At Moms for Liberty summit 'Mama Bears' declare spiritual war on the 'Radical Left’

[Daily Kos Morning Roundup]( A morning roundup of worthy pundit and news reads, brought to you by Daily Kos. [Click here to read the full web version.]( - [At Moms for Liberty summit 'Mama Bears' declare spiritual war on the 'Radical Left’]( At Moms for Liberty summit 'Mama Bears' declare spiritual war on the 'Radical Left’, Annika Brockschmidt, Religion Dispatches Given that Moms for Liberty is a very young group on the conservative circuit it’s remarkable that both Trump and DeSantis, in addition to other presidential hopefuls, made the pilgrimage to Philadelphia to laud Moms for Liberty’s message—and, in Nikki Haley’s case, to portray herself as one of them. None of the candidates appears to have been at all concerned by the fact that Moms for Liberty was just designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. According to the report by the SPLC, the group’s main goals are to “fuel rightwing hysteria and to make the world a less comfortable or safe place for certain students—primarily those who are Black, LGBTQ or who come from LGBTQ families.” In fact, this designation sparked numerous jokes and gripes about being “the face of domestic terrorism” during the summit—eerily similar to CPAC’s announcement and display of a “we are all domestic terrorists” banner at its 2022 meeting in Dallas. There was a great deal of talk of revolution, sacrifice, and of war in general for a supposedly “apolitical” event in Philadelphia. During the event I repeatedly heard the refrain that “not every mom for liberty is conservative”—despite the backdrop, which included a Turning Point USA booth with stickers of a milk carton with “liberal tears” and “pro-life” pins, and a merchandise corner with T-shirts like “Joe and the Hoe gotta go” and the Palin-esque “Mamma Bear—don’t mess with my cubs!” The summit took place under heavy police presence—something the organizers made sure to exploit. “Thank the police officers for protecting us, ok? Every single one,” a staffer advised eagerly as we were escorted by a throng of police officers out of the Museum of the American Revolution, where Wallbuilders president Tim Barton had just butchered American history in a speech punctuated by his plea that “we have to make America great again!” In between speeches, speakers would hold prayers to bless the “hotel staff, those who serve our food, who make our beds,” and praise to God for not letting “hotel staff” be swayed by the protesters outside. The vibe was strange, eerie, and excited—a cross between a White supremacist sorority meeting; a capitalist love-fest with deep bonding over hatred for “the Left,” the LGBTQ+ community, and anti-racism efforts (all dressed up as expressions of love for their children); and a pentecostal revival with some distinct NAR overtones. “Our children belong to the Lord, not the government,” declared Patriot Mobile spokeswoman Leigh Wambsganss. “This is not a political war, it is a spiritual war! - [Nazi cavorting anti-vaxxer, and now candidate for president, RFK Jr., is suing Daily Kos for protecting our community. The legal fees are piling up, you can donate $3 here to help us fight back?.]( - [What Biden got right about the wrongheaded Supreme Court decisions]( What Biden got right about the wrongheaded Supreme Court decisions, Jennifer Rubin, The Washington Post You can say this for the Biden administration: Learning from the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the White House was not caught flat-footed this year when the Supreme Court handed down its distressing end-of-term decisions. Whereas critics expected (perhaps unfairly) a more robust reaction to the loss of women’s right to self-autonomy a year ago, few had complaints this time around when President Biden came out with full-blown responses to the high court’s invalidation of affirmative action at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, its countenance of anti-gay discrimination in accommodations and its invalidation of his relief for student debt. In each case, he made three critical arguments. - [Daily Kos hats are made in the USA and union decorated. Show your support for progressive, independent media by getting yours now.]( - [Is America’s rigid racial hierarchy compatible with democracy?]( Is America’s rigid racial hierarchy compatible with democracy?, Hakeem Jefferson, The San Francisco Chronicle Invited by a group of white anti-slavery activists to deliver the keynote address at their Independence Day celebration, [Frederick] Douglass wondered incredulously, “Why am I called upon to speak here today? What have I, or those I represent, to do with your national independence? Are the great principles of political freedom and of natural justice, embodied in that Declaration of Independence, extended to us?” Speaking to what must have been a stunned crowd of onlookers, Douglass continued, “The blessings in which you, this day, rejoice, are not enjoyed in common. The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity and independence, bequeathed by your fathers, is shared by you, not by me. The sunlight that brought light and healing to you, has brought stripes and death to me. This Fourth July is yours, not mine.” - [A Journey to the Center of RFK Jr.’s Dark, Public Slack Channel]( A Journey to the Center of RFK Jr.’s Dark, Public Slack Channel, Ursula Perano, The Daily Beast Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s campaign has been promoting a public Slack channel where supporters discuss which Black journalists to use, share anti-vax memes, and attack Biden. The Robert F. Kennedy Jr. campaign has a public Slack channel—and they don’t seem to care who joins it. They probably should. The link is being shared on Twitter. It doesn’t have any barriers to entry. And they texted an invitation—accidentally, it seems—to a reporter from The Daily Beast. What’s even more odd about the longshot campaign so halfheartedly protecting its communications is that inside that Slack channel, which the campaign is effectively endorsing by promoting it, there are a number of cringeworthy exchanges and grim portraits of Kennedy’s supporter base. - [Oklahoma judge dismisses Tulsa race massacre reparations case filed by last known survivors]( Oklahoma judge dismisses Tulsa race massacre reparations case filed by last known survivors, Omar Jimenez and Rebekah Riess, CNN An Oklahoma judge dismissed the reparations lawsuit filed by the last three known survivors of the Tulsa race massacre on Friday, court records show. The three had been locked in a yearslong court battle against the City of Tulsa and other groups and officials over the opportunities taken from them when the city’s Greenwood neighborhood was burned to the ground in 1921. Contemporary reports of deaths began at 36, but historians now believe as many as 300 people may have died, according to the Tulsa Historical Society and Museum. Thousands were left homeless. ICYMI: Popular stories from the past week you won't want to miss: - [Trump-appointed judge injects some QAnon into the federal judiciary]( - [Where is Mark Meadows?]( - [Buttigieg's master class in how Democrats should message the Republican Party’s implosion]( Want even more Daily Kos? Check out our podcasts: - [The Brief: A one-hour weekly political conversation hosted by Markos Moulitsas and Kerry Eleveld]( - [The Downballot: Daily Kos' podcast devoted to downballot elections. New episodes every Thursday]( Want to write your own stories? [Log in]( or [sign up]( to post articles and comments on Daily Kos, the nation's largest progressive community. Follow Daily Kos on [Facebook](, [Twitter](, and [Instagram](. 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