Dear Lew,

Someone alerted me to DHS’s newest “terrorism advisory” issued just this week (Feb. 7).

Ominously (for our liberties!) It warns that, “The United States remains in a heightened threat environment fueled by several factors, including an online environment filled with false or misleading narratives and conspiracy theories, and other forms of mis- dis- and mal-information (MDM) introduced and/or amplified by foreign and domestic threat actors. These threat actors seek to exacerbate societal friction to sow discord and undermine public trust in government institutions to encourage unrest, which could potentially inspire acts of violence.”

I like that “MDM” part. Somehow reminds me of “WMD” — a catchy acronym probably destined to be repeated like a drumbeat to instill fear and induce acquiescence to whatever new evils the rulers have planned for us.

Anyway, before I left the Homeland Security website, I was asked to complete a “customer satisfaction survey.” They made the mistake of including a free-form field for me to explain my purpose in visiting the site. I wrote the following:

“My purpose in coming to this site was to try to assess what kind of totalitarian repression you might be planning for. Your National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS) Bulletin issued Feb. 7 2022 gives me a good idea. The fact that you are actually targeting “false or misleading narratives, which sow discord or undermine public trust in U.S. government institutions” demonstrates that you have no love for free speech or any desire not to trample it underfoot. Also, it is a healthy instinct to distrust the government. Such distrust should be spread to every corner of the nation, and I for one will do whatever I personally can to PEACEFULLY further that goal. By the way, I don’t consider myself a “customer” of your organization, but an unwilling victim who is being robbed to fund your continuous malign existence.”

I guess if I wasn’t on a list before, I am now!