Josh Trevino has come up with a voluntary, nonpartisan and nonideological code, meant to bring a basic measure of decency to online discourse. As one of the last of the anonymous bloggers, I wholeheartedly endorse it.
I've never understood the need to make claims of authority when writing online. Either what I write makes sense, or it does not. As long time readers of this blog know, I never write anything on this blog which is related to my academic research. My graduate school training may have helped me learn to write, but it did not train me to write about terrorism, propaganda, or South Park. My field of expertise usually comes as quite a shock to those meeting "Rusty" for the first time.
You do not need to know who I am. I am not Dr. Rusty Shackleford. For those of you who know the real me and have helped me keep my identity private, I thank you. Even though I have not even met some of you personally, I consider you friends.
There have been various attempts to "out" me. For the most part, these efforts are attempts to shut me up. No untenured college professor would dare to say some of the things I've said over the years--even when they are in tongue-in-cheek. Thus, trying to dig into the personal lives of public figures is a way to squelch what they really think.
Indeed.
1
You say: Either what I write makes sense, or it does not...You do not need to know who I am.
I totally agree. The nice thing about the internet is that if a blogger states facts which are fictions he/she is rapidly discredited by other blogger/readers. There's no need to know the identity of the writer. It might be interesting, but it's not necessary. This is doubly so in the case of op-ed blogs like yours. As you say, you make sense, or you don't. I agree with your opinions, or I don't.
Posted by: Heroic Dreamer at May 03, 2006 10:09 AM (aH6Zf)
2
Of the names who actually agree with this "Treaty" I find it interesting that there are some notables 'MISSING'...
DailyKos being one...
DemocraticUnderground being another...
Posted by: mrclark at May 03, 2006 11:18 AM (S76hi)
3
It should be noted that there is a LONG history of anonymous political writing. Much of the debate over our constitution was conducted pseuodonymously, sometimes quite anonymously. A recent Supreme Court case argued that campaign finance laws that forbid the distribution of anonymous pamphlets violated the 1st amendment, since anonymous speech was still protected.
On the other hand: I don't think that the blogosphere really is that self-correcting. I've pointed out factual errors to bloggers, and they remain uncorrected. Not matters of opinion, but screaming howlers of stupidity--like JFK voted against the Civil Rights Act (he was dead). Moreover, I think that it is simply too much effort to evaluate each comment you read on the internet for truth. Over time, you learn who walks with the truth, and you give their claims more credence. You also look to see who corrects their errors when they make them. I'd rather read someone who is 70% correct, if they fix what is wrong, than read someone who is 90% correct if they never change the 10% that is erroneous. And sometimes, knowing that a blogger is a PhD in public opinion, for example (like Charles Franklin's wondrous website) gives his opinions about that question added weight with me. Qualifications do matter, as does fact checking and fact correcting.
Posted by: jd at May 03, 2006 12:05 PM (eqK5H)
4
I post openly under my real name. While other people seem to feel safer "in the closet" I do not think it offers much in the way of real protection. I will not post or say anything in secret that I would not say in public. Although I did make some prank phone calls when I was a child.
Posted by: john Ryan at May 03, 2006 12:55 PM (TcoRJ)
5
John--if you had a website, would you post cartoons of the prophet? And still be public about your name?
I've had people threaten me physically based on what I post (that's actually illegal, but whatever). And threaten to somehow send my computer viruses. I don't take those threats seriously at all. But if someone knows your name, and develops a hatred for you, there are a lot of little asinine things he can do to make your life miserable.
My own feeling is that death threats against bloggers by "terrorists" are highly uncredible. Why would they go after some minor blogger when they could take out some of the really high profile cons or libs who they could hate? It's not like Michelle Malkin, Andrew Sullivan, or Kos go around with phalanxes of security guards. Remember, publicity is to terror what air is to fire. Why would they risk their lives to get 1/10 of the publicity by killing Rusty (sorry to kill you as an example, Doc) when they could get their cause much more attention by killing, say, Hugh Hewitt?
Posted by: jd at May 03, 2006 01:09 PM (eqK5H)
6
I get viruses, gey porn spam, child porn spam, spam spam spam and mopre spam. No death threats yet that I'm aware of except the generla threat to all bloggers who p[osted cartoons and stuff like that. No direct threats just by association.
