When confronted with basic questions on “60 Minutes,” the group appeared ill-prepared and stumped and alleged their critics were trying to “marginalize us.”
Since its founding in 2021, the conservative organization Moms for Liberty has billed itself as a champion for “parents’ rights,” pushing campaigns across the country to ban books and the use of pronouns in schools. Their crusade, as my colleague Kiera Butler has reported, often alleges that educators, specifically in public education, are out to “groom” and “indoctrinate” kids.
But what, exactly, does that mean? It doesn’t appear as though Moms for Liberty knows either.
In an interview with 60 Minutes host Scott Pelley that aired on Sunday night, the group’s two co-founders repeatedly struggled to explain their platform beyond empty talking points that have fueled the culture war in schools. They also failed to present facts to back up various claims.
Fascists look like idiots when interviewed until they get violent. They have no definitions or reasonable arguments for their position because bigotry isn’t a reasonable position and to them anyone who challenges them is an other, an outsider who deserves to be dehumanized. As long as they can convince people to be scared and angry they are safe to exploit hate. The more people collaborate, work together towards shared values, participate in local school and city board meetings, the less power these idiots can steal.
Which is why one of the best weapons against fascism is publicly mocking them
That’s a risky tactic because while none have substance some flounder and others don’t. For some people confidence can mask lack of substance, especially from someone able to target their biases. Folks like Jordan Peterson pre brain damage were dangerous to platform because idiots couldn’t tell. The difference is these were fascist organizers not fascist propagandists