This one was a shockeroo. I didn’t have Moms for Liberty chapter uses a Hitler quote in their newsletter on my bingo card. Yet, here we are. It’s 2023 and everything is crazy.

I’m sure they meant no harm. I like what they do. Moms for Liberty is over the target enough in the culture war that the Southern Poverty Law Center put them on its list of extremist groups earlier this month. This little reminder that using Hitler in your group’s newsletter is never, ever a good idea comes to us from the Hamilton County, Indiana chapter of Moms for Liberty.

What quote did this chapter use? The quote used was “He alone, who OWNS the youth, GAINS the future” (emphasis theirs). It appeared on the front page of the June newsletter. That Hitler quote comes from a Nazi rally in 1935. The newsletter is called “The Parent Brigade.”

The loony left calls Moms for Liberty book banners. It’s typical hyperbole coming from adults who think it is a-ok for school libraries to have books for the youngest of students that are used to normalize the agenda of the alphabet brigade, in particular the transgender agenda. Moms for Liberty fights that battle in the culture war and good for them.

By Wednesday night and Thursday morning, the group was under attack from public officials and others on social media, as you might expect. Unfortunately, the chapter issued an explanation for context after the Indianapolis Star ran the story. That didn’t work so by Thursday, the June issue of the newsletter had been redesigned and an apology was issued.

After the Indianapolis Star posted a story about the quote, the newsletter was updated with “context” in a bright yellow bubble above it on Wednesday night. “The quote from a horrific leader should put parents on alert,” it attempted to explain, according to a screenshot. “If the government has control over our children today they control our country’s future. We The People [sic] must be vigilant and protect children from an overreaching government.”

That context certainly does not help the situation, which is probably why the group then had to issue an apology. A redesigned issue of the newsletter, uploaded on Thursday, removed the Hitler quote and its context bubble.

Moms for Liberty emailed the IndyStar and posted a statement on the group’s Facebook page condemning Hitler and apologizing for using the quote.

“We condemn Adolf Hitler’s actions and his dark place in human history,” the statement from chapter chairwoman Paige Miller reads. “We should not have quoted him in our newsletter and express our deepest apology.”

How many times must this lesson be learned? Both Democrats and Republicans have gotten caught up in Hitlergates. I always think of Prince Harry in the Nazi uniform he wore one Halloween to a costume party. Everyone should just steer clear of Hitler outside of a classroom where history is being taught.

I can understand why the Moms used that quote, as it tracks with their mission. They are concerned moms who are trying to protect children, especially young children, from the indoctrination coming from the left in schools. The group opened itself up to criticism from both sides of the political aisle.

“I think Adolf Hitler is terrible, and I would never quote Adolf Hitler or the Nazis in any shape or form other than saying they are bad or terrible,” said Mario Massillamany, chairman of the Hamilton County Republican party. “That was a terrible page in our world history and I don’t think that we as a society can say enough about the atrocities that the poor Jewish people had to go through.”

The cherry on top of this kerfuffle sundae is the announcement that RFK, Jr. will be a featured speaker at the “Joyful Warriors National Summit,” a Moms for Liberty event in Philadelphia next week. The New Republic is so distraught by this news that it accuses RFK, Jr. of running on the wrong ballot.

Other guest speakers at the Moms for Liberty summit include some of the top 2024 Republican candidates: twice-impeached and twice-indicted former President Donald Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, and anti-woke multimillionaire Vivek Ramaswamy. In fact, Kennedy appears to be the only Democrat on the list of guest speakers, which also includes far-right conspiracy theorists and the president of the right-wing think tank Heritage Foundation.

I can’t believe I am applauding a Kennedy. 2023, man. 2023.