Welcome back to the show.
Despite what Republicans want people to think, banning books
isn't about protecting the children.
It's actually an organized effort
to silence any perspectives that oppose conservative views.
And as not your average PTA parents leading the charge--
The new rules are enforced by Conservative activists,
many of whom don't live in the community
or aren't even parents, who show up at school board
meetings to spout conspiracy theories
and threaten administrators.
They're being sponsored by right wing organizations,
like Heritage Action, the campaign arm of the Heritage
Foundation and a daughters of the confederacy style group
called Moms for Liberty.
Moms for Liberty actually changed their name
from moms interested in liberty and freedom
after their original acronym brought all kinds of freaks
to their monthly meetings.
Moms for Liberty, which started just a little more than a year
ago in Florida, claims it just wants to support
parental rights in schools.
But the truth is much more disturbing.
Despite attempts to look like a small grassroots organization,
Moms for Liberty is partially funded by right wing groups,
appears to have a super pack, and has ties to Ron
DeSantis' political allies.
It even hosts high dollar fundraisers featuring
people like Megyn Kelly.
So instead of annoying people on television,
she got to annoy people face to face.
Moms for Liberty recently filed a complaint in Tennessee,
objecting to several children's books about Black history
for, let's be honest, being about Black history.
Why did the Moms for Liberty object
to the book "Martin Luther King Jr.
and The March on Washington?"
Well, because it describes white police spraying powerful fire
hoses at Black children marching for equal rights
to the point where the water tore off their clothes,
which actually happened.
So they, of course, have labeled that pornography.
REPORTER: Moms for Liberty is mostly
concerned about four books being taught in second grade--
one tells a story of school segregation
through the eyes of Mexican-American students,
one is about the "March on Washington,"
and two are about civil rights icon Ruby Bridges.
Moms for Liberty complained that one of those books
about Ruby Bridges failed to mention other Black heroes,
such as Colin Powell, Justice Clarence Thomas,
and Secretary Ben Carson.
What?
They have their own books.
They even have one together--
"Eat, Pray, Love."
It's about a woman who eats dinner with Colin Powell,
prays with Clarence Thomas, and makes love to Ben
Carson, all at the same time.
Moms for Liberty has been accused
of using militant tactics to accomplish their agenda.
One school board official reported that members picketed
in front of her house, followed her to her car
while shouting at her, and sent her threatening mail.
Even scarier, they sent her that copy of "Eat, Pray, Love"
with Ben Carson on the cover.
Another organization at the forefront
of [BLEEP] up libraries is No Left Turn in Education.
No Left Turn, which took off after being featured
on Tucker Carlson, has been accused of swarming
school board meetings.
No Left Turn's founder doesn't even
have kids in public school, but the group
has still circulated a list of more than 75 books, it says,
spread radical and racist ideologies.
You know, books like "Antiracist Baby," "Woke Baby," and "What
Does It Mean to be White?"
Which is honestly the most accurate book I've ever read.
It's only one page long, and it's just a picture of Moby
shopping at Trader Joe's.
Unsurprisingly, almost the entire list
features Black or LGBTQ stories and has children's books that
promote activism and diversity.
These groups are deeply plugged into Republican politics.
So it's no surprise, Conservative politicians
are leaning into their crusade.
Glenn Youngkin, the recently-elected Virginia
governor and perpetual mouth breather,
centered his campaign on banning CRT
and even featured a book banner in an ad.
As a parent, it's tough to catch everything.
So when my son showed me his reading assignment,
my heart sunk.
It was some of the most explicit material you can imagine.
I met with lawmakers.
They couldn't believe what I was showing them.
Their faces turned bright red with embarrassment.
To be fair, her lawmakers are two radishes with glasses.
So it's hard to tell.
The book Murphy is referring to is
Toni Morrison's 1987 novel, "Beloved,"
a story about the horrors of slavery.
Murphy claims her son, who was a high school senior, started
getting night terrors when he read the book
and had to give up on it, which on one hand, sure,
it's hard to see your kids deal with something like that.
On the other hand, your kids should
be [BLEEP] horrified by the enslavement
of millions of people.
That's why we should be teaching these books.
Also, it turns out that story was bullshit
because the incident in question occurred 10 years ago,
and her son is now a nearly 30-year-old Republican lawyer,
who still, probably, never finished a book.
Meanwhile, Governor Youngkin isn't the only one taking
advantage of this movement.
The Florida House Committee passed a bill last week
that would ban discussions about sexual orientation
or gender identity in schools.
It's being called the Don't Say Gay Bill.
A bill making its way through Florida State legislature
and being pushed by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis
would bar public schools and businesses
from making people feel discomfort or guilt when
being taught about the history of racial discrimination
in America.
This is certainly something that has rallied
Governor DeSantis' supporters.
To be fair, all it takes to rally DeSantis' supporters is
telling them there's a new Fuddruckers opening
or an old Fuddruckers closing.
What makes this current book banning frenzy
particularly terrifying is how organized it is
and how Conservatives are directly
intimidating and threatening teachers,
school board members, and librarians to get their way.
Why are you afraid to show your face when you talk
about your job?
There is a day, not too long ago, when
I had to stop and think, when they come in with handcuffs,
and they come in with a warrant for my arrest
for alleging that I've provided obscene material to minors,
who am I going to call first?
This is all happening to school
librarians, people who are usually
pretty boring quiet job.
Boring?
Oh, I think you'll find reading is quite an adventure.
It's maddening that a librarian feels
the need to conceal their identity on TV
like they witnessed a mob hit.
Book banning is just the latest move in the GOP's long standing
effort to hamstring teachers and dismantle public education.
Again, book banning is censorship.
It's fundamental for children to read books that
might challenge their views.
And frankly, it's our only hope to raise a generation that
doesn't talk for 10 years about the time their white adult
son made himself out to be the victim
because he had to read a book about slavery.
Oh, my God, [BLEEP] loser.
We'll be right back.