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Tag(s): Adams; Anonymity; Civil Rights; Courage; Democracy; Dissent; Fear; Founders Of America; Freedom; Government; (more...) History; Jefferson; Liberty; Madison; NAACP; Protest- Civil Disobedience; Rights; Writing (less...)
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July 6, 2008 at 15:33:42

Headlined on 7/6/08:
The Vital Role of Anonymous Speech

by JC Garrett Page 1 of 4 page(s)

www.opednews.com

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In Mr. Ed Tubbs recent article, Today is the Fourth. Stand up. For at least once in your life STAND UP!, he attacks anonymous and pseudonymous writers as "summer soldiers" and spineless cowards. I write this in respectful disagreement.

I write under my real name most of the time. I use pseudonyms occasionally, such as when I write satire or sarcasm that I would rather not be associated with my "serious" byline. But I use "JC Garrett" when I write articles, while I use "Chris Garrett" when writing to my Congressman, Senators and most other government officials. Both are my real name, but I would rather not make it easy for a simple computer search by a staffer to find out exactly what kind of trouble that dissident, Chris Garrett, has been stirring up. It helps ensure that "Chris Garrett" doesn't get blacklisted from congressional e-mail lists. And since my Congressman was a prominent judge before my mentally-challenged neighbors foolishly elected him to represent them in Washington, it provides a slight buffer to the harassment and vindictive abuses of power in which those in high positions so frequently engage. He's got buddies in the sheriff's office who would be glad to oblige a request to make someone's life a little less pleasant.

While I don't usually fly or travel out of the country, many people have been added to the government watchlists because of their letters to the editor of their home-town newspapers. This is not an exaggeration. It is a fact. The Washington Post reported in September 2007 that Zakariya Reed, a Toledo firefighter, "has been detained at least seven times at the Michigan border since fall 2006." He was questioned twice by border officials about "politically charged" opinion pieces he had published in his local newspaper that were critical of U.S. policy in the Middle East. Once, he said, "they had them printed out on the table in front of me."

Too often, dissent is treated as a crime. The "incitement" doctrine has been used to crack down on free speech, and the Patriot Act has removed any barriers that once held the state in check. It's amazing how far we have drifted from what used to be known as freedom. President Abraham Lincoln once said:

This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it, or their revolutionary right to dismember or overthrow it.

But now we have come to the point at which even suggesting overthrowing the current government can land a loyal citizen who considers himself a patriot in prison for years. And something as simple as writing an op-ed criticizing George W. can get you detained, harassed or worse.

Moreover, the idea that a person must sign his "Christian" name to his writings for their contents to be considered legitimate is hokum. Whether I sign my article with my given name or another, the substance of the piece is still the same. It contains the same facts and opinions, the same perspective, and the same purpose no matter the insignificant scribbling of a moniker that is attached to it.

Also, the writer who uses a pseudonym does the general public no injustice. What does the public, most of whom have never and will never meet the author, care about whether it is "John Smith" or "Sandy Sand" who makes a good point about how much of a moron the president is? What is the benefit to Ed Tubbs to know that JC Garrett from East Texas wrote this piece? Would it not contain exactly the same words and meaning if it were signed "CG Jarrett"? The reader is not edified or sleighted in any way by the use of either. The writer defrauds no one by keeping his legal identity and place of residence secret. Why would it matter to Mr. Tubbs whether I typed (actually, hunted-and-pecked) this in Piscataway, New Jersey or Booger Holler, Arkansas?

No, the main purpose of anonymity or pseudonymity when writing of dirty politics and corrupt government is to protect the writer from the government of which they write. Another purpose is to reduce the chances of being ostracized by family, friends and neighbors for their views. It does not render an author a coward to write anonymously or pseudonymously. It means he is cautious and vigilant, knowing that the present government is not known for its toleration of dissent, and that the Vice President himself blew the identity of a covert agent in retaliation over an opinion piece written by her husband. That's not scared, that's smart.

Perhaps Mr. Tubbs has not heard of Laura Berg, the nurse at a Veterans Affairs hospital who was threatened with a sedition investigation after writing a letter to the editor criticizing the Bush administration's shameful handling of Hurricane Katrina and the Iraq war.

Yes, sedition: inciting rebellion against the government.

What terroristic, unpatriotic, treasonous words did Ms. Berg write that would trigger such a reaction?

