Actor LeVar Burton told the National Book Awards audience it was good members of Moms for Liberty weren’t in attendance while he delivered his acceptance speech because if they were, hands would be “thrown.”
Burton used his opening speech at the 74th National Book Awards on Wednesday to deliver his verbal jab at the popular conservative lobby group.
“Before we get going, are there any Moms for Liberty in the house?” Burton asked, while the New York audience laughed. “Moms for Liberty? No? Good. Then hands will not need to be thrown tonight.”
"Before we get going, are there any Moms for Liberty in the house? No? Good. then hands will not need to be thrown tonight."
— Publishers Weekly (@PublishersWkly) November 16, 2023
Host LeVar Burton kicks off this year's National Book Awards ceremony. #NBAwards pic.twitter.com/tQtLj8azGS
The national organization was founded in 2021 by three women with experience serving on school boards, including Bridget Ziegler, wife of Florida Republican Party Chairman Christian Ziegler.
Moms for Liberty’s stated mission is to “save America by unifying, educating, and empowering parents to defend their parental rights,” as Breitbart News reported.
They moved quickly in response to Burton’s slur by taking to social media, saying:
American moms weep as a childhood favorite, Reading Rainbow, calls for physical attacks against us because we are protecting the innocence of our children.
@levarburton, why have you sunk so low? Threatening physical violence against women?
American moms weep as a childhood favorite, Reading Rainbow, calls for physical attacks against us because we are protecting the innocence of our children. @levarburton, why have you sunk so low? Threatening physical violence against women? https://t.co/qui0iP3McW
— Moms for Liberty (@Moms4Liberty) November 16, 2023
M4L enjoys strong support across the nation and aims to both elect right-wing school board candidates and combat race and LGBQ-related topics in classrooms.
The latter is done largely by supporting book bans.
Burton is known for appearing on the PBS program Reading Rainbow show for over two decades.
Moms for Liberty founders Tiffany Justice (L) and Tina Descovich give the opening remarks during the inaugural Moms For Liberty Summit at the Tampa Marriott Water Street on July 15, 2022 in Tampa, Florida.(Octavio Jones/Getty Images)
He’s also been critical M4L before — in a recent interview with Esquire, he described being “thrilled” by candidates losing recent elections while enjoying support from the group.
“There are bright spots, but these are people who would rather children not know the truth,” he said.
“Those kids will never know what they’re missing, but it’s our job to stand up for them, to be their voices and their advocates. That’s what being an elder in this society means to me.”
