Justice, at their “Joyful Warriors” conference in Philadelphia this week.

It’s little surprise; Moms for Liberty has emerged as a juggernaut in the conservative movement since its inception two years ago. The group claims to fight for “parental rights at all levels of government,” but it’s better known for what it opposes: COVID-19 health precautions, the contents of school libraries, and educational curricula that feature lessons about race, sexuality, and gender. Moms for Liberty has ridden its successes into statehouses across the country, where it hopes to help push anti-LGBTQ bills into law.

The Southern Poverty Law Center added Moms for Liberty to its database of extremist groups last month: a move swiftly rejected by the group as a “political hit job” and frowned upon by many of the group’s conservative media allies. For many speakers, including presidential candidates, that hate group designation was acknowledged via a punchline.

“I’m telling you these people are sick,” former president Donald Trump said, earning laughter from the audience. “Moms for Liberty is no hate group... You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to America.”

https://www.thedailybeast.com/moms-for-libertys-philadelphia-summit-sees-trump-desantis-haley-pander-to-crowd?ref=home

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Ocelot II

(130,533 posts)
1. Apparently to have any hope of winning the GOP nomination, candidates
Sat Jul 1, 2023, 12:28 PM
Jul 2023

have to suck up to the Klanned Karenhood organization, a group that proudly quoted Hitler.

blm

(114,658 posts)
2. Follow the Money. Like TeaParty. Like ProudBoys.
Sat Jul 1, 2023, 12:33 PM
Jul 2023

Like QAnon.

Pro-Fascist Manipulation Dollars at Work.

Timeflyer

(3,756 posts)
5. Absolutely faux grassroots, concocted by Christian and Bridget Ziegler in FL to further their
Sat Jul 1, 2023, 01:19 PM
Jul 2023

political careers. B.Z. is the head of the Sarasota School Bd and is working to destroy public education so her mother's private school receives tax-payer funds (HB 1 is the FL voucher bill that passed this spring). Now she's on DeSantis Reedy Creek board, his attempt to punish Disney for protesting anti-woke. It's all political theater to further Christofascist goal of infiltrating secular government, replaced by a profitable theocracy.

Bridget's distanced herself from the formal Moms group, but she helped birth it and supports its repugnant goals and tactics.

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