Writing in today’s Washington Post, Tom Grubisich (if that’s his real name) sounds the alarm against the common blogosphere practice of pseudonymous posting. (Via The Agonist.)
These days we want “transparency” in all institutions, even private ones. There’s one massive exception — the Internet. It is, we are told, a giant town hall. Indeed, it has millions of people speaking out in millions of online forums. But most of them are wearing the equivalent of paper bags over their heads. We know them only by their Internet “handles” — gotalife, runningwithscissors, stoptheplanet and myriad other inventive names.
[…] In any community in America, if Mr. anticrat424 refused to identify himself, he would be ignored and frozen out of the civic problem-solving process. But on the Internet, Mr. anticrat424 is continually elevated to the podium, where he can have his angriest thoughts amplified through cyberspace as often as he wishes. He can call people the vilest names and that hate-mongering, too, will be amplified for all the world to see.
You would think Web sites would want to keep the hate-mongers from taking over, but many sites are unwitting enablers.
Yeah… an unwitting enabler. That’s me.
Um… do you think “Tom” could be any more condescending?
What I am is a witting enabler. You think I like the garbage dump that is my typical comment thread? You think I don’t know that my policy of no-holds-barred invective and pseudonymity is routinely exploited by faceless trolls who view hijacking a thread as some sort of ideological victory? You think I’m a fucking idiot?
I do plan to eventually move to a registration system that might cut down some of the most ridiculously extravagant trolling, and a community moderation system that will clamp down on it further. But I defend the right of every member of the HA community — no matter how vile — to maintain their anonymity.
Why? Because if you think the pseudonymous trolls are ruthless in their public efforts to trivialize and discourage the speech of others, just imagine the acts of intimidation that go on privately.
In the four years since unwittingly becoming a somewhat public figure I have found myself the target of all types of threats and attacks. My “fans” have told me that when “The Sweep” comes, they’ll be the first at my door, and that they’ll be in the front row cheering when I finally “hang for my crimes.” I’ve been assured that I can keep all my “fancy words” but that “we own all the guns,” and that I’ll someday “get what [I] deserve” for my gun control advocacy.
I’ve received hate mail from Nazis and fundies and other anti-semites warning me to go back where I came from. (Philadelphia?) I’ve had people forward me tidbits of my personal information to make sure that I knew that they knew where I lived, where I banked, and how I spent my money, and have repeatedly found unexplained queries on my credit report. I’ve had a load of horse manure dumped on my sidewalk, the tabs repeatedly scraped off my car, and my websites targeted with God-knows-how-many denial of service attacks. I’ve been falsely (and anonymously) reported to police for soliciting sex from minors online.
Perhaps all this attention just fires up the persecution-complex sufferer in me, but the average citizen just isn’t willing to put up with this kind of shit. There’s a reason why people resort to intimidation and threats — it often works. How many people are willing to passionately and openly express their opinions in the comment thread of a dinky, local blog, knowing that some asshole might call your employer to complain?
A paranoid fantasy? Just take a gander over at our friends at (un)Sound Politics, where Stefan “allows” anonymous comments, but is quick to out anybody who strenuously and effectively refutes his rhetoric? God help the public employee who dares express a personal opinion from a government IP, let alone a whistle blower on the wrong side of the powers that be and/or a vindictive mob.
In an ideal world, it would not take courage to attach one’s real name to a post or a comment. But this isn’t an ideal world. The public town hall meetings that “Tom” mythologizes may indeed be a paragon of openness and transparency, but they can also make for a stifling atmosphere of group-think and political correctness, where participants are actively discouraged from truly speaking their minds for fear of being ostracized by their neighbors. There are communities where being openly gay or atheist or anti-war can cost you your livelihood, let alone your social standing. Should these despised minorities be denied the opportunity to engage in public discourse because “Tom” has determined that pseudonymity is uncivil?
It is not more civility that is needed in the public debate, but more honesty, and sometimes the most honest words are those penned under a nom de plume. From “Silence Dogood” to “Publius” to “Mr. X“, our nation has a proud history of pseudonymity in public discourse.
