Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Making online cowardice illegal?

I stopped allowing anonymous comments on my blog a while ago, since I have found that there are cowardly people in this world who want to have their say but do not want to take responsibility for their actions. I have also seen where people have posted comments then deny doing it. I have been a webmaster and a moderator on message boards, as well. I see anonymous posts from ubiquitous user names and hidden identities. It emboldens the cowardly to pick on others and take part in discussions that they normally would avoid.

I personally have no problem owning my commentaries. That is why I do not post anonymously and usually use my real name as my user name. If I am ashamed to write it, I should not post it. I hate the cowardly actions of some who have smeared me and bullied others. However, should the government have any say in this? No frickin' way!

In Kentucky, they see it differently.
Kentucky Representative Tim Couch filed a bill this week to make anonymous posting online illegal. The bill would require anyone who contributes to a website to register their real name, address and e-mail address with that site. Their full name would be used anytime a comment is posted.

There is no excuse for being a nanny to the world. This sort of garbage is exactly why we are losing our freedoms. Just because something is rude behavior does not mean that it must be legislated away. The very ones who say that you can not legislate morality are usually the ones who wish to do so, as in this case. Damn liberals.

1 comment:

Richard said...

I am a new blogger also based in North Carolina; I recently wrote an article critical of NASCAR and recieved my first Anonymous comment. Not that big a deal and I figured it came from a NASCAR PR person anyway. I left it up and replied.

We always have the ability to control comments if they are off topic or too nasty or profane. So I agree that the last thing we need is the government in something so trivial as a blog comment.