‘Moms for Liberty’ Kick, Drag, Bruise Three Kids with Rainbow Flag

Including a 16-year-old girl in a wheelchair. Liberty for me but not for thee?

This is a licensed Adobe Stock photo of a crying teenage girl in a wheelchair. This is not the 16-year-old girl in a wheelchair who police had to protect from staff violence at a Ron DeSantis campaign rally in South Carolina.

These are my neighbors. I’ve lived in this community since I was in second grade. I know several of them personally. I’ve spoken with them…like, it’s kind of horrifying to see how quickly you’re dehumanized.

— Will Sander, 19 years old

Violence at political events dates back to at least the days of the Brothers Gracchi of the late Roman Republic — when candidates’ supporters often slugged out their differences with fists, clubs, and knives. The U.S. has never been free of political violence, but former President Donald Trump kicked up the practice, often urging his supporters to commit violent acts in the public square and at Trump campaign rallies. Trump often says at rallies that he’d like to “punch protesters in the face,” and he’s even offered to pay the legal fees of supporters who commit violence at his urging.

It looks like people all across the Right are internalizing Trump’s violent values. Is this the new normal? Is violence against children our new political reality? Violence by mothers who claim to stand for liberty?

Confused? Here’s what’s going on:

Recently, at a Ron DeSantis presidential campaign rally in South Carolina, staff and attendees kicked, bruised, threw to the ground, and violently dragged three teenagers for the “crime” of holding up a rainbow flag to urge DeSantis to respect LGBTQ equality. Reportedly, some of the people who committed violence against the teens are members of Moms for Liberty.

Two of the Charlotte-area teens were 19 years old. The other was a 16-year-old girl in a wheelchair.

After observing the violence from the podium, DeSantis shouted at the kids, “We don’t want you indoctrinating our children! Leave our kids alone!”

More on his irrational comment in a minute, but can I just ask first … Are we ready yet for a wake-up moment as a nation? If you doubt the need, please keep reading.

Claire Jost and Will Sander, both 19 year olds from the Charlotte area, told Newsweek that Jost is queer and that they attended the…