In George Orwell’s novel, “1984”, written in 1948 about a future fictional facist country called “Oceania”, the “Ministry of Truth” makes sure that all information available to the population of Oceania conforms to the current party line. This ministry was in charge of changing accounts of the past and destroying any evidence that might prove the Party false. It constructed the Newspeak language to aid in this propaganda. This language purported to be true ideas such as 2 + 2 = 5 when the situation warranted. It alone decided what was true and changed the “truth” as the situation warranted to support the ruling party and keep the people enslaved.

Recently, President Biden announced the formation of his own Ministry of Truth, the “Disinformation Governance Board” (“DGB”) charged with countering misinformation related to homeland security. DGB experts will guide the way, determining what is disinformation. Under the Department of Homeland Security, Nina Jankowicz was named Executive director. Supposedly a “disinformation expert”, Ms Jankowicz herself has had a history of perpetrating party-line misinformation including calling Hunter Biden’s laptop “a Trump campaign product” and that the Steele Dossier was all true among other assertions that have proven to be false. She has stated that speech that is legal but, in her opinion, awful should be made illegal. She has also called insulting Kamala Harris a threat to democracy. As the Wall Street Journal reported “her Twitter feed makes her look like a cross between Madame Mao and Bette Midler – a mix of impeccably conformist left wing views about politics and media information – with excruciating political parodies of musical-theater numbers”.

The question is who is going to police the misinformation coming out of the Disinformation Governance Board or for that matter from many people in the government on a regular basis? Our free speech is in great jeopardy when the government itself determines what is acceptable speech. This goes directly against the First Amendment which was put in the Constitution to protect us from a Federal Government that would abridge free speech. Now, will people starting calling the DBG telling them that their neighbors are watching Fox News again? Will “incorrect” political or moral opinions become a national-security threat dealt with by Biden’s Ministry of Truth. We may all wake up soon seeing ourselves in the American version of Oceania. Any American who values free speech should stand against this Board.