Perhaps it is the very anonymity of the Internet that makes it such a powerful forum in the first place?
Perhaps it is the very anonymity of the Internet that makes it such a powerful forum in the first place?
===
Maybe so, but this ain’t the center of the universe; it’s just off-the-wall commentary. Using pseudonyms is just part of the fun. That’s all.
As the real Fred Thompson, I can safely say that all anonymous writers are cowards. Pen names are for pussies. Especially Mark Twain.
P.S. I shall make no other Answer to Hypercarpus’s Criticisim on my last Letter than this, Mater me genuit, peperit [illegible] filia matrem.
As someone who has been “outed” on more than one occasion by Stefan, and who has been the object of his posters’ threats, I appreciate your own approach to preserving anonymity. I think there is good reason why we have a tradition of secret balloting in this land, and good reason why we should maintain a certain degree of anonymity in our political discussions. The right is very quick to label individuals and promote retribution if they voice arguements contrary to their own.
American College of Pediatricians Calls for End to Embryonic Stem Cell Research
GAINESVILLE, May 14, 2007 – The American College of Pediatricians (ACP) has called for an end to embryonic stem cell research and recommends the exclusive support of already proven effective adult stem cell research. \”Not only does embryonic research require taking the life of human embryos, it also prolongs needless suffering by delaying the development of more promising adult stem cell treatments and cures,\” stated Michelle Cretella, MD, Fellow of the American College of Pediatricians.
Research using non-embryo sources of stem cells, including amniotic fluid, umbilical cord blood, placenta and adult blood, fat and various organs, have yielded impressive results, the organization suggests.
\”Adult stem cells are now routinely used in certain forms of cancer therapy. Over the last decade, these cells have been used to successfully treat spinal cord injuries, heart failure, Parkinson\’s disease, diabetes and dozens of other conditions in human trials.\”
The group noted further that \”This has not been the case with any embryonic stem cell trial. Instead, there have been catastrophic results with these cells producing the wrong tissue, forming tumors and triggering immune rejection.\”
Concluding the ACP said, \”Every dollar spent on the failed and unnecessary process of embryonic stem cell research steals resources away from the established utility and potential of adult stem cell research. This is fiscally irresponsible and medically unconscionable.\”
fiscally irresponsible and medically unconscionable… ah yes the very definition of liberal
It is with apologies to Alexander Hamilton that I would note that Publius Is also a piece of software.
“Publius is a Web publishing system that is highly resistant to censorship and provides publishers with a high degree of anonymity.”
Goldy,although I do not have your asbestos determination to hold the ideals of the First Amendment aloft, I do support your right to do so. . .
The important thing to remember is that it is not the license to be vile that is important, but the liberty to speak the truth.
The truth, that most incendiary of commodities, is after all what we wish to preserve, along with our right to publish it.
With all due respect to “Tom”, I would suggest that he is full of self-righteous, delusional horseshit. Truth, whatever that might be, presumably speaks through a variety of voices–pseudonymous or not. This particular forum does permit a free exchange of ideas, and that is generally a good thing. It seems to me that the question should be whether a forum gets someone to start thinking, to considering the ideas of others, to questioning. Who gives a shit what the person who gets such process going might call himself or herself? And, by the way, you rightwinged cave dwellers out there, who among you is going to tell your colleagues out there who are doing all this shit to Goldy that they need to get some medical help?
Right you are, Goldy. So right you are. Thanks for the great post.
I disagree. People should stand behind their beliefs not behind a pen name or an alter ego. It should be rememered that the hate mongers love to be anonymous too. People would call them on their crap if the showed up wearing a swastika or white hood.
If you want to influence public opinion, you should do so in a public manner. It makes for transparency, accountability and civility.
The essential importance of the issue of our day are not in a way enhanced by epithets and insults but rather belittled by them.
If you are proud of what you believe, act like it, and show some pride.
