When fearful people become bullies, it challenges those with common sense to understand their actions. Such is the case for understanding Moms for Liberty and other right wing groups destined to overthrow the public education system and perhaps the government. Is this what they mean by liberty?
“ If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.” – George Orwell.
In George Washington’s farewell address he reminded those who would carry on the management of the nation that liberty depends upon order, and that if order is not founded upon and in accord with an underlying order it will tend to be nothing more than the will of the tyrant (Clarence Carson, 1983).. The Moms for Liberty organization is using the tactics that any tyrant would use by presenting false arguments, intimidation, secrecy and an ignorance of what liberty actually means.
So who or what is this group and what are they trying to accomplish? In an article written by Maurice Cunningham for the Independent Media Outlet, analysis of the efforts of this group are clear. End unions, Ban books that they deem to be problematic, support extreme conservative folks to run for office, support DeSantis’ bid for President, blame the teachers for student “failure” calling them the K-12 cartel, intimidating school board meetings and members, fighting the so called “critical race theory” teaching that they believe exists, and presenting their anti-American ideas on Tucker Carlson, and other right wing shows. Here is a quote from Olivia Little from her 11/21/21 article Unmasking Moms for Liberty.
An administrator of the Facebook group of the Livingston’s County Michigan chapter posted a threatening message directed to anyone backing Biden’s review of school board threats and violence; “not a single person on the right side of the aisle better be backing this, if they are they better be prepared to be REMOVED 1776 style.” (this a far -right circles reference implying political violence).
What is going on here? Why the violence and extreme behavior? More worrisome is how quickly 2 women were able to get the response that now has 135 chapters in 35 states and 56,000 members, if not more. How have all of these women gone so far off the rails? How have they become convinced of what they believe? It is not surprising that they are connected with many right-wing groups and have affiliations with the Proud Boys, Roger Stone and other fascist actors.
But what is fascism? We hear this term bandied about but here is a sophisticated definition
Roger Griffin describes fascism as “a genus of political ideology whose mythic core in its various permutations is a palingenetic form of populist ultranationalism.” And he describes the ideology as having three core components: “(i) the rebirth myth, (ii) populist ultra-nationalism, and (iii) the myth of decadence.”
Here is a simpler definition. Common themes among fascist movements include: authoritarianism, nationalism (including racial nationalism), hierarchy and elitism, and militarism. Other aspects of fascism such as its “myth of decadence”, anti-egalitarianism and totalitarianism can be seen to originate from these ideas.
When an organization believes that the government is at fault (and the enemy of the status quo) and that only certain ideas (particularly main stream ideas) are acceptable and all others must be banned and that only individuals with a particular point of view can be elected we have the elements of a fascist perspective. January 6th made it clear that those with these views believe that violence and a coup are necessary actions in order to preserve their status quo. By any means necessary…
So what is to be done? We need people to run for office who hold a measured view. We need school personnel to argue for an open curriculum that is authentic and transparent. We need individuals no matter their party to engage extremist rhetoric by supporting groups like Better Angels who are attempting to bring folks from every point of view to find common ground.
James Howe, author of a middle grade novel, The Misfits, has experienced the banning of his books. He writes that banning books is just another form of bullying, It’s all about fear and an assumption of power. The key is to address the fear and deny the power.
We all need to take action, the kind that Stephen King suggests: Don’t spend time waving signs or carrying petitions around the neighborhood. Instead, run, don’t walk, to the nearest non-school library or to the local bookstore and get whatever it was that they banned. Read whatever they’re trying to keep out of your eyes and your brain, because that’s exactly what you need to know.”
“If all printers were determined not to print anything till they were sure it would offend nobody, there would be very little printed.” ― Benjamin Franklin.
Progressive Teachers Network 
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