Comments on: Come Out Anonymous Cowards! This is Your Chance

By: Jeff

Jeff — Fri, 22 May 2009 12:13:40 +0000

G-man and Bryan sum up the debate for me; Ron, we give you our e-mail, and many of the screen named folk post websites which show the actual name and location of the poster if one is so inclined, for fair means or foul, to figure that out.

My usual use of a screen name, “Knapsack,” is rooted in Bryan’s point, which is if my real name, on being Googled, gets the first screen of 10 being all comments on conservative sites and/or issues, it would kneecap me as a freelance writer and consultant. You can always find out in a couple of clicks who i am, but to post everything as “Jeff Gill, Granville, OH” means i am painting myself into a corner that, in a college town, means i’d be better off to go back to the old ways of only talking candidly to a few friends, my wife, and yelling at the TV when i’m too lazy to shut Chris Matthews off.

By: shaui-jan

shaui-jan — Fri, 22 May 2009 11:51:47 +0000

79.meryl.my thoughts exactly.
sheesh.if you think the goverment “knows all”..why not research who the”man”went running to for intel after 9/11…go ahead….i’ll wait…

By: KenJ

KenJ — Thu, 21 May 2009 22:57:18 +0000

Meryl: I enjoyed your thoughts because it’s precisely how I still feel when I post, which is not often. I remember one of the very first letters I wrote which I spent a lot of time and thought on, and even asked the readers to actually take some time and think about before responding. The first response came through less than a minute later and began, “Dumb as*…” It was a long time after that before I wrote again. Not that I was hurt, but that this was the height of discourse that could be had on that site. As far as printing my last name, it is very rare and would definitely be shown several times on the first page. Secondly, I used to write on sites engaging in discussions about Islam and Jihad, and some of the commentors were from Iran. It may be one thing to have Joe Smith looking for me and quite another to have Mohammed Ashlam looking for me. I like KenJ just fine. It’s who I am.

By: Meryl

Meryl — Thu, 21 May 2009 04:00:43 +0000

Richard Bell @67…appreciate your explanations and comments about the process from that side of things.

I have often felt like there are assumptions about posters: in my case, I have freely acknowledged at various times that I am definitely new at the political expression, and the “confrontation” exercise.

During the last 18 months of the 2008 campaign, as the butterflies in my stomach were flying in tighter and tighter formation (see what obama had planned), I became convinced that if ever I was going to learn how to express myself in the arena of political and heritage ideals, it had better be now. I made a conscious decision to begin to participate. It is intimidating, because of the profanity and namecalling, rudeness and generalizing (even on the part of the columnists sometimes).

Many of the commenters exhibit characteristics and habits that would mean I would never invite them into my home. But in the arena of ideas, I think we all had better get at it.

So I press on. I make mistakes. Some days I drive off the cliff and screw up. Sometimes I nail an analogy; other times I discover that something I was very sure of perhaps isn’t quite what I thought. Sometimes I notice that my fear and anger over what is happening to the United States makes it difficult to communicate appropriately and clearly.

Nevertheless, we must continue to express ourselves, protest, explain, support, cheer, encourage, scream when we see a new building burning…and, as far as possible…try to ignore the trolls and the foul mouthed (paid and unpaid) who are just throwing rocks.

I always remember as well that the word beside the box just says “comments”. So I don’t have to be brilliant. I don’t even always have to be the best or the most clever or the most persuasive. I am an American. It is my privilege to COMMENT.

Our nation is under assault from threats both foreign and domestic, and I will damn well NOT be silent now.

By: charlie finch

charlie finch — Wed, 20 May 2009 21:35:39 +0000

I meant “Saki” not “Taki”, aka, H.H. Munro. Well, Ron, if they call you “Mr. Rosenbaum”, how can bad they can be? You could always adopt your own “nom de plume”, of course. May I suggest “Strat Humbert”?

By: johnt

johnt — Wed, 20 May 2009 17:43:24 +0000

Emma,#6 has it exactly right. Mr Rosenbaum may pride himself on both intelligence and courage but despite the self congratulation and that ferocious look, carefully posed, he seems unable to tell the difference between cowardice and caution.
May I say, distinctly unbright, to coin a word.
Sorry Ron. And do feel free to e mail me Ron, I am unafraid.

By: Cybergeezer

Cybergeezer — Wed, 20 May 2009 17:02:39 +0000

Most bloggers and commentators I know do what they do for entertainment and some valuable social interaction with like-minded people.
You, on the other hand, Mr. Rosenbaum, are paid to write and publish;
Bloggers and commentators do get criticized, and some, with their own blogs, are open to comments and dissension, as are you, since you write for this site.
The big difference is, people like you, Mr. Rosenbaum, get time, space, and funding to assail these “VOLUNTEERS” and CITIZENS.
What are you going to do when these bloggers boycott your articles?

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 20 May 2009 15:06:14 +0000

I used to use my full name commenting here but after a very short time reading the comments I realized that there seriously disturbed people who are certainly capable and likely celebrate violence (and I know that they have identical twins on the left). To the person who claimed that leftist blogs are worse, I invite you to go read comments on Free Republic, or is it ok there because you agree with them?

By: Doctor T

Doctor T — Wed, 20 May 2009 14:50:20 +0000

I couldn’t agree more. Reasoned arguments are undermined by people who are anonymous and can cause more damage to this country because of it. In fact when commenting on these sites and articles throughout the net, one gets the impression that there is a liberal (and probably a more subtle similar conservative) group out there that is outright lying to support their agenda.

I am a physician who has been trying to correct the falsehoods about healthcare, global warming, government spending, and my understanding of foreign policy and have never hidden behind a pseudonym, often putting my name under my comments. This democratic congress (and the president) are, in my opinion, causing more damage to our country than any terrorist ever has and yet they are getting by without being challenged. The press is largely responsible for this and were it not for freedom of the press, they should be held accountable for it. Instead we hear of plans to restrict conservative talk and press sites.

I feel that we are watching the death of America.

John C. Tricou MD

By: Blackwater

Blackwater — Wed, 20 May 2009 14:31:47 +0000

Some of us like to express ourselves freely without facing the consequences that comes with speaking your mind. Especially in this age of extreme political correctness where you can be sued for saying something offensive. It’s the same reason Ben Franklin and countless other gifted intellectuals have used fake names. It also helps to force the reader to focus on what you wrote and to deal with it on its own merits rather than focus on the writer personally. Some of the things I write would make it impossible to have a career in certain fields. But ultimately I don’t really care if people know who I am. I only use a screenanem because it’s the norm. Not because I’m afraid of anything. And I could honestly care less if the people I’m conversing with online use their real name or not. What does it matter? I’m never going to meet “Rebecca Collins from NY” or “Jonathan Samuels from KY” so why does it matter? Most people commenting are just ordinary people from all walks of life. It’s not like their politicians or something that need to be held accountable for their opinions. I suggest not getting yourself worked up over people leaving snarky remarks in comment sections and blogs and getting angered over not knowing their real names. Don’t get me wrong, I hate the “e-thugs” and “trolls” as much as the next guy. But overly complaining about it comes off as a very pathetic attempt to feel superior to other people. I think it’s great that people can bypass the rampent leftist culture of political correctness and say whatever they want online. For example: I think reverse discrimination polies are racist bullcrap, islam is an evil barbaric religion, America is superior to Nepal, leftists have a facist control over our media, education system and popular culture and Obama is a socialist radical. See, wasn’t that fun?