Members of an Indiana chapter of the group Moms for Liberty found out this week that Adolf Hitler, the German Nazi leader who oversaw the systemic murder of 6 millions Jews, was a bad person.
Apparently previously unaware of Hitler’s role in the Holocaust and in starting World War II, the Hamilton County chapter of Moms for Liberty – a national right-wing “parents rights” group that opposes the teaching of LGBTQ+ issues or America’s history of racism – used a quote from one of the most infamous dictators in global history near the top of its most recent newsletter.
The quote is from a 1935 rally, and it appeared in the newsletter like this: “He alone, who OWNS the youth, GAINS the future.”
It is not clear whether the newsletter writer decided to put two of the words in all-caps to jazz up the text originally written by a man responsible for almost incalculable evil, or if that’s how the words appeared in the original Nazi speech. Hitler could not be reached for comment because he is in hell for all eternity.
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As if to ensure that newsletter readers would not think the group had quoted Hitler accidentally, the quote appeared with attribution – the italicized words “Adolf Hitler.”
Florida-based Moms for Liberty, whose members have gained notoriety for disrupting school board meetings across the country to protest inclusive curriculums, was recently labeled an anti-government extremist group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. That point was highlighted in the Hamilton County newsletter, with the words “Moms for Liberty will not be intimidated by hate groups!” appearing directly under the quote from Adolf Hitler.
It remains unclear whether all residents in this county north of Indianapolis are incapable of recognizing irony or if this is just an isolated incident.
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Moms for Liberty tries to clear up Hitler quote by stressing that they agree with it
By Wednesday night, as attention to the quote grew, the Hamilton County chapter of Moms for Liberty took quick action, updating the newsletter to make clear that they most definitely agree with the words from history’s most notorious antisemite. This was added to the front page of the newsletter, following the word “Context”: “The quote from a horrific leader should put parents on alert. If the government has control over our children today, they control our country’s future. We The People must be vigilant and protect children from an overreaching government.”
Again, the irony of using a quote from a dictator to warn people about “an overreaching government” was apparently lost on the Moms for Liberty chapter, prompting suspicions that the area water supply might be tainted or that members of this national organization are, for membership, required to abandon basic reasoning skills.
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The funniest apology in all of human history
On Thursday morning, presumably after Moms for Liberty national leaders paged through one of the history books they have tried to ban from public schools, the Indiana chapter released a statement boldly condemning a historical figure who is synonymous with genocide and hate.
“We condemn Adolf Hitler and his dark place in human history,” the statement read, more than 80 years after Hitler and his Nazi regime implemented a plan to exterminate European Jews. “We should not have quoted him in our newsletter and we express our deepest apology.”
Historical experts and people just casually aware of the atrocities committed by Hitler briefly agreed that “We should not have quoted him in our newsletter” is arguably one of the funniest sentences ever written. That was until the national Moms for Liberty Twitter account tweeted about the situation and wrote: “The chapter shouldn’t have quoted Hitler without condemning him at the same time.”
Asked via Twitter if it might be better to just not quote Hitler, the group did not respond.
Follow USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke on Twitter @RexHuppke and Facebook facebook.com/RexIsAJerk
