A good name is a priceless possession
Posted by Jeffrey Roy on July 15, 2009
The increase in the use of anonymous rants and postings on newspaper and other blogs is concerning. Often times, they express a view from folks who suggest that they have all the answers, but are unwilling to “step up to the plate” and do anything about it.
When reading the remarks of these critics who are weak and unwilling to sign their name, I am reminded of this quote from Teddy Roosevelt:
It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.
In today’s Milford Daily News, former state representative Marie Parente offered her view, which includes an analysis of efforts to identify anonymous posters. You can view that piece by clicking on this link:
MARIE PARENTE: A good name is a priceless possession – Milford, MA – The Milford Daily News (Posted using ShareThis)
As she notes in the opening of her piece, “The past few months, several published comments on local newspaper articles by anonymous posters appear to have ‘crossed the line.’ One wonders whether they believe they are contributing to a forum, offering constructive criticism or simply intend to inflict pain, damage community standing and humiliate targeted victims.”
The Boston Globe ran a similar piece critical of these anonymous posts. In it, the author notes that “these forums are insidiously contributing to the devaluation of journalism, blurring the truth, confusing the issues, and diminishing serious discourse beyond even talk radio’s worst examples.” The author goes on urging newspapers to restore journalism’s integrity by removing these reader forums. You can read the full Globe piece by clicking here.
Participating in government is no doubt important. But the destructive use of anonymous rants can hardly qualify as participation. It is easy to sit back behind a computer screen and hide behind electronic guts. But in order to be a force worth reckoning, one must be in the arena.
miketowncommonnet said
Jeff,
I’m sorry, but while you know I have respect for your opinion on this subject, I feel you are throwing out the baby with the bath water with this position.
Sure, there are a few nasty people out there. Sure the newspaper comment section leaves a lot to be desired in regards to the insults directed to both poster, reporter, and official. But there are also sincere people, including those casting a ballot in your direction, that post their thoughts with the hope that better clarity and conversation can yield a better understanding over that of public meetings where dialog is not in Roberts Rules.
Also, what you don’t describe in this post is that in some forums, town officials do read the posts and get a feel for both public opinion and where the information flow should be modified for better explanations. You and I have both seen it, and to cast that process aside with total disregard for those residents by calling them names like ‘weak’ doesn’t do the process justice.
Not everyone has the time, stamina, or marketability to be involved directly in town politics. Elected officials are chosen to be the ones to make things happen and as such will make decisions based on their beliefs. To shut the door on conversation is to shut the door on time-starved residents and cause less involvement to occur and place fingers in the ears for silence. I remember a comment in the past that a poster who was a friend of an official didn’t want to compromise that friendship by having a different opinion and as such, the message or more importantly -the words- are what make for conversation. To take away a test of your beliefs, whether it is by way of anonymity or known screen name, is to discard an available venue of communication.
I recently announced the closure of my forums due to personal needs outweighing the funding of a place where people might converse with officials. To my surprise, residents, including those whom do not post began sending in donations to allow such a place that you unilaterally dismiss to continue. That says something needs to be addressed or at least viewed in more moderate terms.
I thank you for those links that support your opinion. I’m glad the same myopic views are not utilized when politicians go bad, or newspapers print made up stories. If we only focused on the bad, then based on this logic all politicians should go and no one should read the media. But that is not the case.
Mike Doukas
TownCommon.net
Anonymous posters must be revealed in defamation cases « Franklin School Committee said
[...] concern about the increase in the use of these anonymous postings on newspaper and other blogs (click here to read that post). An Illinois court decision from last week urged me to explore this topic [...]