Novelist George Orwell’s vision of government-controlled thought and speech has taken a disturbing turn in Colorado with the introduction of Senate Bill 24-084. Sponsored by Senator Lisa Cutter and Representative Lorena García, both Democrats, the “Attorney General Duties to Prevent Mis- & Dis-information” reads like a page straight from Orwell’s classic novel “1984,” and should send shudders down the spine of freedom-loving Coloradans.
At the heart of SB-84 lies the creation of a state-sanctioned “curriculum” to “facilitate productive and honest conversations” about state-wide and national issues. On the surface, this may seem like a well-intentioned effort to combat misinformation. But Orwell warns about the perils of government-controlled thought and speech. Echoing the tactics of the Thought Police in Orwell’s novel, the bill represents a troubling encroachment on the fundamental freedoms that form the bedrock of our democracy.
Just as the Ministry of Truth in 1984 was tasked with rewriting history to suit the party’s narrative, this curriculum represents an Orwellian attempt to dictate the terms of public discourse. Who gets to decide what counts as “honest” and “productive” dialogue? By what authority does the government anoint itself arbiter of acceptable speech?
The parallels to Orwell’s novel grow even more disturbing when we consider the bill’s directive for the Colorado attorney general to “coordinate with the Department of Education” in disseminating resources to schools and districts across Colorado. This chilling echo of the Thought Police’s grip on the institutions meant to enlighten and empower our youth cannot be ignored.
We cannot allow our lawmakers to twist rhetoric in service of an Orwellian agenda. The people of Colorado should see Senate Bill 84 for what it is: a blueprint for thought control, cloaked in the language of public safety. Orwell’s vision has become our reality, and we cannot afford to let our fundamental freedoms be gradually chipped away.
It is time to declare, unequivocally, that we will not surrender our rights to a government drunk on power and obsessed with controlling the flow of information.
Ashley Troxell is 1st vice-president of the Denver Republican Women.