I am furious with the tragically misplaced priorities and criminal negligence of this government...We need to wake up and get real here, and act forcefully to remove a government administration playing games of smoke and mirrors and vicious deceit.

That's all it took to bring the full weight of the Bushie-infested government crashing down on her head. The New York Times told the story this way:

Her superiors at the hospital soon alerted the Federal Bureau of Investigation and impounded her office computer, where she keeps the case files of war-scarred veterans she treats.

Then she received an official warning in which a Veterans Affairs investigator intoned that her letter “potentially represents sedition.”
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12 comments

Rob Kall is executive editor and publisher of OpEdNews.com, President of Futurehealth, Inc, inventor . He is also published regularly on the Huffingtonpost.com. He is a frequent Speaker on Politics, Impeachment, The art, science and power of story, heroes and the hero's journey, Positive Psychology, Stress, Biofeedback and a wide range of subjects. He is a campaign consultant specializing in tapping the power of stories for issue positioning, stump speeches and debates. He recently retired as o...

to see more of bio, click on member name
Rob KallRob Kall is executive editor and publisher of OpEdNews.com, President of Futurehealth, Inc, inventor . He is also published regularly on the Huffingtonpost.com. He is a frequent Speaker on Politics, Impeachment, The art, science and power of story, heroes and the hero's journey, Positive Psychology, Stress, Biofeedback and a wide range of subjects. He is a campaign consultant specializing in tapping the power of stories for issue positioning, stump speeches and debates. He recently retired as o...

to see more of bio, click on member name

It all depends how you use it

Sure, some historic changes and interventions have taken place because of anonymous writers. But what about the nasty people who hide behind fake names when they call names and engage in petty, childish garbage in the comments sections?

At OEN, we have a number of people who have contacted us, explained their need for anonymity while disclosing to us who they are, and we have allowed them to continue to post anonymously.

We will continue to consider these people on an individual basis, but prefer to not engage in those arrangements. Matter of fact, I'll be writing an article callilng on mainstream media to stop using the anonymity of the editorial page too. The NY Times and most other dailies engage in anonymous editorials all the time.

Meanwhile, here at OEN, we don't ask for passport or drivers license IDs when people post. If they want to post anonymously, they can do it merely by using an inconspicuous real-looking pseudonym. There may come a time when, for some articles, we do check, but not in the foreseeable future. That means that the only people who wil be inconvenienced are those who are attached to their handles. And the way to handle them is to mention the handle in the bio.

by Rob Kall (808 articles, 3923 quicklinks, 332 diaries, 1703 comments) on Sunday, July 6, 2008 at 7:48:48 PM

JC Garrett is a freelance writer and Constitutional scholar from the piney-woods of East Texas. He apologizes to the entire world that the great Lone Star State could have produced the neo-Neanderthal currently occupying the Oval Office.

"I'm not ashamed to be an American. I'm ashamed George W. Bush is an American."

Mr. Garrett owns and operates an independent recording studio, plays several instruments, writes, sings, and produces music.

His stories have ...

to see more of bio, click on member name
JC GarrettJC Garrett is a freelance writer and Constitutional scholar from the piney-woods of East Texas. He apologizes to the entire world that the great Lone Star State could have produced the neo-Neanderthal currently occupying the Oval Office.

"I'm not ashamed to be an American. I'm ashamed George W. Bush is an American."

Mr. Garrett owns and operates an independent recording studio, plays several instruments, writes, sings, and produces music.

His stories have ...

to see more of bio, click on member name

I agree with OpEdNews policy 100%

I didn't mean to suggest that a policy of not allowing "handles" is in any way oppressive to writers. It's not. That is simply editorial policy, and for today's society, makes sense. It's merely a matter of style. It was stylish in the late 1700s and early 1800s to use such names as "Publius" and people didn't consider it to mean that the writing would be of lower quality. Today, BECAUSE of the internet and talk "forums" where such handles have been commonly used, handles have become a symbol of lower-quality discourse. I'm sure that if a publisher had said to the men who wrote as Publius, "Look, you gotta use a real-sounding name," that they would have had no problem writing as Howard Longfellow or some other name.

I personally believe a policy of disallowing "handles" but allowing normal pseudonyms is the perfect policy.

Trolls are trolls, no matter what they call themselves, and that is determined by the content of their speech. And while a person can be shielded by a pseudonym, their speech can't be protected by it. If the speech is inappropriate or offensive, it doesn't matter what name is attached to it. Get rid of them.

