Quote:The Biden administration has been accused of using a grant program initially created to combat terrorism to crackdown on the speech of conservatives, the Republican Party, and Christians, according to documents obtained by MRC Free Speech America through freedom of information requests.

Under the Biden administration, the Targeted Violence & Terrorism Prevention Grant Program (TVTP) has awarded public and private institutions almost $40 million to fight “all forms of terrorism and targeted violence.” However, the program has not been targeting actual terrorism. Instead, it has focused on targeting right-leaning organizations through “media literacy and online critical thinking initiatives” and other similar seminars.


During his campaign, Biden promised to disband the program. However, the DHS, led by Alejandro Mayorkas, has repurposed it to target specific organizations.

The DHS itself has refused to provide documents revealing details about the program. However, the organizations that received the grants did provide documents.
One of the recipients of the grants was the University of Dayton, which received $352,109 to create the PREVENTS-OH program to combat “domestic violence extremism and hate movements.
A chart used by the grantee and the DHS in a training program puts conservative organizations like the Christian Broadcasting Network, the Republican National Committee, the Heritage Foundation, Turning Point USA, and the National Rifle Association in the same category as organizations like The Base and websites like The Daily Stormer.
In the same seminar, President Trump was compared to Cambodian dictator Pol Pot, who was responsible for the deaths of 1.7 million people.
It was also suggested that Florida’s Gov. Ron DeSantis wanted to start a second Holocaust because in 2021 he proposed a civilian military force to assist the National Guard during emergencies.
In another seminar, Michael Loadentahl, a self-proclaimed member of the organization Antifa, the report alleges, explained how to create fake accounts on social media platforms like Gab, Rumble, and Telegram to infiltrate and destabilize conservative political movements.
In total, the TVTP program has awarded 80 grants, totaling $39,611,999.

(05-27-2023, 12:21 AM)727Sky Wrote: Silence all those who disagree and you will never realize you are wrong.

Quote:"This terrorism task force is engaged in an active effort to demonize and eliminate Christian, conservative, and Republican organizations using federal taxpayer dollars," said Brent Bozell, founder and president of the Media Research Center. "What we have uncovered calls for criminal prosecution. The American people need to know those who are abusing their positions in the federal government will be held accountable for their criminal behavior."

(05-27-2023, 03:09 AM)BoredPandalorian Wrote: I've been trying to upload a topic about this, but I'm stymied by the way thread formatting here works. It's called the digital platform commission act, I thought somebody should share this latest attempt at tightening the leash. I would quote the article for a quick summary but even that's finicky.

https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2023/5/bennet-welch-reintroduce-landmark-legislation-to-establish-federal-commission-to-oversee-digital-platforms

Quote:But misinformation about the pandemic, public health, elections and more are polluting our online spaces and having real-world negative impacts in our communities. Unlike other industries, digital platforms and AI systems are subject to very few requirements for transparency and accountability.

...

Stronger oversight institutions, such as the commission proposed in the Digital Platform Commission Act of 2023, have the potential to strengthen the government’s capacity to promote safe, just, and innovative digital products.

(05-27-2023, 12:55 AM)Infolurker Wrote: University program linking Christians, Republicans to Nazis granted DHS funds under 'anti-terror' initiative


https://www.foxnews.com/politics/university-program-linking-christians-republicans-nazis-granted-dhs-funds-part-anti-terror-initiative

Quote:"This terrorism task force is engaged in an active effort to demonize and eliminate Christian, conservative, and Republican organizations using federal taxpayer dollars," said Brent Bozell, founder and president of the Media Research Center. "What we have uncovered calls for criminal prosecution. The American people need to know those who are abusing their positions in the federal government will be held accountable for their criminal behavior."

(05-27-2023, 03:15 AM)loam Wrote:

(05-27-2023, 03:09 AM)BoredPandalorian Wrote: I've been trying to upload a topic about this, but I'm stymied by the way thread formatting here works. It's called the digital platform commission act, I thought somebody should share this latest attempt at tightening the leash. I would quote the article for a quick summary but even that's finicky.

https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2023/5/bennet-welch-reintroduce-landmark-legislation-to-establish-federal-commission-to-oversee-digital-platforms

From your link....

