Who wrote this?

by Ron Coleman | June 14, 2009 6:48 pm

Unknown

On one of my favorite topics, anonymous blogging[1] — James Joyner (via Glenn[2]) is unhappy with one particular bit of outage:

While I generally find the practice of revealing people’s secrets to the public distasteful, there are times when it’s appropriate. Public officials who are abusing their power is the most obvious case. Here, however, there is no public benefit achieved. Whelan is simply annoyed that Publius had been “biting at my ankles in recent months” and critiquing his blog posts.

Jeopardizing a man’s career and family relationships over something so petty is simply shameful. Anonymous Liberal (which, I’m given to understand, is not his given name) hits the nail on the head:

It’s really difficult to put into words just how despicable and childish this behavior is. This is a man who was a Deputy Assistant Attorney General. He’s currently the President of the Ethics and Public Policy Center. And he’s acting like a six-year-old.

[…]

The reality is that if you don’t think your work product can withstand the scrutiny of a few anonymous bloggers, than you have no business publishing it. And if your ego can’t withstand being criticized by people who write under pseudonyms, then you’re far too insecure to be blogging for a living.

Well, I’d say something different: If your career, life or whatever can’t stand the pressure of being held responsible for your words, then you’re far too insecure — literally — to publish them on line, especially when they’re at someone else’s expense.

Dont do the crime if you cant do the time[3]

There’s no “public interest” test for outing an anonymous blogger. There is only the test of how far you can go before you show your hand, and the test of accountability in the public sphere[4]. And I say if you’re prepared to shoot out someone else’s lights, whether or not he is “blogging for a living,” then be prepared to have your’n popped, too.

Accountability. In a free society, if you can’t stand behind it, I see no reason why you should be allowed to get a pass on saying it. Put differently, you’ve got every right to say it, and every right to pay for it.

This was originally posted somewhere[5], by somebody.

Endnotes:
  1. anonymous blogging: http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/outing_anonymous_bloggers/
  2. Glenn: http://pajamasmedia.com/instapundit/79660/
  3. [Image]: http://www.televisiontunes.com/Baretta.html
  4. accountability in the public sphere: http://www.likelihoodofconfusion.com/?page_id=806
  5. somewhere: http://www.likelihoodofsuccess.com/

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