Obviously, I am who I am and don’t do the internet undercover of a pseudonym. But, I grant the rights of others to hide. Some may well have good reason.
Obnoxious trolling doesn’t seem a good enough reason.
Oh, Jesus, Goldy:
Anybody from Philadelphia would know that Ben Franklin wrote under the name “Silence Dogood,” not Silence Fucking Dogwood.
But to get to the point, whose name is on a blog post is irrelevant. Is the post bullshit or is is not?
I use my name because I am my own boss now, and I don’t give a shit if people know who I am. What I put out there will rise or fall on its own merit, not because of who I am or am not.
So Cassius Clay can call himself Muhammad Ali, Steve Sharansky can call himself Stefan Sharkansky, and whoever uses the name Digby can be anonymous.
Don’t go to registration, though. Just delete the trolls and go on from there.
Zander@8 Says:
“If you want to influence public opinion, you should do so in a public manner. It makes for transparency, accountability and civility.
The essential importance of the issue of our day are not in a way enhanced by epithets and insults but rather belittled by them.”
I agree entirely. But this has nothing to do with Pseudonymity.
Ivan, check again.
Goldy has some excellent points here….although I believe the constant drumbeat of the Left & Right on issues in the Blogosphere does have a shelf-life. I know folks on both sides who spent a huge part of their lives reading “conspiracy theory” after “conspiracy theory” to the point it dominated their lives and in one case, cost a guy his wife & family.
Perhaps “Bloggers Anonymous” is not far in the offing?
It can be an addiction…just ask the dude who calls himself Roger Rabbit. What a sick bastard he is.
Ivan @10,
And everybody here should know by now that I’m lousy fucking proofreader. Geez. It’s kind of a funny typo though.
There will be other reasons to go to registration. It’s not like you’ll need to verify your identity, just a valid email address.
goldy…….well said. and something that “tom” didn’t bother to think about is that when you speak at a town hall meeting there are what, maybe 100 people there, right? but online as you [and i ] can attest to there are a lot more people reading it and they are anonymous. how many readers that don’t post are there? and what are their agendas? “outing” people for any reason is just another way of silencing free speech. just because i don’t agree with you [most of the time] does not mean that i would ever want to shut you up [or down]….but that isn’t many individuals take on it.
on both sides of the political arguments here ,there are those people who would wish harm or silence upon someone just because they disagree with them.we often have to read it [roger…i’m talking to you]…
and as you have had happen, it’s the really anonymous people that you have to worry about.
i give you much credit for being open with your name, because in today’s internet world, it can really cost you….unfairly.
and it can be dangerous…..
this isn’t “leave it to beaver’s” town hall anymore…….
My real name is “Old Stinky”.
Good post, Goldy. And to add another, here’s Digby’s take:
http://digbysblog.blogspot.com.....digby.html
my heyday – cause I have always had multiple personalities – and like swear words – Is it George Zander?
bothe this blog and Slog have far too many personal attacks as sport – very boring, but I guess cheap acting out for the lame and stupid with anger problems…..
Go Goldie/Goldy
Yes, a very good post. I’ve always been put off by the trolls, & so post so infrequently, I might as well be a troll myself. However I’ve never posted anonymously, my email and web address accessible by clicking on my name. And it’s my business.
It’s your blog. Do with it what you will. I enjoy your posts. If it were mine, I would moderate posts, but that’s me. It also involves a lot of time, too, I understand. But I don’t think registration is a bad idea.
Your thread on Tom Wales may prove worthwhile. It has stirred up some national interest.
“You think I like the garbage dump that is my typical comment thread?”
Yes, I agree that the interference with liberal erudition by the troll motherfuckers is a problem. We ought to kill all the trolls.*
* JUST KIDDING!!! Wingnut humor a la Ann Coulter.
On the otherside, I’m very careful to avoid any blogging, etc from my employer’s site and email system. I’m gibney there also.
“I do plan to eventually move to a registration system that might cut down some of the most ridiculously extravagant trolling, and a community moderation system that will clamp down on it further.”
