DHS ratchets free speech (addended)

George Rebane

The source of any problem you encounter in the public forum is more than likely due to some institution, agency, or bureau of government; bet on it.

Political commentator Kim Iverson writes ‘Disagree with government policy?  Homeland security says you’re a ‘terrorist’ if you speak out’.  The Dept of Homeland Security is on the lookout for people, including unconnected individuals, who spread “misinformation, disinformation or malinformation (MDM)”.  Of course, there is no rigorous, let alone broadly accepted, definitions of MDM; they are to be used to proscribe speech unacceptable to government bureaucrats in the manner of Carroll’s Humpty Dumpty – ‘When I use a word, it means just what I choose it to mean – neither more nor less.’

Your iniquities of government convenience are spelled out in the just released 7feb22 Bulletin of the National Terrorism Advisory System.  According to this document, you are guilty of such domestic terrorism, if according to the DHS or any of its cooperating agencies, your communications “sow discord or undermine public trust in US Government institutions.”  The internet and blogosphere is therefore chock full of MDM and an easy picking for any progressive politician or bureaucrat.

And Iverson reports that it doesn’t matter if things change.  “It was originally a conspiracy theory that there would be vaccine mandates.  It was misinformation to say the vaccine doesn’t prevent spread.”  Tomorrow Humpty Dumpty can change its federal mind and get you coming or going.  “By issuing this bulletin they’ve effectively given themselves the freedom to halt any dissent they don’t like under the guise of ‘it could lead to violence.’”

And for those who want to confirm which political side is ALWAYS in favor of more autocracy, keep an eye on the sound of silence emanating on this from our progressives and their lamestream media.  (H/T to reader)

[Addendum]  One of our astute readers notified us of the latest bombshell in our president’s rush to destroy America and relegate it into a second-world socialist country (here) compliant to the establishment of the new global world order.  The Heritage Foundation publishes the much read and respected ‘Index of Economic Freedom’.  This year the US has descended to a new low on the index.  In the categorical rankings ‘Free’ consists of the top seven countries.  The next category is ‘Mostly Free’ in which the US resides at rank 25. (more here)

The more backward nations that would benefit most from increasing their economic freedoms do exactly the opposite.  Their populations, ruled by autocrats and tyrants, are composed of overwhelmingly ignorant and under-educated people who have never had the opportunity to bloom and make their way in the world.  It is a foreboding picture of what America will become as our electorate becomes increasingly ignorant and votes for politicians and policies that demonstrably lower our country’s quality of life – and the doofuses have no clue where they are taking the country.  California, of course, is the poster child.

Comments

[Don Bessee]

It sounds like the 17 intelligence agencies and lady cankles have fallen under this standard for 6 years -

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/durham-probe-accelerated-more-people-cooperating-coming-before-grand-jury

;-)

[scenes]

" Of course, there is no rigorous, let alone broadly accepted, definitions of MDM; "

I'll present one.

It's the sorts of things that dudes say in a bar after work.

The thing is, at least temporarily, government is being taken over by people who aren't dudes, don't hang out in a bar, don't really work. Of course they'll find it threatening.

[Scott O]

George: "...keep an eye on the sound of silence emanating on this from our progressives and their lamestream media."
Hmmm...
I had a few English teachers that would have marked up that sentence with a red pencil.
But we catch yer drift. You must remember the good 'middle of the road' types and the left are quite certain this would never apply to them so it's all good.
I seem to remember President Potato publicly declaring that vaccinated people couldn't catch or spread the covid virus. That was completely untrue and a dangerous thing to tell people at risk with co-morbidities.
So - there is 'good' misinfo and 'bad' misinfo.
And that really boils down to: If we like you, you can say anything you want - including calls for violence against folks we don't like.
And if we don't like you, you might be in trouble for anything you say or write.
So - just good ol' despotism. Been going on for centuries. Maybe we can catch with China!

[George Rebane]

ScottO 352pm - Would love to know the kind of English teachers you had. Where would they have put their red marks?

[Scott O]

George - A simple mis-match of your eye (a light gathering organ) with the idea of detecting a sound.
As I quickly pointed out - we still get the 'picture'.
I had some English teachers that tried their best to impart a drumbeat of striving to do better at communication with that quirky code we call the English language. I'm sure they would still have a great time with a red pencil marking up my writing.

[Bill Tozer]

Six Things We Know About the CIA’s Secret Mass Surveillance Program

https://www.intellectualtakeout.org/six-things-we-know-about-the-cia-s-secret-mass-surveillance-program/

[George Rebane]

ScottO 653pm - You are right of course. But long ago ‘keep an eye on’ was awarded an expanded to mean the more general ‘pay attention to’ or ‘be attentive of’. And the ‘sound of silence’ has come to mean demurring as a type of response. Go figger; guilty as charged.

[The Estonian Fox]

From the SF Chronicle:

"It’s easy to drool over the story line that the most progressive city in America just ousted three progressive school board members. But disagreements over politics had little to do with San Francisco parents’ decision to push for the first local recall in 39 years."

Since it wasn't their policies, must have been for their lack of style. Hope that this rejection of hubris & stupidity shows up in November for many other offices across the country.