In another venue in which I dabble, the subject of anonymous commenters — those who cloak themselves behind fictitious names — came up. One of my group called these people cowards.
I wouldn’t go quite that far.
I am old newspaper school. No Letter to the Editor was ever published without someone verifying the author’s name, address and telephone number.
There were no citizen journalists, no interaction with the new Internet websites and other social networking because when I quit the newspaper in 1984 none of the above were relevant.
When I returned and began writing a blog in 2004, I was shocked, I tell you, shocked. The first person outside my family wrote a comment, informing me that “Anonymous” considered me a #$%*! idiot. Believe me the word used began with an F, not a #, and ended with a G, not an !.
It was like Rip Van Winkle, welcome to the new world. Playing Snow White as publisher and site administrator to my own blog, I deleted Anonymous’s comment. That is not the fun part of the process.
In the years that followed, I have developed a theory about those who write under false names. It’s okay as long as site administrators know who the hell they are.
The only time I take personal offense is when someone defends the 1st Amendment freedom of speech anonymously. There comes a time when you must stand up and be counted. It’s like yelling “fire” in a darkened theater.
But, that’s me. I understand why most people comment with pseudonyms. It protects their privacy in this world gone mad. It may bring them false bravado by saying cruel things as if muttered in private rather in a room full of equals is okay.
Two weeks ago I wrote my final column on my blogsite “The Remmers Report.” I said my columns would continue exclusively on The Moderate Voice.
Fittingly, it generated a brutal response from an anonymous sender. The author said TMV had turned into a liberal rag and he was tired of jumping through hoops just to post a comment.
I can’t speak for the political left on TMV, but I can thank Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes our managing editor and other site administrators for doing a credible job monitoring civil discourse among those who comment to our posts. That’s what sets us apart from so many other websites whose readers and authors deal more in personal trash talking than intellectual policy substance.
As a columnist, I am not at all ashamed to admit my ego is stroked no matter what a commenter writes because he/she has taken the time to respond.
Responses are a crap shoot. I have written what writers call a “throw away” post, something akin to throwing raw meat in a cage of hungry lions, that garnered 1,000 hits and 450 comments. I also have written some erudite, poignant, thought-provoking columns that drew 10 hits and one comment.
It’s a crazy world out there.
Having said that, may we all take a time out and wish each other a Merry Christmas for you Christians, Happy Holidays to other folks and to all a Prosperous New Year.
Jerry Remmers worked 26 years in the newspaper business. His last 23 years was with the Evening Tribune in San Diego where assignments included reporter, assistant city editor, county and politics editor.