Well, if ever there was an argument that liberalism is totalitarian this has got to be it. The fear and paranoia amongst the anonymous posters here is undeniable. Especially those who profess their careers and livelihoods, ney their very lives are at risk if they post openly.
That however is an argument I’m not about to make, because I intuit that if the same proposal was to be made over at KOS, a similar hale of objections (with the emphasis more likely aimed at Bush & Nationa Security) would present themselves.
Kinda ironic when you think about which institutions either side traditionally place their faith in.
Anyway, I think both sides would be copping out, people want to just shoot their mouths off with impunity. Totally understandable, I just wish folks would be honest enough to say it.
Personally, I welcome the opportunity to challenge lefty openly, whichever way he/she/it comes at me.
Not that I am ashamed of anything I’ve written. But I’ve got a law practice to run as my day job. There is no need whatsoever for anything that I say here to turn up, say if a potential or current were to google my name.
Not to mention, I enjoy the little additional connotation that comes along with self-selected handles. Kind of like Indian Native American names (e.g., Sitting Bull, Running Bare . . .).
There is nothing collegial about posting on this Forum a threat to attempt to shut it down, and posting the DNS information necessary to do it, freely accessible or not. It’s an nod toward seriousness of intent.
Well, if ever there was an argument that liberalism is totalitarian this has got to be it. The fear and paranoia amongst the anonymous posters here is undeniable. Especially those who profess their careers and livelihoods, ney their very lives are at risk if they post openly.
That however is an argument I’m not about to make, because I intuit that if the same proposal was to be made over at KOS, a similar hale of objections (with the emphasis more likely aimed at Bush & Nationa Security) would present themselves.
Kinda ironic when you think about which institutions either side traditionally place their faith in.
Anyway, I think both sides would be copping out, people want to just shoot their mouths off with impunity. Totally understandable, I just wish folks would be honest enough to say it.
Personally, I welcome the opportunity to challenge lefty openly, whichever way he/she/it comes at me.
Clyde Hudson
Makaha Hawaii
Aloha, Clyde
I think you are wrong about the motivation of people who want to remain anonymous. When I was in high school, I won an award which caused several articles to be written about me in the local paper. As a result, an inmate from the local prison began to send me letters. I am not interested in receiving that kind of attention. Furthermore, I think the people who have objected to using real names here are generally polite.
I think that it is pretty obvious that if folks wanted to use their real names they would. Now the fact that I find that most posters on Powerline are reasonable and generally respectful I have to coclude that most are simply doing so for safety reasons.
I know in my case this is exactly why I don’t choose to use my real name on-line. With all of the identity theft going on, I don’t believe that I am being unreasonable in trying to maintain some anonymity on-line.
Certainly, for those of us ensconced in an island paradise thousands of miles from the nearest landmass, it is quite easy to give one’s real name. Those of us on the continent find it prudent to do otherwise.
IDP, I am not debating here; I am collecting opinion.
I just went back and scanned the posters on this thread; many of those objecting are also major contributors to this forum. If they were to leave, it would have a significantly negative effect on the quality of the forum, especially if IDP were among them.
Why thank you Luthien, and I feel exactly the same about you and your thoughtful posting. And trust me, I’m not offering up gratuitous reciprocal pandering.
In fact, I deal in volume as well as attempts at quality. Many of my postings are attempts at humor, sarcasm, whimsical pursuits, or snipes. I fill a pretty wide spectrum, but try to remain relevant to what we have going on here.
Your posts on the other hand, at least from what I’ve seen, are always thoughtful, principled, meaningful, articulate, and well worth reading. I would be very disappointed if the likes of you were to leave the forum. And like you, I think that requiring people to risk their safety or livelihood will drive away valuable commentary, not to mention plain old fashioned fun.
The Internet is a dangerous place where bad things can happen to good people. This forum is only my hobby. It is a relatively new, and very enjoyable hobby; I’ve never had an outlet for my written thoughts such as this; but a hobby nonetheless. I will not risk the safety of my wife and children for a hobby, no matter how much fun I think it is.
