Well, folks, here we are again, watching our elected officials trip over their tongues and grasp at the most disastrous of historical references as if they were pulling the best card from a stacked deck. This time, it’s Texas Republican Representative Keith Self, who recently decided to channel his inner schoolyard bully by quoting none other than Joseph Goebbels—the Nazi propaganda minister himself—at a congressional hearing.

Yes, you heard that right. In the midst of a congressional discussion aimed at unearthing what some on the right are calling the “censorship industrial complex” of the Biden administration, Self dug into the annals of history to prop up his argument. He uttered the words: “It is the absolute right of the state to supervise the formation of public opinion.” Those golden words haven’t been uttered in a civilized debate since people started using soap and stopped wearing swastikas as fashion statements.

Here’s a guy who thinks invoking the name of a man whose sole purpose was to disseminate the most vile propaganda imaginable is a good strategy to prove a point about free speech. Maybe he missed the memo about keeping ideological comparisons reasonable and not strapping yourself to the ideological rockets of a regime responsible for the deaths of millions. Truly, it’s like bringing a bazooka to a water balloon fight.

Now, it’ll come as no shock that after Self made his pronouncement, the backlash was immediate and strong—as if he had just claimed he was a big fan of The Cake Boss while throwing cake in someone’s face at a party. Texas Congresswoman Julie Johnson was among the many who took umbrage with Self’s historical nod, saying: “When you’re quoting Joseph Goebbels about the role of the state in public debate, we have a big problem.” Johnson’s incredulousness echoed the sentiments of many who had just witnessed a member of Congress casually throw around the sayings of a man who helped facilitate the rise of one of the most horrific chapters in global history.

But why wait for a formal response when social media is ripe with commentary? A cacophony of responses erupted online, folks. Many pointed out that the line between profound historical insight and sheer stupidity had been thoroughly obliterated. One user quipped, “When Republicans start quoting Joseph Goebbels, you know America is f***ed.” A sentiment, I dare say, could easily spark a nationwide slow clap—minus the one Congressman Self may hope for.

Now, let’s not pretend this is the first rodeo for Self when it comes to ill-advised quotations. The man has a penchant for Goebbels quotes; this isn’t his debut performance on the ridiculous stage of rhetoric. Back in 2010, he used another Goebbels line while trying to score political points in his bid to keep his judge position in Collin County, Texas. “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it,” he said, placing a nice shiny bow on an ugly truth—one can only wonder if he could recognize the irony in his own allegations of misinformation when wielded this time around.

But here’s the kicker: the very hearing that prompted this historical misstep was supposed to be about disinformation. Talk about a situation ripe for irony. Self is running around talking about “censorship” while simultaneously invoking a figure who massaged the truth to fit a narrative that condoned oppression, violence, and the deaths of millions. All while going up against a witness who has been on the front lines of combating misinformation and disinformation throughout her professional life.

Enter Nina Jankowicz, who led the Department of Homeland Security’s disinformation unit. In her response to the hearing, she emphasized that the real censorship problem seemed to reside with the previous administration, which had a knack for redefining free speech and free thought in ways that included deporting students for their political opinions. It’s a bit like the pot calling the kettle black, if you ask me, especially when one considers that the very premise of the hearing is built on fantasies about government overreach.

This isn’t merely a case of bad judgment; it’s becoming a pattern. It’s almost got a sitcom feel to it, where a character says the wrong thing at the wrong time—but this is a tragedy played out on a national stage, with real-life consequences. The implications of self-aggrandizing rhetoric can’t be understated, especially as it serves to undermine public trust in legitimate governance.

We have to ask ourselves: What drives a Representative to pull from the deepest, darkest vaults of history for support? In this case, Self is apparently so paranoid about “censorship” that he’s willing to turn the political discourse into a macabre game of historical bingo. Some might say it’s the echoes of desperation ringing through the halls of Congress.

To be honest, it should surprise no one that we are in a moment where historical accuracy is less important than scoring political points, inst

Sources: