INDIANAPOLIS — On Wednesday June 21, a newsletter authored by the Hamilton County Chapter of the far-right group Moms for Liberty circulated widely following its publication of a quote attributed to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.
Unfortunately, this is only the newest instance of Indiana Republican-aligned groups touting pro-nazism sentiments, not the first. In January 2022, Rep. State Sen. Scott Baldwin stated regarding Senate Bill 167, “Marxism, Nazism, fascism … I have no problem with the education system providing instruction on the existence of those ‘isms… I believe that we’ve gone too far when we take a position… We need to be impartial.”
In October 2021, the Indiana GOP did not condemn the use of a Nazi flag just feet away from the Nickel Plate trail in Macy. The owner of the flag said the use of the flag was to compare Democrats to Nazis.
Kokomo Tribune 10.22.21: “Nazi flag along Nickel Plate Trail draws anger from riders, officials;
Property owner says flag is political statement opposing Democratic Party”
“Let us be totally clear. We will not tolerate fascism, nazism, or hate speech of any kind,” said Indiana Democratic Party Chairman Mike Schmuhl.
“Moms for Liberty, a designated extremist group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, is a stain on the communities in Hamilton County and our state as a whole. Hoosiers should reject this group and any organization or person that tries to use hate speech to gain followers or attack perceived opponents. Hoosiers deserve true liberty – the ability to live the life of their choosing – free of government interference or authoritarianism.”
According to its website, Moms for Liberty was founded in January 2021 “to stand up for parental rights at all levels of government.” However, in the few short years they have been active they have already been declared to be an extremist group by the Southern Poverty Law Center in its 2022 issue of the annual The Year in Hate and Extremism report.
“Moms for Liberty commonly propagates conspiracy theories about public schools attempting to indoctrinate and sexualize children with a progressive Marxist curriculum,” the report states. “The social media accounts and real-world activity of the national organization and its chapters reflect views and actions that are antigovernment and conspiracy propagandist, anti-LGBTQ and anti-gender identity, and anti-inclusive curriculum.”
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