Well, if ever there was an argument that liberalism is totalitarian this has got to be it. The fear and paranoia amongst the anonymous posters here is undeniable. Especially those who profess their careers and livelihoods, ney their very lives are at risk if they post openly.
That however is an argument I’m not about to make, because I intuit that if the same proposal was to be made over at KOS, a similar hale of objections (with the emphasis more likely aimed at Bush & Nationa Security) would present themselves.
Kinda ironic when you think about which institutions either side traditionally place their faith in.
Anyway, I think both sides would be copping out, people want to just shoot their mouths off with impunity. Totally understandable, I just wish folks would be honest enough to say it.
Personally, I welcome the opportunity to challenge lefty openly, whichever way he/she/it comes at me.
Clyde Hudson
Makaha Hawaii
You’re just plain wrong, Clyde Hudson.
Your comparison of legitimate concerns like loss of business revenue, privacy of family, caution regarding Internet predation, etc, with KosKreeps invoking Bush Derangement Syndrome, is misguided at best, disingenuous at worst.
You are right though; I do wish to be able to shoot my mouth off with impunity; that is not in question.
im-pu’-ni-ty: Exemption from punishment or freedom from the injurious consequences of an action.
I say some controversial things here. I wish to be able to say what I wish to say, without wondering if DLawBaily or Seaberry are going to look me up on Google. I wish to be able to comment on the realities of radical Islam without wondering if a Jihadist might seek to silence me. I wish to be able to comment on local politics without wondering if the nutjob with the Left-wing yard sign that lives 6 houses away will discover my political leanings. I wish to post about my children and family without worrying that a predator who does not like my tone will seek them out for retribution. I wish for those who may hire me as an independent contractor to hire or not hire me based on my skillset and experience, not my political or cultural writings they happen to run across.
Combine all of this with the fact that for well over 2 decades, I was a relatively public figure in my region. I had many people who thought they “knew” me, and called themselves my “friends”. These people that I refer to sought to insert themselves into my private life. I have left that life behind, over 4 years ago now, and the overtures from these people only ceased within the last 2 years or so, and I am relieved that they have.
And most importantly, I wish for my IP address and my real name to remain as disconnected as possible for anyone who may wish to dig into my identity for reasons I can only imagine.
All of those are potential injurious consequences of an action, that action being my posts on this forum. So yes, I want to shoot my mouth off with impunity, and I’m honest enough to say it. I just think that your concerns and mine are not the same.
Well, if ever there was an argument that liberalism is totalitarian this has got to be it. The fear and paranoia amongst the anonymous posters here is undeniable. Especially those who profess their careers and livelihoods, ney their very lives are at risk if they post openly.
That however is an argument I’m not about to make, because I intuit that if the same proposal was to be made over at KOS, a similar hale of objections (with the emphasis more likely aimed at Bush & Nationa Security) would present themselves.
Kinda ironic when you think about which institutions either side traditionally place their faith in.
Anyway, I think both sides would be copping out, people want to just shoot their mouths off with impunity. Totally understandable, I just wish folks would be honest enough to say it.
Personally, I welcome the opportunity to challenge lefty openly, whichever way he/she/it comes at me.
Clyde Hudson
Makaha Hawaii
You’re just plain wrong, Clyde Hudson.
Your comparison of legitimate concerns like loss of business revenue, privacy of family, caution regarding Internet predation, etc, with KosKreeps invoking Bush Derangement Syndrome, is misguided at best, disingenuous at worst.
You’re going to have to explain that. Whatever you think about the lefties boogeymen, the perceived threat real or not, is real to all but the most cynical of lefties.
IronDioPriest - 02 January 2008 03:14 AM
You are right though; I do wish to be able to shoot my mouth off with impunity; that is not in question.
im-pu’-ni-ty: Exemption from punishment or freedom from the injurious consequences of an action.