What I was addressing was the opinion that Mr. Tubbs espoused throughout the entire text of his article, that anyone who would write about politics under a pseudonym was a spineless coward, and somehow their work less credible than someone who writes under their "taxpayer" name. Which is a bunch of hooey.

by JC Garrett (38 articles, 62 quicklinks, 6 diaries, 558 comments) on Sunday, July 6, 2008 at 8:31:07 PM

Widely published, poet, playwright, essayist, and screenwriter; member of PEN American Center, and PEN USA. Jayne Lyn Stahl is a Huffington Post blogger.
Jayne Lyn StahlWidely published, poet, playwright, essayist, and screenwriter; member of PEN American Center, and PEN USA. Jayne Lyn Stahl is a Huffington Post blogger.

Agreed

Well-said, Rob. Oscar Wilde once wrote: "Give a man a mask, and he will tell you the truth." Too bad people are too afraid to say what they think, and must hide their identity.

As another poet, Bob Dylan, once said "Even the president of the United States sometimes must have to stand naked."

It would never occur to me to use anything other than my real name.

by Jayne Lyn Stahl (183 articles, 1 quicklinks, 7 diaries, 67 comments) on Sunday, July 6, 2008 at 10:15:56 PM

B.Soc.Sci (Aus). Helped start an Organic Food Co-op and a Local Energy Transfer System (goods & services exchange, no cash). Lived near permaculture's Bill Mollison for a time, saw semi barren land transformed into gardens and orchards. Worked in a Community Support Center. Currently in NZ/ Aotearoa.
AuroraB.Soc.Sci (Aus). Helped start an Organic Food Co-op and a Local Energy Transfer System (goods & services exchange, no cash). Lived near permaculture's Bill Mollison for a time, saw semi barren land transformed into gardens and orchards. Worked in a Community Support Center. Currently in NZ/ Aotearoa.

I have to ask

"It would never occur to me to use anything other than my real name. "

Dear Jayne, I have to ask. would you have the same unhesitating reply if we were living in 1930s deutschland?

by Aurora (0 articles, 1 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 345 comments) on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 2:32:02 AM

As a disabled female veteran I used my VA benefits to obtain a BA in the bs of political science. I am compelled to help our new veterans recieve a comfortable, productive future they so rigthly deserve.
Pat SmithAs a disabled female veteran I used my VA benefits to obtain a BA in the bs of political science. I am compelled to help our new veterans recieve a comfortable, productive future they so rigthly deserve.

It is fine to respectfully disagree

JC Garrett, good enjoyable article. It is great to find those whom I can respectfully disagree with on so many things, yet enjoy agreeing with on others. Love how you stood your ground with Ed, I’ll be watching to see if he leaves a comment and would wager he won’t just because you’re right. It is a terrible thing to just tell someone you disagree with that they are insane or to ‘just go away’. That is the main problem with many of our politicians’ in both parties. Rob Kall really makes a great point on “anonymous editorials all the time”, how can one write a fair response when you don’t know whom you’re agreeing or disagreeing with, especially when you know some of the editorial staff?

by Pat Smith (3 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 36 comments) on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 9:08:29 AM

Sandy Sand began her writing career while raising three children and doing public relations work for Women's American ORT (Organization for Rehabilitation through Training). That led to a job as a reporter for the San Fernando Valley Chronicle, a weekly publication in Canoga Park, California. In conjunction with the Chronicle, she broadcast a tri-weekly, 10-minute newscast for KGOE AM. Following the closure of the Chronicle, Sand became the editor of the Tolucan Times and Canyon Crier newspapers...

to see more of bio, click on member name
Sandy SandSandy Sand began her writing career while raising three children and doing public relations work for Women's American ORT (Organization for Rehabilitation through Training). That led to a job as a reporter for the San Fernando Valley Chronicle, a weekly publication in Canoga Park, California. In conjunction with the Chronicle, she broadcast a tri-weekly, 10-minute newscast for KGOE AM. Following the closure of the Chronicle, Sand became the editor of the Tolucan Times and Canyon Crier newspapers...

to see more of bio, click on member name

So much for using different real names...

...now that you've revealed your game plan, all they have to do is cross-Google you.

I've been a champion of using real names on article and diaries, although I fully understand genuine reasons for wanting to be anonymous.

For those who wish to be or need to be anonymous, at least pick a name that sounds real.

Except for comments, I'm neither read, nor take seriously anyone who posts under a name like Thomas Jefferson, Arrowsmith, a concoction of initials or silliness like Yankee Hater.

