An Indiana chapter of Moms for Liberty, a non-profit that advocates for \u201cparental rights\u201d in education and was recently labeled as \u201cextremist\u201d by an anti-hate watchdog, is apologizing and condemning Adolf Hitler after using a quotation attributed to the Nazi leader in its inaugural newsletter.
The group\u2019s Hamilton County chapter on Thursday posted a revised version of its newly launched newsletter, The Parent Brigade, on Facebook after it had previously shared a version that featured the Hitler quote on its front cover.
\u201cWe condemn Adolf Hitler\u2019s actions and his dark place in human history,\u201d read a statement from chapter chair Paige Miller on the cover of the revised newsletter. \u201cWe should not have quoted him in our newsletter and express our deepest apology.\u201d
The first version of the newsletter included the quote, \u201cHe alone, who OWNS the youth, GAINS the future,\u201d and cited Hitler. While the origin of the quote is not entirely clear, it has been attributed in numerous historical texts to a 1935 rally speech by the Nazi leader.
Late Wednesday, after the Indianapolis Star reported on the quote, the local Moms for Liberty chapter updated the newsletter to add a \u201ccontext\u201d section.
\u201cThe quote from a horrific leader should put parents on alert,\u201d the updated version read. \u201cIf the government has control over our children today, they control our country\u2019s future. We the people must be vigilant and protect children from an overreaching government.\u201d
By Thursday morning, the chapter had removed those versions and posted its new copy of the newsletter, replacing the Hitler quote with the chair\u2019s apology.
The quote has frequently been used by conservative Christian groups as a warning of \u201cwhat they experience as liberal or leftwing attempts to indoctrinate children\u201d, said Mark Pitcavage, senior research fellow at the Anti-Defamation League\u2019s Center on Extremism.
In 2014, for example, a church group in Alabama removed a billboard after using the quote next to images of children. And last year, a Colorado school board member faced calls to resign after posting the quote on Facebook.
Moms for Liberty has faced criticism for its activism against school inclusion, including trying to remove books related to race and gender identity from school libraries.
\u201cIt\u2019s 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,\u201d said Rachel Carroll Rivas, deputy director of research, reporting and analysis for the Intelligence Project at the Southern Poverty Law Center.
The center labeled Moms for Liberty as an \u201canti-government extremist\u201d group in its 2022 annual report.
Moms for Liberty has come under increasing national scrutiny as it has become a power player in Republican politics. Five presidential candidates plan to speak \u2013 and several grassroots groups plan to protest \u2013 at the group\u2019s annual summit in Philadelphia next week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n