I assume we’ll still be able to call the trolls motherfuckers, because that’s merely stating facts.
“I’ve been assured … that ‘we own all the guns …’”
In your dreams, motherfuckers.
“I’ve received hate mail from Nazis and fundies and other anti-semites”
Look at it this way, Goldy. You can judge a man’s character by who his enemies are …
“’ve had people forward me tidbits of my personal information to make sure that I knew that they knew where I lived, where I banked, and how I spent my money, and have repeatedly found unexplained queries on my credit report. I’ve had a load of horse manure dumped on my sidewalk, the tabs repeatedly scraped off my car, and my websites targeted with God-knows-how-many denial of service attacks. I’ve been falsely (and anonymously) reported to police for soliciting sex from minors online.”
Now you know why we can’t cut deals with these motherfuckers, and why we can’t let them win! No more “business as usual” … no more politics of negotiation, compromise, and accomodation! They wanted civil war; and civil war* is what they’re gonna get!
* Figuratively.
“Should these despised minorities be denied the opportunity to engage in public discourse because “Tom” has determined that pseudonymity is uncivil?”
Tom has no idea what “uncivil” is. You want to see “uncivil”? Click here: http://tinyurl.com/2s3tm8
And that’s exactly where the rightwing motherfuckers will take our country if we don’t stop them.
Is there anything you guys believe in that isn’t based on hate, envy or greed?
If you think I’m wrong, name something…
Ok, Mr. Redneck. Despite your attempt to move this thread away from its topic, some answers to your question move it back.
Honesty. I believe in honest, open debate. Discussion of issues with all sides being heard.
Reason. Using the mind that God gave me to consider all sides of a topic, rather than simply the side I might prefer.
Charity. In keeping with this topic, we have the ability to inform people about problems that we can help surmount. Not to put too fine a point on it for you, but Operation Helmet is one excellent example. Have you considered offering a $100 donation to that fine organization as a way of paying off your debt? I’d bet that Goldy would happily go along with the idea. He’s a charitable person, after all.
It seems that it’s the neo-con group that believes in hate, envy and greed. Your own posts show a deep and burning hatred for anyone that doesn’t follow your peculiar philosophy, along with a disdain for women of any kind.
You seem to envy the success of others, certain that it is due to favoritism and politics, rather than their hard work. The implication is that you have been a complete failure at whatever it is that you do, and rather than blaming your failures on your own lack of drive and ability, you blame others.
Greed. The neo-con philosophy that you tout on a regular basis emphasizes looking out for yourself at the expense of others. It’s as if the architects of your philosophy simply dusted off their copies of “the Prince” and followed it to the letter.
What will you do, Mr. Redneck, when you are limited to one screen name. I’m just wondering which of the various pitiful trolls will vanish.
i am afraid to out myself because joel connelly might place me on his far left list. impeach now!
Mark da reckneck’s real name is Don Pardo.
Hey, now. Let’s not be hating on Don Pardo. The guy is almost 90 years old and still going strong.
And anyone that could work as the announcer for SNL for thirty years has got to have a sense of humor. That alone proves that he isn’t Mr. Redneck.
10 “Just delete the trolls and go on from there.”
The question, and I guess it’s Goldy’s to wrestle with, is where to draw the line. It’s pretty easy to dismiss JCH/Klake/Puddy et al, but certainly don’t think he’d want to block out all differreng opinions. Although we sometimes needle him, I doubt that any of us would deny the value of Richard’s contributions. Same goes for Toby Nixon and UnionFireman, occasionally Mark, and ChristmasGhost and Janet have had their moments. At the same time, sometimes they’ll fill a thread with obnoxious rants and obfuscation, but Roger sometimes comes close to doing the same thing.
Maybe the prospect of partial or temporary censure will encourage people not to just vomit all over their keyboards and click the submit button. It would certainly be better if we had fewer postings with “more heat than light”, and perhaps registration will help Goldy to move us in that direction.
