On Moms for Liberty
This letter to the editor, by Laurie Harmon, appeared in the Hudson Star Observer on March 26, 2026.
Students in many schools begin their day with the Pledge of Allegiance, reciting the powerful words “…with liberty and justice for all.” It’s hard to argue with such fundamentally American concepts like “justice” and “liberty,” which is probably why M4L (Moms for Liberty) picked its misleadingly attractive name.
To understand how such a hateful, restrictive and divisive group as M4L could gain a stronghold in our communities, I researched their mission, starting with the word “liberty.” Though the dictionary defines “liberty” as “living free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one’s way of life, behavior or political views,” their approach is anything but “free.”
According to their own literature, M4L pledges to “advance policies that strengthen parental involvement and decision-making, increase transparency, defend against government overreach and secure parental rights at all levels of government,” but their very mission is a model of contradictions.
They restrict liberty and freedom by banning books, bullying children and parents and belittling vulnerable members of society. Their misleading claims of “transparency” allow them to infiltrate a community, leaving chaos, pain and destruction in their wake.
Designated an “extremist” group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, their mission is to divide and disrupt, not to grow and nurture. They make deceptive, damaging claims about LGBTQ people, about the so-called designs and intentions of the trans community and about the biological, emotional and intellectual needs of students. They threaten violence, intimidate teachers and school officials and terrorize children.
M4L also dishonestly claims to support “the education, medical care and moral upbringing of their children” when the organization’s actions actually show their core mission is to control, limit and obstruct educational opportunities and medical care for children by disrespecting and disregarding their race, religion or gender.
Allowing M4L’s toxic influence to dictate the policies and procedures of our schools and communities will only bring fear, intimidation and dysfunction — and its narrow, limited worldview will degrade our humanity.
As responsible and engaged voters, we must vote for candidates who invest in “liberty and justice for all.” On April 7, let’s elect candidates to our school boards, county boards and other local government offices who support and empower all citizens in our fine communities.