I say some controversial things here. I wish to be able to say what I wish to say, without wondering if DLawBaily or Seaberry are going to look me up on Google. I wish to be able to comment on the realities of radical Islam without wondering if a Jihadist might seek to silence me. I wish to be able to comment on local politics without wondering if the nutjob with the Left-wing yard sign that lives 6 houses away will discover my political leanings. I wish to post about my children and family without worrying that a predator who does not like my tone will seek them out for retribution. I wish for those who may hire me as an independent contractor to hire or not hire me based on my skillset and experience, not my political or cultural writings they happen to run across.
Combine all of this with the fact that for well over 2 decades, I was a relatively public figure in my region. I had many people who thought they “knew” me, and called themselves my “friends”. These people that I refer to sought to insert themselves into my private life. I have left that life behind, over 4 years ago now, and the overtures from these people only ceased within the last 2 years or so, and I am relieved that they have.
And most importantly, I wish for my IP address and my real name to remain as disconnected as possible for anyone who may wish to dig into my identity for reasons I can only imagine.
All of those are potential injurious consequences of an action, that action being my posts on this forum. So yes, I want to shoot my mouth off with impunity, and I’m honest enough to say it. I just think that your concerns and mine are not the same.
Probably not, for all you know my concerns may be greater, they certainly are to me. Whatever my concerns are you have no right to assign any superior status to yours, as I guarantee you that my concerns for the well-being of my family and myself are at least as genuine as yours.
IronDioPriest - 02 January 2008 03:14 AM
Please, rethink your critique.
Give me reason to. Everyone jumps on my appraisal as tantamount to being ‘plain wrong’, then prove me right in the very next breath, amazing.
I’m not shaming anyone, never questioned the legitimacy of your fears, so I don’t know why y’all are being so defensive.
Your comparison of legitimate concerns like loss of business revenue, privacy of family, caution regarding Internet predation, etc, with KosKreeps invoking Bush Derangement Syndrome, is misguided at best, disingenuous at worst.
You’re going to have to explain that. Whatever you think about the lefties boogeymen, the perceived threat real or not, is real to all but the most cynical of lefties.
OK, let me lead you through this.
:roll:
People who have concerns about business, personal or family safety, or privacy that would prevent them from revealing their true identity and having it attached to their home IP address have a legitimate concern.
People who fear that the Bush-hitler, anti-Christ-Cheney, or Dr. Rove will wisk them away in the dead of night have no legitimate concern.
It’s not about perception, it’s about reality, and potential danger. You compared the two as if both were legitimate. I say hogwash.
Clyde - 02 January 2008 04:18 AM
Probably not, for all you know my concerns may be greater, they certainly are to me. Whatever my concerns are you have no right to assign any superior status to yours, as I guarantee you that my concerns for the well-being of my family and myself are at least as genuine as yours.
But sir. Surely you see that I was responding to your assigning inferior status to my concerns, and saying that people with the concerns I have, which is nearly everyone here, are being less than honest in their concern.
You are either completely unaware of the duplicitous nature of what you’re saying, or you’re just intentionally yanking chains.
Clyde - 02 January 2008 04:18 AM
I’m not shaming anyone, never questioned the legitimacy of your fears, so I don’t know why y’all are being so defensive.
You did question the legitmacy of concerns. You compared them to the paranoia of Bush Derangement Syndrome sufferers, and told everyone here that we are lying about our motivation to remain private.
Occurred to anyone that perhaps the owners, and that kid Joe, desire to make this their own private little playground? Maybe so that they can pontificate with the Glenn Reynolds’, C. Johnsons, AJ Stratas, and other conservative Internet muckity mucks?
They MUST have known going in that the vast majority of US won’t go for their proposal. Why on earth would WE sacrifice OUR safety and OUR livelihoods to post here? The answer is we won’t and they know it.
