Moms for Liberty, a conservative parent organization founded by two Florida mothers, has announced that it will hold a town hall in Manhattan on January 18 to discuss the current state of education.
As a New York City parent who has been disappointed by the lack of civic engagement in New York City, I am encouraged that this grassroots organization is bold and generous enough to extend an olive branch to such a blue fortress.
Will the other side show the same grace? Instead, Democrats are trying to silence the group by calling mothers extremists.
Councilors Julie Menin and Keith Powers released a joint statement asking the president of Bohemian National Hall (note that it is a private venue) to cancel the event.
“Moms for Liberty has no place here or in New York City,” Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine said, without speaking for or for parents.
There were no details to support the attack. Rather, it reeked of undemocratic propaganda tactics aimed at silencing the opposition.
“While we recognize that freedom of speech is a constitutional right, progressive elected officials acknowledge that hate speech and divisive speech supported by groups like Moms for Freedom is a fundamental right,” the progressive elected officials said. “I'm upset about the rise,” he said, trying to justify the censorship.
Now, I'm a liberal New York City Democrat, and I'm as sensitive to hate speech as any sane person. I watched interviews, read articles, and spoke with my friend Tiffany Justice, founder of Moms for Liberty, a passionate advocate for children's literacy, and a firm believer in parental rights. I did.
We have yet to find any examples of divisive rhetoric or hate speech in her or her partner Tina Deskovic's comments. Tina Deskovich is a Florida mother of five and former school board member with a long history of community service.
On the contrary, their position is a common sense one that any parent or grandparent would agree with, especially when it comes to emphasizing parental rights.
How did we get to a place where groups organized by mothers for our nation's children are accused of being radical simply for promoting conversation?
Why are elected officials pro-City Hall when actual extremists calling for the extermination of Jews are rioting on major thoroughfares and holding New York City hostage by closing bridges, tunnels and airports? Are you completely okay with being threatened by someone?
And if Mamas for Liberty is the far right, who is in the middle?
I dug into the SPLC's website to understand how the group came to be classified as extremist, but conservative organizations such as Parents Defending Education and the conservative think tank Heritage Foundation We found only examples of partnerships with parent organizations. Today, just discussing ideas and exposing the novel ideologies being taught in our nation's schools is enough to be branded a “right-wing” extremist.
Teachers unions and far-left politicians don't want intense scrutiny, so they try to preemptively silence questioners by slandering them with inflammatory language.
As far as I know, Mamas for Liberty is not an extremist group, so it is a threat. The extremists could never appeal to the majority of parents. By requiring public schools to be freed from political and ideological indoctrination and instead focus on teaching the basics effectively, they can become truly inclusive, welcoming people of all faiths, races, ethnicities, and appeal to parents of both genders.
And that's why Moms for Liberty has been so successful in standing up to teachers' unions and local politicians.
All this partisan mudslinging from the left is familiar to me. After schools closed in most of America in March 2020, “open school parents” like me, hoping for a quick return to normalcy, are crazy and even weirder. In fact, he was called a racist. We were accused of not believing in science, of being selfish and lazy, and even attacked and slandered as right-wing extremists.
We have overcome insults and come out stronger and no longer afraid to speak out.
But there is something truly sinister and dangerous about elected officials using their positions given to them by citizens to speak to civic organizations. It reflects how far we have strayed from the concept of the people as sovereign.
Blowing dog whistles and attacking parent organizations is despicable.
A parent movement born of resistance to authoritarian COVID-19 regulations and mandates for children is a step forward for moderate Americans who want a government that listens to us and solves our problems. This is the way to do it.
Parent and child advocates must reach out across the aisle, engage with allies, be as inclusive as possible, and lean into each other's lived experiences on behalf of our children. We must practice the tolerance, respect, and love that we teach.
We must refrain from continued humanitarian attacks. We have to start listening and finding compromises.
Most of America is in the middle.
See you there.
Natalia Mulakuvar is the co-founder of the nonprofit organization Restore Childhood. @AppletoZuccini
