Of Free Speech and Personal Security
Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean that someone isn’t really out to get ya
July 10th, 2006 by Kevin Dayhoff
In an ideal world, the Blogsosphere would be the perfect vehicle to realize a great democratizing-leveling of intellectual and respectful dissent, discussion and dialogue about the challenges we face in the new millennium.
What a great sentence. What a great ideal.
If only it were true.
For us geeks who were around in the beginnings if the internet, many shared a renewed sense of utopian hope for the great futures that could be provided by this new technology.
Especially for those of us who hold so dear the concepts of Jeffersonian direct participatory democracy in which all citizens may have a direct say in how government governs. In the beginnings of our great country, when, to state the obvious, the population was not as large, we could actually get together physically in a “town meeting” and have our voices heard.
That’s obviously not possible now that we want millions of folks to participate as opposed to several hundred… From an historical perspective, the internet and blogs have certainly been timely. Now, more than ever, the “town meeting” is facilitated by blogs.
Fortunately a great deal of the internet represents the best of our greater community.
However, as with all great things, there is a “but’ required…
And that is – BUT unfortunately, as it has painfully developed, the Blogsosphere is also a reflection of a not-so-pretty picture of the unpleasant soft underbelly of our society. That is the part about people behaving badly.
It is enough to make you despair – and worry about one’s livelihood, safety and of the well-being of your family simply because someone out there forgets to take their medication and wants to “visit you” either metaphysically as in examples of “DDOS” (Distributed Denial Of Service attack) or actually behave in a threatening manner. Certainly one can disagree with a position without discussing or disclosing a debate opponent’s home address.
Some bloggers have chosen to write under a non de plume, for various reasons. Some of us, from the more idealistic set, write under our real names and are nevertheless careful not to give out too much information as to locational whereabouts out a sense of responsibility for our families and for our own safety.
Great examples of which are not only the recent Kabuki Morals play acted out for “Protein Wisdom,” but also played out in “20060421 Support Your Local Michelle Malkin” or here, here, “Taking down a blogger,” “Post Turns Comments Off,” “Crossing a Line” – and Mr. Goldstein’s response at: “Inside Higher Ed: “We are as fair as we can bring ourselves to be”
Michelle Malkin has been at the forefront of much the responsible debate as to what to do and she has called to our attention a really remarkable discussion on “NZ’s Desk” at “The Truth Laid Bear.” Please find that discussion here. It is a fascinating read.
Ultimately we all need to “harden the infrastructure,” because if the past is prologue, we will be dealing with folks attempting to silence our voices for quite some time. Apparently some folks find conservative bloggers fairly threatening.
Hats off to Michelle Malkin for helping to facilitate this important discussion.
We can’t make a difference if we have no voice and that would appear to suit many liberals just fine.
Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.
E-mail him at: kdayhoff@carr.org
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