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.
In their culture, it is considered extremely disrespectful to challenge someone on their viewpoint or ask probing questions. Like “fighting words” level, or relationship-ending with that person and maybe several others in their same circle.
This one time on national prime-time TV may genuinely be the first time someone’s sat them down and asked them serious and challenging questions about what the hell they’re even talking about, where they can’t choose to just end the conversation in some fashion or other.