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| SILVERSTEIN: A good idea, or just an attention-getter? |
For all I know, I
may make some permanent enemies.
BUT
WHEN IT comes to a bill introduced in the Illinois General Assembly by state
Sen. Ira Silverstein, D-Chicago, that would eliminate a person’s ability to
post anonymous comments in response to Internet postings, count me in!
I
would have no problem with a new law that would require anyone wishing to put
their views on this weblog at the end of my daily efforts to have to identify
themselves.
Not
that I’m interested in publishing the IP and mailing addresses of any of my
commenters. But I actually believe that people having to take credit for their
thoughts is more likely to make them more responsible – and reduce the amount
of borderline literate trash talk that pollutes the Internet and chips away at
its credibility.
A
similar effort was tried in the state Legislature in New York, but went
nowhere. Personally, I suspect Silverstein’s effort will meet the same
legislative fate.
OUR
LEGISLATORS MAY well conclude that they have more important things to deal with
than the nonsensical posts that all too often criticize everything in sight –
and occasionally do so in such a crass and vulgar manner that I always wind up
feeling more stupid for having wasted a few seconds reading them.
Anything
that eliminates waste and stupidity is a good thing. So Silverstein gets my
praise for his effort – even though I know he’s mostly trying to get himself
some public attention without having to do any of the heavy lifting of actually
getting a bill through the legislative process toward becoming a new law.
Now
I know this is not a popular idea amongst those people who spend (in my
opinion) way too much time posting comments on various Internet sites to the
point that I wonder if they have any lives beyond (most likely) using their
work computers to write their ramblings.
I’d
think it a better use of their time if they went back to playing Solitaire on
their computers!
THE
RESPONSES (ALL anonymous) that I have read try to make this out to be some sort
of censorship issue – one in which their Constitutional right to freedom of
expression is being threatened.
All
“red-blooded Americans” ought to be prepared to “defend to the death” (often
attributed to Voltaire) their right to anonymously post a hateful rant that
basically amounts to them telling the original writer to shut the hell up and
NEVER disagree with their (often close-minded) thoughts in public again.
Yes,
I find way too many anonymous posts to be about trying to stifle debate. They’re
not about expressing one’s thoughts. Which makes the whole concept that this
amounts to censorship to be a whole lot of nonsense!
Which
is why I consider myself generous in that I permit just about all comments on
this weblog – except for those people who persist in delving down into
profanity to express themselves.
IF
ANY OF these people were to want to create their own sites on the Internet and
use them to express their thoughts on issues, I have no problem with that. If
they want to engage in hateful rants, that’s their business.
I’m
not going to bother spending time to read them. But they are free to express
themselves in such a way if that’s the best they can do. Heck, I’ll even offer
them technical advice or any other support in the creation of such Internet
sites.
Just
don’t think you have a right to come onto my weblogs (or anyone else’s sites)
and impose yourself. Because if anyone is trying to engage in censorship, it is
you – the anonymous one.
And
perhaps the reason you’re so desperate for anonymity is that old Mark Twain saying;
the one about opening your mouth and “removing all doubt” that you’re a fool.
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