The so-called “parents’ rights” group Moms for Liberty is no laughing matter. The anti-LGBTQ+ “extremist” group has infiltrated school boards, intimidated local officials, and led the effort to ban LGBTQ+- and racially-inclusive books.
However, Toby Morton — a former writer for the raunchy, long-running animated comedy TV series South Park — is using humor and satire to expose the group’s extreme agenda. Morton created MomsForLiberties.com, a satirical website that uses Nazi leader Adolph Hitler’s hairdo and mustache as its logo.
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The state group includes a nominee from an organization that opposes books on “Islam,” “socialism,” sex, LGBTQ identity, climate change, and gun control.
“We are an extremist organization that prides itself on making sure that freedom of speech and choice only applies to those who believe gays are demonic…. any transgender are considered trash and need to be disposed of, current teachers in this society should be under the control of fascists who know better, and that any teachers who disobey deserve to be handled by any means necessary and this includes physical control,” the website’s About Us section states.
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If this sounds extreme or unfair, Moms for Liberty and groups like it have been behind 50% of the book bans during the 2021–22 school year, according to PEN America. A majority of these bans have targeted LGBTQ+-themed books and even include a graphic novel adaptation of The Diary of Anne Frank. The group claims that Democrats and LGBTQ+-allies want to turn kids queer in order to break down the family and traditional conservative values.
Moms for Liberty has “repeatedly sent intimidating messages, openly threatened officials, and even baselessly leveled charges of child abuse and sympathizing with pedophilia,” former White House press secretary Jen Psaki recently noted. One Indiana chapter infamously included an Adolph Hitler quote in a newsletter. The group apologized but later defended the inclusion of the quote.
Another section of Morton’s parody site lists items that the group wants banned, including the board game Sorry: “Those who are taught to say ‘sorry’ are weak,” the site says. “NEVER apologize for your actions because your actions are probably warranted if you’re white.” The site also lists the candy Whoppers as ban-worthy because “Whoppers refers to boobies and boobies reminds us of Hooters and Hooters is a bar/restaurant full of trashy women who should find Jesus.”
Morton’s site isn’t all mockery, though. One section includes a map showing counties with active Moms for Liberty members. He hopes to eventually make the map interactive to let people know about upcoming school board and other local elections where Moms For Liberty members are running. He also said he’s raising funds to purchase ads across California, Texas, Ohio, and New York to raise awareness about the group.
As a result of his campaign, he has received lots of support but also hate mail — which he shares on his Instagram — including one message calling him a “f**king Jew fa**ot.” But this hasn’t deterred him.
“My plan is to disrupt this hate group for as long as possible with billboards, pamphlets, background information, and other tactics,” Morton told The Daily Beast. “They have no interest in truly educating children and would rather actively prevent them from learning the true history of our country. I have a lot of support around the country so I’ll continue updating my website about this group in each state so people are fully aware.”
Morton has also set up similar satirical sites for other anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans like Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, failed Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (whom Morton has nicknamed “DeFascist”).
Moms for Liberty’s past activities include offering bounties for turning in teachers who discuss “divisive topics”; attacking the Trevor Project for trying to prevent LGBTQ+ teen suicide; trying to get a book about seahorses banned for being too sexy; complaining about a book on the Civil War because it portrays “white people as ‘bad’ or ‘evil’”; trying to get librarians arrested for offering “inappropriate books”; saying that two girls briefly kissing at a school function is “lewd” and “traumatic”; lobbying in Florida for the Don’t Say Gay bill; encouraging schools to ignore LGBTQ+ History Month; and suggesting that LGBTQ+ students be forcibly isolated from other pupils.
The group has also pressured public school libraries across the country to allow book donations from conservative publishers that push anti-LGBTQ+ and white supremacist ideals, Vice News reported.
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