‘Star Trek’ Actor LeVar Burton Threatens To Physically Assault Members Of Moms For Liberty Who Don’t Want Small Children Reading Sexually Explicit Material In School Libraries
John F. Trent
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LeVar Burton, known for his role as Geordi La Forge in Star Trek and presenting the children’s show Reading Rainbow on PBS Kids, recently threatened to physically assault members of Moms for Liberty.
According to Publishers Weekly, LeVar Burton hosted the National Book Awards and opened the ceremony by stating, “Before we get going, are there any Moms for Liberty in the house? No? Good. Then hands will not need to be thrown tonight.”
It’s unclear why Burton threatened Moms for Liberty members, but Burton did recently give an interview with Esquire that was published the same day his remarks were given at the National Book Awards.
In the interview he was asked, “In all of your advocacy work, do you hear anything from young people affected by book bans?”
He responded, “Here’s the thing: I think it’s the responsibility of the adults in the room to advocate for those kids. Because in many cases, they don’t know what they’re missing. And they won’t know what they’re missing because they won’t get it, because these people are in some cases being successful.”
He added, “One of the things I’m most thrilled about is that hardly any candidates backed by Moms for Liberty won their races. There are bright spots, but these are people who would rather children not know the truth. 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.”
According to the Moms for Liberty website what the organization opposes is sexually explicit material in school libraries. Their website notes they oppose books in school libraries that have: graphics showing sex acts (not in a medical/educational way), extreme profanity, detailed descriptions of masturbation, oral, anal & vaginal sex, forced oral sex, rape & sexual assault, incest, pedophilia, [and] teaching kids how to use sex apps, and what websites to use.”
Speaking with Newsweek last November Moms of Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice told the outlet, “We’re not looking to ban any books.”
She then referenced calls for Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s book to be canceled, “There were people that don’t want the book to be published. That’s banning books. Our moms are saying write the book, publish the book, print the book, sell the book wherever you’d like to sell it, but don’t put it in a public school library if it has explicit sexual content in it.”
The organization also responded to Burton’s threat writing on X, “American moms weep as a childhood favorite, Reading Rainbow, calls for physical attacks against us because we are protecting the innocence of our children.”
They added, “Levar Burton, 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
Burton is no stranger to insane comments and threats such as this one. Back in 2021 he claimed that cancel culture was misnamed and should instead be called consequence culture.
During an appearance on The View, Burton was asked about the Dr. Suess estate discontinuing six of their books.
He said, “It’s interesting because I just, for the Seuss foundation, did a voiceover for a video that they have put together to remind us that Dr. Seuss is more than simply a company that’s decided to put a couple of books on the shelf, to take them out of that rotation.”
“That man, Theodor Geisel [Dr. Seuss], is responsible for generations of wholesome, healthy, wonderful, imaginative, creative content for children of all ages, and I think we need to put things in perspective.”
He then addressed cancel culture, “In terms of cancel culture, I think it’s misnamed. That’s a misnomer.”
“I think we have a consequence culture, and that consequences are finally encompassing everybody in the society, whereas they haven’t been ever in this country.”
“I think that there are good signs that are happening in the culture right now, and I think it has everything to do with a new awareness on people who were simply unaware of the real nature of life in this country for people who have been “othered” since this nation began,” Burton concluded.
I said it and I stand by it… #bydhttmwfi https://t.co/88Bjnl5Kfu
— LeVar Burton (@levarburton) April 26, 2021
Burton also previously indicated he assumes the worst in white people no more than they do of him.
A user questioned Burton, “Is it possible that you just assume the worst about white people due to their race?”
He responded, “No more that white people do me because of mine.”
What do you make of Burton threating to physically assault members of Moms of Liberty for not wanting their children to be exposed to sexually explicit material in school libraries?
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