This is beyond scary.
We can now add a new alphabet soup agency to our ranks. The DHS is announcing the creation of a Disinformation Governance Board (DGB) to combat what they term disinformation about Covid and elections online and elsewhere. No, it's not the KGB, but close.
DGB
Somewhere in Hell, Josef Goebbels, the Nazi minister of propaganda, must be laughing. His ministry was actually called the Reich Ministry of Propaganda!
One immediate question I have is not just who is going to decide what is true and what is disinformation, but who are going to be the enforcers? DHS and other federal law enforcement agencies employ criminal investigators. Their job description is under the heading 1811. For example, when I was a Customs agent and later DEA agent, I was an "1811" (Special Agent/Criminal investigator). FBI agents, Secret Service agents, ATF agents, etc are all 1811s (criminal investigators) They carry badges and guns and have arrest powers. Are we going to have DGB agents now with badges and guns? What law would they be enforcing? In fact, do we actually have a disinformation law on our books-either state, local, or federal? Of course, there are certain limits of free speech, I can't yell fire in a crowded theater-unless there is a fire. I can't threaten the life of the president of the US. I cannot directly incite violence with my speech.
I note, however, that DHS head Alejandro Mayorkas is talking about disinformation about the border, Covid, Russia, and elections. At what point-just taking these issues as examples- does opinion cross over into "disinformation"?
Let us also not forget that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the largest member nation bloc in the UN, is working to try and have nations worldwide criminalize "Islamophobia" and any speech critical of Islam. Would that also be on the DGB agenda? Setting aside true hate speech against Muslims as people, would this new agency consider it disinformation for someone to suggest there was a direct link between Islamic teaching and international terrorism? Would it be "disinformation" to point out the hateful verses in the Koran-verses that are quoted by ISIS, Hamas, and al Qaeda themselves? Would DGB consider it "disinformation" to mention that sharia law calls for the death penalty for apostates? Would it be "disinformation" to say that CAIR is a front for the Muslim Brotherhood?
And what law says I cannot question government regulations on Covid? What law says I cannot talk about crooked elections-even if it's just my opinion that a particular election was rigged? What law says I can't talk about scandals involving Hunter Biden, Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, or Donald Trump for that matter. What law says I cannot complain about open borders or lenient prosecutors? Is it "disinformation" to say that President Biden is sliding into senility?
And just who is this Nina Jankowicz, who is going to run DGB? Supposedly, she is an expert on the subject of disinformation, and recently described the Hunter Biden laptop issue as "disinformation".
Let's be clear: If Trump or some recent Republican president had created this monster, I would be just as opposed. This is a country where all are free to express their opinions. Even so-called hate speech is protected as long as it does not incite violence or make threats. As mentioned above, there are exceptions, but we enjoy more free speech rights than any country on the planet, and that includes our democratic allies in Europe. Bad speech or outright lies or misleading statements can be countered with good speech and truth-or opposing opinions.
Whatever form this new agency takes, even in the best-case scenario that it is a political arm to spread White House talking points and defend against criticism, this should be proof positive that the left has a problem with the open and free exchange of ideas. The worst-case scenario is that DGB will work to actually criminalize opposing viewpoints.
The very idea of such an agency being created is something that should be challenged in the courts.
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