I’ve always posted with my real email address (so at least Goldy knows who it is), and used the “ArtFart” pseudonym because it’s the same one I use on a lot of other message boards. I’ve always figured that most of the people who would have a genuine interest in who I am already know by now anyway. If not….well, my name’s Art Marriott, you’ve seen me occasionally at DL, and my email address is artm@axenhammer.com. If it floats your boat to send me some hate mail, go ahead. It’ll just get lost in all the spam anyway.
Do you mean there are people here who are not using their real names? How can it be???
MtRK is using his real name. His Momma saw him and said, “YEEECCCHH! The little readneck welsher!”
“In the four years since unwittingly becoming a somewhat public figure I have found myself the target of all types of threats and attacks. My ‘fans’ have told me that when ‘The Sweep’ comes, they’ll be the first at my door, and that they’ll be in the front row cheering when I finally ‘hang for my crimes.’ I’ve been assured that I can keep all my ‘fancy words’ but that ‘we own all the guns,’ and that I’ll someday ‘get what [I] deserve’ for my gun control advocacy.
“I’ve received hate mail from Nazis and fundies and other anti-semites warning me to go back where I came from. (Philadelphia?) I’ve had people forward me tidbits of my personal information to make sure that I knew that they knew where I lived, where I banked, and how I spent my money, and have repeatedly found unexplained queries on my credit report. I’ve had a load of horse manure dumped on my sidewalk, the tabs repeatedly scraped off my car, and my websites targeted with God-knows-how-many denial of service attacks. I’ve been falsely (and anonymously) reported to police for soliciting sex from minors online.”
Anyone who claims conservatives aren’t evil should read this again, carefully.
If you want to know why some liberal web sites sell magnetic bumper stickers you can remove from your car before leaving it unattended in a parking garage, read this story: http://tinyurl.com/4go75
Ivan @ 10
Gee, Ivan. Last time I checked, Stefan had you banned from Sound Politics. (To be honest, I don’t read the comment threads over there nearly as often as I read them over here. Usually just the article over there.) So I assume you are still banned. I have read your comments over there, and just didn’t that it was nice or wise for Stefan to ban you. It certainly makes the comment threads on Sound Politics less challenging and entertaining to have the opposing point of view suppressed or chilled. And Goldy would be making a mistake if he were to start deleting comments simply because they disagreed with him, or were too strongly opinionated. Besides, the very name of this blog requires extreme and outrageous comments to be tolerated and even encouraged.
As long as I’m posting photos, here’s one of a Big Brave Republican pulling a girl’s hair. http://tinyurl.com/y8wa9k
(Note: Any wingnut thug who tries that on me is going to get a bellyful of razor sharp rabbit claws.)
Richard, why aren’t you in bed? Don’t you have a law practice to go to in the morning? You need to stay awake to serve your clients. Or maybe you don’t have any clients?
See what I mean about rabbit claws? And I didn’t even scratch that time, not even a teensy bit, I just stretched ’em a little is all. (Richard didn’t do anything to me, but he’s fun to practice on because … well, just because ….)
@4 Stefan outs everyone, including himself. He published his home address on his own blog. Of course, he did it knowing it’s perfectly safe. He knows he’ll never find a pile of horse dung in his driveway, because he knows liberals don’t behave like wingnuts.
We only get nasty when attacked.
@8 Thanks for volunteering me to get horse shit dumped on my burrow, my identity stolen and my bank account robbed, and my fur vandalized. I suppose next you’ll sign papers to enlist me in the army. Thanks for nothing. I’ll let you know when I’m ready to reveal my real name. Meantime, don’t hold your breath.
@9 You’re a rightwinger, so you have nothing to worry about. Liberals don’t do that kind of shit. Only wingers and Nazis do what Goldy described.
@13 Thanks for the compliment! Glad to hear my comments get you where it hurts. It’ll encourage me to do more of it.
There used to be decent Republicans, but not anymore. They’ve all been driven out by the sick bastards who took over the GOP.
