Sunday, June 7, 2009

The Founding Fathers on Anonymity

One of the great ironies that no one seems to be mentioning with regard to the outing of a previously pseudonymous blogger this weekend is that said author's nom de blog was "publius."

Publius was the pseudonym Alexander Hamilton chose when he sat down to publish his part of the Federalist Papers.

Anonymous participation has always been an important part of the civic debate in this country. It's a tradition that should be respected by both anonymous bloggers and those who write under their real name.

It's amusing that the "outer" in this farce is a conservative lawyer who, to the the best that I've been able to glean, is a "strict constructionist" in terms of legal philosophy. Had he adapted his legal principles to his blogging principles and asked himself what the founding fathers would have done in his case, he would have had the answer staring him right in the face.

MORE: Conor Friederdorf notices it too.

EVEN MORE: James Copland chimes in.

MORE STILL: Steve Benen.

END OF MORE STUFF: This appears to be the end of things.

One would hope this incident establishes a kind of precedent.

12 comments:

Ron said...

Unrelated comment - are you going to do another "live chat" during the Council meeting tomorrow???

Anonymous said...

lol The Founding Fathers, don't let Stew hear you say that. we should start a band called that, a metal band, lots of make-up, tight leather knee britches and wigs.
If this post relates to your own anonymity I feel there is a strong difference between having a persona and being a cowardly or manipulative Anonymous. There's Goddam-Annoying-Anonymous and Mysterious-Anonymous, guess which one you are. So if someone has guilted you about that in the past, they're losers and it's unimportant.

THIS however is very important
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZuK_wYrqp8
watch it asap (1:08 lmao)
later then, omnomnom

Anonymous said...

omg O_O
re: your last Edit - what precedent ?!?

Like..Pricks being pricks, then not liking it when people SAY "hey he's a prick!" so then pretending to be sorry that they were pricks but really NOT being sorry at all, but just hoping people buy their crappy excuses and THEN revelling in their own prickishness again within 48 hours while thinking how clever and cute they are? and imagining how many women "want" their repulsive asses?
Yep, I think that precedent's been set.

oh, and on a related note -
Enjoy your council meeting tonight...mwah!

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