Quote:But misinformation about the pandemic, public health, elections and more are polluting our online spaces and having real-world negative impacts in our communities. Unlike other industries, digital platforms and AI systems are subject to very few requirements for transparency and accountability.

...

Stronger oversight institutions, such as the commission proposed in the Digital Platform Commission Act of 2023, have the potential to strengthen the government’s capacity to promote safe, just, and innovative digital products.

What could possibly go wrong?

(05-27-2023, 02:05 PM)Infolurker Wrote: The appeal of the internet is the larger "audience & reach" I think.

Plus you get perspectives from people all over the country / world in many cases. 

I hang out on numerous forums. Democratic Underground is an interesting place if you want to see and hear the left's perspective / echo chamber.

(05-27-2023, 03:58 PM)NightskyeB4Dawn Wrote: ...I know that person would never say out loud to someone's face, but the anonymity provided by the internet...

Red Herring.

(05-27-2023, 04:16 PM)loam Wrote:

(05-27-2023, 03:58 PM)NightskyeB4Dawn Wrote: ...I know that person would never say out loud to someone's face, but the anonymity provided by the internet...

And yet, the opposite would produce a result --particularly in today's social and political climate-- where people would not be willing to disclose what they truly believe for fear of real world reprisal.

Between the two options, I believe the latter would be far worse. If you think cancel culture is bad now, it would be exponentially worse if you were required to identify yourself in public virtual spaces.

There are downsides to everything in life. But some downsides are far worse than others, IMHO.

(05-27-2023, 08:16 PM)NightskyeB4Dawn Wrote: I know it is the easiest route, to go along and comply...

(05-27-2023, 08:24 PM)loam Wrote:

(05-27-2023, 08:16 PM)NightskyeB4Dawn Wrote: I know it is the easiest route, to go along and comply...

That's the entire point.

Just had lunch with a colleague who admitted to this very thing. He's a senior guy and one of the big consulting firms. The woke agenda is off the scale. He has a wife and three kids, supported by a lifetime of hard work.

What are his choices now? Blow it all up or comply. He's complying, and it's not hard to understand why.

So if you make the internet a playground for the verified only, the suppression of any speech in opposition to the machine will be complete....just the way they'd prefer it.

(05-27-2023, 08:41 PM)NightskyeB4Dawn Wrote: The internet is already a playground and a trap. They can suppress, and will, anything they don't want to be on the internet. They can monitor every key stroke. They can shadow ban. They can delete anything you write and even cancel you.

I have been where your friend is at least three different times in my life.

I walked away from a six digit paycheck, because I was not willing to compromise, and I could not go along to get along. When I walked out of those doors I had three children, and a Mother to take care of, a mortgage, and a new car payment.

I had no idea where I was going to go, but I could at least look at myself in the mirror.

The second time and the third time was much easier, because I had built a reputation for being an honest, hard nworker, that had a strong backbone, so finding employment was very easy.

I am not telling anyone else what they can or should do. I am just saying that the decisions you make are your decisions, and you should take responsibility for them, regardless which excuse you use for why you did it.

(05-27-2023, 08:57 PM)loam Wrote: All very admirable.

But if the topic is to end anonymity (as feeble as that already is) on the internet, count me out. That was the point I was addressing.

(05-27-2023, 09:06 PM)NightskyeB4Dawn Wrote: There is no anonymity on the internet.

(05-27-2023, 11:16 PM)loam Wrote:

(05-27-2023, 09:06 PM)NightskyeB4Dawn Wrote: There is no anonymity on the internet.

Missing my point again. So do you know who I am?

Maybe I work for you...or the other way around.

(05-27-2023, 11:46 PM)NightskyeB4Dawn Wrote: I guess I am missing your point.

There is no true anonymity on the internet.