You wanna see a sick bastard, just click on the photo link in #36. It takes a sick bastard to pull a girl’s hair. He can count himself lucky that wasn’t my daughter in the photo, because I’d hunt him down.*
* Just kidding! I’m merely satirizing Ann Coulter’s sick wingnut humor. Now there’s a sick bastardess for ya.
@14 “There will be other reasons to go to registration. It’s not like you’ll need to verify your identity, just a valid email address.”
Goldy, I don’t worry about YOU having my e-mail address; but what if Busheviks seize your computer?
@20 “On the otherside, I’m very careful to avoid any blogging, etc from my employer’s site and email system. I’m gibney there also.”
Don’t worry, your boss won’t fire you for spewing your wingnut bullshit on HA. In fact, he’d probably pay you to do it.
@28 For starters, we believe American citizens have a right to vote in their own country without interference from rightwing motherfuckers.
@33 “At the same time, sometimes they’ll fill a thread with obnoxious rants and obfuscation, but Roger sometimes comes close to doing the same thing.”
Yeah; but when I do it, I’m mimicking them so they can see what it looks like, in hopes they’ll stop doing it.
In addition, all wingnut bullies are cowards, and the way you stop wingnut bullies is confront them with this: http://tinyurl.com/ya8knz That’ll shut them up.
Voice of Chalk Scratching wrote: “What I am is a witting enabler. You think I like the garbage dump that is my typical comment thread? You think I don’t know that my policy of no-holds-barred invective and pseudonymity is routinely exploited by faceless trolls who view hijacking a thread as some sort of ideological victory? You think I’m a fucking idiot?”
To the next to the last sentence – Golly too many lefties to name. But the mass abuser has to be PelletHead.
To the last sentence above – ABSOLUTELY
If you held your pseudonymity “oath” so lofty, then outing me and Rufus and others wouldn’t have happened! You put on airs to look grand, but your character flaw is you have no character!
The garbage dump called your threads are mined by your side – The ASSWipes of the NorthWest – The NorthWest Division of Voice of Chalk Scratching’s Loony Libtard Moonbat!s – The Moby Trolls of FUWA! Some of the most useless diatribe comes from your good friends on the left. Just like that rambling note on why you didn’t attack Mormons on your blog.
waaaa haaaa haaaa haaaa haaaa haaaa haaaa haaaa haaaa haaaa
I call BULLSHITTIUM!
ArtFart: Yeah right. I find pearls of libtard hypocrisy every day, either from the Moonbat!s in Congress from Nancy Pelosi – Rotting head of the House to Harry Reid – Rotting head of the Senate or from your heros such as George Soros, Michael Moore or Hilary Clinton.
You problem among others is you attack the messenger vs. the message. Even PelletHead admitted he likes the libtard crook better than a Republican crook. Do you get that message? Condoning wrong is just fine with him, and I feel you are the same.
Don’t worry, I’ll continue to attack you as ArtFart. I won’t use your real name and I will not spam you with hate mail, like Mr Frogkisser would if I gave out my real name. He is a vile, hateful person, probably affected by Agent Orange in Vietnam.
geez goldy…you were outed in 1999…who knew?
according to the now deceased jerry falwell……..”In 1999, he told an evangelical conference that the Antichrist was a male Jew who was probably already alive. Falwell later apologized for the remark but not for holding the belief.”
okay…you just have to laugh………..
roger…as usual a TOTAL IDIOT…… says “For starters, we believe American citizens have a right to vote in their own country without interference from rightwing motherfuckers.”
do you even read what you spew? those people you are referring to are also americans and comprise about half the country. so, at least you are as honest as a far left [behind] liberal can actually get…..you only want people WHO AGREE WITH YOU TO VOTE…..
and this is news how?
you do realize that you have more in common with that crazy shrimp running north korea than you do with an actual american,right?
Now that was Funny ChristmasGhost.
Keep up the great work!
hey puddy…thank you ..i try. LOL.
when the tasseled loafer fits goldy just has to wear it!