Posted by: Howie at May 03, 2006 01:41 PM (D3+20)
7
Greg was mining information about me from my comments on various blogs, and posting it to leftard blogs in hope that someone would have the balls to track me down, but alas, I am denied my sport for now.
Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at May 03, 2006 02:51 PM (0yYS2)
8
I'm anonymous. I like it that way. How long did it take for you to even figure out I was female? I was accepted here on my thoughts and ideas, not my sex or occupation or any other criteria. I don't worry about jihadis, but I do worry about home grown kooks.
Posted by: Oyster at May 03, 2006 03:10 PM (RRL9+)
9
Oyster - It could just be me but the second I read "Oyster" I knew you were a girl. I mean look at an actual oyster. What does it resemble? In my experience, guys prefer names like "Spike" or "Rocky." That said, I do like the name.
Posted by: Heroic Dreamer at May 03, 2006 03:51 PM (aH6Zf)
10
I knew pretty quickly, too. If you want to be anonymous and sexually ambiguous, you shouldn't use "Oyster"...
Posted by: jd at May 03, 2006 04:01 PM (aqTJB)
11
Your privacy is, of course, your own business. But you don't mention the down side of privacy: You get to say any damned thing you want without having to take responsibility for it. That's a pretty interesting position from someone who believes in state censorship during times of war. But of course we should only censor/out/punish those who speak out against/expose state policies that you do support, right?
Posted by: von nostrand at May 03, 2006 04:05 PM (OAwap)
12
Whaaa-hooo! Corngradulations Wetdreamer and Oyster! Another blog-induced match made in cyberspace!
Let unfettered ideas fly!
Posted by: Last gasp Larry at May 03, 2006 04:32 PM (FCC6c)
13
obviously I'm all for being able to post anonymously, and the ideas on that petition.
I also see that John Aravosis signed it, and his entire reason for being is to out gay conservatives. Don't have a whole lot of faith in this project.
Posted by: see-dubya at May 03, 2006 05:20 PM (fUAK4)
14
Girls also like names like "Last gasp Larry"
Posted by: Heroic Dreamer at May 03, 2006 05:55 PM (aH6Zf)
15
JD I am not sure how many different types of media have published the cartoons. I have yet to see muslim rage afecting the murder rate of this country. As for other commentors who seem to think they may be attacked at any moment because of their political beliefs I say STAND UP AND TAKE ONE FOR THE TEAM. And for those who express concern that their may be economic setbacks if their potentai clients or employers found out about the secret thought posted here, well there are plenty of new jobs being created daily. For all the data Greg came out with (and I for one found it rather ummm amusing) I think he did it more for sport then to cause real harm. When Bluto became a little snippy about some of my coments on his blog I posted my address for him.
Posted by: john Ryan at May 03, 2006 06:21 PM (TcoRJ)
16
I think that would be the Mrs. Bobbits out there!
Posted by: Last gasp Larry at May 03, 2006 07:19 PM (FCC6c)
17
Who the Author of this Production is, is wholly unnecessary to the Public, as the Object for Attention is the Doctrine itself, not the Man. Yet it may not be unnecessary to say, That he is unconnected with any Party, and under no sort of Influence public or private, but the influence of reason and principle. -- Thomas Paine, Common Sense
Posted by: Michael Hampton at May 03, 2006 10:15 PM (FVbj6)
18
Preach on, brother. I lurk here frequently, but this is one of the better points you've made, recently or perhaps ever. From one pseudoanonymous to another - keep the faith.
Posted by: The Random Yak at May 03, 2006 11:35 PM (p0W/4)
19
There are other "Oyster"'s on the net. I've checked and so far every one has been a guy, except me. So there! ;-)
[Note to self: Must learn to use more manly words.]
Posted by: SexuallyAmbiguousOyster at May 04, 2006 05:13 AM (YudAC)
20
I was wondering which idiot libtard would come in and shoot themselves in the foot just to teach us a lesson, but I didn't expect such an esteemed wonder as Von Nostril!
Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at May 04, 2006 06:01 AM (0yYS2)
21
SexuallyAmbigiousOyster? Is that like hermaphrodite?
Posted by: Last gasp Larry at May 04, 2006 10:07 AM (FCC6c)
Hide Comments
| Add Comment
