Controversy ensues as the National Security Agency (NSA) unveils an unconventional and contentious glossary.
The NSA has come under fire from Republican lawmakers, alleging that its recently published 34-page diversity, equity, and inclusion glossary diverts from its primary mission of ensuring national security.
The glossary, as reported by The Daily Wire earlier this month, includes definitions of various terms related to critical race theory and radical gender ideology. It uses gender-neutral pronouns such as "ze" and "zir" and offers definitions of "white fragility," "demigender," and "two-spirit." Furthermore, it conveys a narrative that blames "white Europeans" for "settler colonialism," a term it defines in a manner that some conservatives argue diminishes the founding of America.
Senator Ted Cruz was among the first to criticize the glossary publicly. Speaking on his podcast, Cruz condemned the content of the glossary and indicated that it detracts from the NSA's core responsibilities of national security.
In a quote shared on Twitter by Spencer Lindquist, Cruz stated: "This stuff is nonsense, it is garbage, it is poison. Do you know what it isn’t? National security."
Cruz went on to suggest that the NSA's focus on ideology could explain recent intelligence oversights, including missing information related to a significant planned attack on Jews.
Two other Republican lawmakers, Representatives Mike Waltz and Jim Banks, have also raised concerns about the NSA's new glossary. They wrote a letter to the NSA Director questioning not only the content of the glossary but also the hiring and contracting processes at the agency.
They voiced their concerns, saying:
"Many of these definitions, when not incoherent, are deeply troubling. This document raises questions about NSA’s hiring and contracting processes that deserve answers."
The glossary, they argue, raises questions about how the NSA selects its employees and contractors and whether these decisions are being influenced by ideological considerations.
Representative Matt Gaetz expressed further concerns about the potential for the integration of critical race theory into the intelligence agencies. Gaetz warned of the dangers of merging such a contentious ideology with the powerful surveillance tools at the disposal of these agencies. He stated:
"We need to put an end to it before we figure out what it looks like when the CRT regime is latched to the most exquisite spying and surveillance tools that have ever existed on the planet."
The Republican lawmakers' criticisms suggest a growing unease with the direction the NSA and other government agencies are taking regarding diversity and inclusion practices.
