Tech Trends

As if stealing information from bloggers wasn’t enough Lewis disappoints and disgusts us today with his editorial in which he states “Web users should give up anonymity to get respect. Enter the strawman.

Who throughout history has used anonymity? Bank robbers. Executioners. Members of the Ku Klux Klan.

Voters.

Lewis leaves out a fundamental component of our democracy. Anonymity at the polls is a necessity for our citizenry to remain fully free which is why the suggestions made by Lewis are so offensive. Because you vote anonymously, does that make you a “idiot and a coward.” Do you lack the fortitude to stand behind your vote?
Brian Lewis belongs to a special club. So many organizations believe that the first amendment belongs to corporate news organizations that it’s partially true. This was not the intention of our forefathers. In addition Lewis has special priviledges in a two-tiered legal system of which he’s a member (think OJ). If someone threatens or presses a lawsuit against Lewis, he has a readily available supply of pro-bono legal counsel - something many bloggers don’t have access to.

Mr. Lewis, have you ever been threatened with jail time if you took a picture of a christian County Sheriff? I have. In fact, the incident inspired me to take a significant pay cut to join a commercial news organization. Why should I have to join your special club to exercise the benefits my relatives paid for in blood? The hard reality is, I do.

The great hypocrisy here is that the press itself uses anonymous sources quite frequently. How often do you read “an anonymous source from……” in the New York Times, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal? Often. As a reporter, 90% of information I receive is anonymous or off the record. Many citizens have reasons why they have to stay anonymous. In Branson, some business owners believe their ventures could be mortally wounded if they speak the truth about subject manner “the party line” has taken a stance on.

Time does note that the Federalist Papers were published anonymously. But really, there’s nothing going up on the Internet right that rises to that level. Furthermore, Americans online don’t face the dangerous circumstances that necessitate they post anonymously. They just do it because it’s fun and easy.

The Federalist Papers are being published in Chinese, Korean and Arabic online. During congressional testimony last year we learned about a man who had his legs broken and nearly beaten to death for fighting for Democracy in China. The incident happened in Atlanta.

As far as the danger, how would you know? We do what we do because we’ve learned that we can’t always trust you. We don’t know what the future holds or what kind of danger may be lurking.

As for me, I don’t post anonymously. But, I don’t want your respect and greatly disrespect you for signing an editorial which proves your out of touch with the people you write for, history and the essential elements of democracy.