Submitted by Indivisible Mohawk Valley
Education and Human Rights advocates to hold Freedom to Learn and Love Rally to counter hate group Moms For Liberty
“We’re protesting the Mom’s for Liberty event at the Alexander Hamilton Institute by standing up for what we are for; freedom to learn and read and an end to the attacks on books and LGTBQ+ people, Let your rainbow fly!” event organizers say
Indivisible Mohawk Valley will be holding a “Freedom to Learn and Love Rally” on Saturday, October 7, 2023, from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. on the Village Green in Clinton. The event is free and open to all ages.
Organizers say, “ People can participate in multiple ways: donate to the Kirkland Town Library or their local one; show up to the event; read a banned book at the event, and/or come to the rally in your pride gear and spread joy. Bring signs! Dress up as your favorite book character or bring banned books and read from them.”
According to the organization’s press release:
“Children of every race, background, and zip code should have the freedom to learn and pursue their dreams. Our public schools are the bedrock of our communities and places where students use their critical thinking skills and read books that fuel their curiosity about the world around them.
‘While educators and libraries work hard to deliver an accurate education for our children, groups like Moms for Liberty want to censor what history is taught and what books are available and take away students’ freedom to learn. They are banning books across the country with authors and main characters who are LGBTQ+, Black, or have challenging stories to share. While we believe that children should have the freedom to choose what they want to read, Moms for Liberty wants to take away that choice for the kids and their parents in our communities.
‘We can do something about this. On Saturday, October 7th, please attend the Freedom to Learn and Love event on the village green in Clinton from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. While the Oneida County chapter of Moms for Liberty will be meeting at the Alexander Hamilton building focusing on what they are against, we’ll be celebrating and spreading joy about what we are for–reading books, rejoicing that love is love, and supporting teachers, librarians, and public schools!
‘Clinton residents and those in surrounding areas can support this event in multiple ways. Bring a sign and join the rally! Bonus points if you’re feeling spirited and dress up as your favorite literary character. Come and read a book on the village green. Write an email to your child’s teacher, sharing how much you appreciate them. Bring your pride gear and spread joy. Donate to your local library and/or LGBTQ+ advocacy group. Write a letter to your local school board with support of the librarians making decisions on which books are available to students. This event is being organized by Indivisible Mohawk Valley, a local grassroots group that makes showing up for our values bite-size, local, and fun.”
Indivisible Mohawk Valley is online at https://www.indivisiblemv.org/. Like them at Facebook.com/IndivisibleMV and Follow them at Twitter.com/IndivisibleMV. Information about Moms for Liberty is online at https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/group/moms-liberty, https://www.npr.org/2023/06/07/1180486760/splc-moms-for-liberty-extremist-group, and https://glaad.org/gap/moms-liberty/
