Republican representative Brandi Bradley recently launched her Presidency of the Douglas County Chapter of Moms for Liberty on Tuesday, September 17, at the Wide Open Saloon in Sedalia. By doing so, she is formally participating in an anti-government group as categorized by the Southern Poverty Law Center. The SPLC describes Moms for Liberty as such:
“Moms for Liberty and its nationwide chapters combat what they consider the ‘woke indoctrination’ of children by advocating for book bans in school libraries and endorsing candidates for public office that align with the group’s views. They also use their multiple social media platforms to target teachers and school officials, advocate for the abolition of the Department of Education, advance a conspiracy propaganda, and spread hateful imagery and rhetoric against the LGBTQ community.”
Bradley’s recent comments on X imply that any LGBT material she personally determines as “inappropriate” is to be consider “pornography” and therefore removed from circulation in our school districts and public libraries. One of their members attempted to ban the autobiography “All Boys Aren’t Blue” simply because it contained the “N-word” – the author, a gay Black man, spent 6 full pages describing the cultural significance of the word and the correct, and incorrect, use of the word and its variants. Apparently this community member did not take the time to read the very book she was attempting to ban.
Douglas County Schools has a specific process for evaluating parent concerns regarding content and materials, and our local libraries also have similar procedures. Throughout 2023, several bans were attempted, and all failed, based on merit. Douglas County Schools spun up a formal review committee in 2023 to review “A Long Way Gone” – all reviewers were required to read the book, and everyone from the teacher, principal, librarian, and the district representatives were required to review and chime in. The parent in question wanted to book removed because it “depicted violence.” That was the entire point of the book. To document the horrors of child soldiers so that future generations can learn, and avoid, these atrocities. A parent said the content “made her uncomfortable” – congratulations, that was the point.
Representative Bradley also reminded me publicly that she, and her followers, “love the Second Amendment.” I don’t think it’s appropriate for an elected official to offer up a veiled threat when I have specific concerns about her participation in an anti-government group.
Douglas County needs leaders who are working on what they were elected to do: we need help with escalating property taxes, immigration reform, inflation concerns, encouraging local small business, and water rights. What we don’t need is an elected official bringing her personal culture war into our county via a national group bent on harassing the LGBTQ+ community. She must resign her position as a blatant conflict of Interest, and return her focus to what she was elected to do.
Craig Mason
Freedom From Religion Foundation, Denver Area Chapter
Douglas County Resident
