Date: Thu, 25 Apr 2013 11:19:24 -0400
From: Karen Crowell
Subject: anonymity – a right or an excuse?
“Protecting anonymity is necessary to induce some authors to contribute valuable information to the marketplace of ideas.”
I don’t see how that applies to the nasty comments by “Whazup” that prompted this discussion in the first place. Nor do I think that hiding behind a pseudonym in order to be nasty should be considered defensible by the First Amendment.
We can choose to be polite when we offer our opinions. We can choose to behave responsibly. It’s what distinguishes adults from children, maturity from immaturity.
You, as chatlist moderator, can choose to raise the level of discourse on this list by asking us to acknowledge who we are when we provide unsubstantiated facts that are likely to engender opposition.
Or you can encourage the childish taunts and insulting personal comments that have little of value to contribute to the marketplace of ideas.
Karen Crowell