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October 29, 2009
The Internet: Grow up, step up, and use your real name.
You went full retard, man. Never go full retard. Don't go home in pain.
--Robert Downey, Jr., gravely, to Ben Stiller, in Tropic Thunder (2008), about the latter's acting method in the fictional flick "Simple Jack". (DreamWorks/Red Hour Films)
Effective July 1, 2009, and absent compelling reasons, this blog deletes any comments of anonymous bloggers and commenters. Sorry if you said something touching, worthwhile or brilliant. But nameless blogosphere participants, in our view, are rarely worth anyone's time, thought, or respect. Anonymous writers have already "discounted" themselves. You can discount them, too, without worrying you're missing anything. They are second-class citizens, at best. See our past posts on the subject here and here.
Above: The highly-respected French Resistance in action. Twenty-first century counterparts may qualify for a WAC? No-Anonymity Rule special needs exemption.
Posted by JD Hull at October 29, 2009 11:59 PM
Comments
And how is it that you are going to be able to know their "special situations?" You have completely ceased making any sense on this issue. None at all....
Posted by: Dan Harris at September 2, 2009 02:32 AM
It's all in the past posts, Dan. Read them. I am surprised this vexes you--but I am sure all the nameless weenies out there love you for it. C'mon. You are better than that. Learn to deal with a little complexity. You need to think about all this. "Need" for anonymity is a case-by-case determination.
If someone claims a special situation, you need to be satisfied it's true. On some--"I was raped, and my family was killed, by soldiers in my village"--I think you can give them the benefit of the doubt. Who but a turd would make that up?
But the point is to be satisfied. E.g., Chinese dissidents, and rape victims: yes. Risk-averse associates at Seattle's largest law firm, and aging Bozo pundits who won't stand behind their ideas: no. Get it?
Anonymity is not a right. It's a tradition and privilege for those who need it. It's not for "hiders". Case-by-case.
Posted by: Dan Hull at September 2, 2009 04:09 PM