For the record, even though nobody believes it, my name really is Sandy Sand, or my drivers license in one hell of a liar.

by Sandy Sand (143 articles, 0 quicklinks, 198 diaries, 1385 comments) on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 9:16:46 AM

I'm still safe

I cheated a little by using my middle name in the article instead of my first name (which is the actual name I use for Congress), for the purpose of making my point without blowing my "cover."

by JC Garrett (38 articles, 62 quicklinks, 6 diaries, 558 comments) on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 9:36:35 AM

at least your name is believable

Just be glad your name is not Smith, there is so many others just in my County with even the same initals. The worst time was when I had posted something on the Boston Globe forum and recieved a phone call from someone here in Pa. (locally) - that was the only time I Googled my name, even someone thinking your anonymous definitely can have its perks along with call block on anonymous incomming phone calls.

by Pat Smith (3 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 36 comments) on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 2:01:17 PM

Hater of Nazis above all. Hobbies include activism, military model building, military history, exciting and vital conversation with retired crooks. Retired
John HanksHater of Nazis above all. Hobbies include activism, military model building, military history, exciting and vital conversation with retired crooks. Retired

It depends upon what you say.

An anonymous general comment or observation can be very powerful and helpful. If it is part of some sort of power play, forget it.

by John Hanks (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1203 comments) on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 2:24:04 PM

Meryl Ann Butler is an artist, author and educator who counts First Lady Dolley Payne Todd Madison as well as two signers of the Articles of Confederation among her ancestors. Mary Ball, mother of George Washington is in the ancestral lineage of Butler's great grandmother, Blanche Ball. Grateful to know that the blood of America's founding mothers and fathers runs in her veins, Butler has been newly filled with matriotism as a direct result of the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections. Lest she a...

to see more of bio, click on member name
Meryl Ann ButlerMeryl Ann Butler is an artist, author and educator who counts First Lady Dolley Payne Todd Madison as well as two signers of the Articles of Confederation among her ancestors. Mary Ball, mother of George Washington is in the ancestral lineage of Butler's great grandmother, Blanche Ball. Grateful to know that the blood of America's founding mothers and fathers runs in her veins, Butler has been newly filled with matriotism as a direct result of the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections. Lest she a...

to see more of bio, click on member name

Articles like this raise the OEN bar a couple o' notches

JC, I loved reading this, you have provided the perfect example of how to disagree without being disagreeable, which is a hallmark of a truly civilized interaction, imho. Brilliant.

The only thing I can’t believe is that you “hunt and peck”, LOL!

I am now off to your author page to read everything else you’ve written.

by Meryl Ann Butler (43 articles, 42 quicklinks, 4 diaries, 350 comments) on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 3:21:21 PM

Thanks, Meryl

Civility is underrated.

I've actually become quite proficient at hunting and pecking. I can now use four fingers at nearly the same wpm that my wife can type!

by JC Garrett (38 articles, 62 quicklinks, 6 diaries, 558 comments) on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 9:13:07 PM

Lifelong reader, sometime writer with eclectic tastes and libertarian leanings. Don't hold my semi-notorious Berkeley history against me, I settled down so completely after 40 that I can barely recall my loosy-goosy self. But it sure beats going to the same party every night.
LaudymsLifelong reader, sometime writer with eclectic tastes and libertarian leanings. Don't hold my semi-notorious Berkeley history against me, I settled down so completely after 40 that I can barely recall my loosy-goosy self. But it sure beats going to the same party every night.

Some things to think about here

I'm a little surprised that, out of all the many 'pithy' comments I've made here (at least I think they were), it was that one that set off this discussion.

I don't use my "real" name because I don't believe anyone is interested. JC wrote: "What is the benefit to Ed Tubbs to know that JC Garrett from East Texas wrote this piece?" It's nice to know that thoughtful people like Ed and JC are out there, but it's the ideas that really interest me and I guess I assume that attitude is shared. Those few who have been interested enough to send me a message have learned my "real" name.

If I'm on some list it's probably for things I've forgotten long ago. Our freedom of speech is only allowed as long as it is ineffective but the internet does permit us to connect with people we would otherwise never meet.

So cheers to all independent thinkers! Glad you're out there.

Claudia Woodward-Rice

by Laudyms (0 articles, 808 quicklinks, 10 diaries, 403 comments) on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 10:00:51 PM