On Personal Attacks and Outing and Peace in the Delaware Blogosphere
Back in the day at Daily Kos, I was the subject of a pretty infamous outing. I wrote then as Delaware Dem and I write now as Delaware Dem. Hell, if you google it, you can find out who I am in real life pretty easily. And considering the fact that we all, Republicans and Democrats, liberals and conservatives, and Libertarians and whatever it is that Mike Matthews and Dana Garrett are (crotchety independents?), live here in a small state and even smaller political community, we all probably know who each other is, whether we use are real names online or not.
Still, it is a basic First Commandment of the blogs not to out those who are using pseudonyms. For people who use pseudonyms do so for a good reason. They want to protect themselves, their families and their jobs. Some may think that using pseudonyms is a wimpy way to blog. Some think if you are going to publish your opinions online for all to see you should also own those opinions by attaching your real name. That is a perfectly fine opinion to have, and those who hold it may post under their real names to their heart’s content. But those who hold that opinion, and those who post under their own pseudonyms, have no right, or invitation, to out personal information about another person using a moniker.
I don’t care if someone really pissed you off. I don’t care if that person called you an idiot or worse for holding a particular point of view. You will be banned here and your comments will be deleted if you do out someone here or anywhere else in the Delaware blogosphere.
Now, as to personal ad hominem attacks, in our poisoned partisan discourse over the past 20 years they have become common place. Political arguments often devolve into calling your political opponent an idiot or worse. And that is true whether the political opponent is an officeholder, a public figure, or just fellow interested citizen. I do it. Others on the liberal side here do it. And our friends on the conservative side do it too. Yes, we all do it. Does that make it right? No. And it would be nice if we all could refer to each other in the civil parlance of the Senate. It would be nice if I could refer to Dave Burris as the distinguished gentleman from Sussex County, and for Hube to refer to me as the most respected gentleman from Brandywine Hundred. Alas, I have called them ignorant idiots and arrogant assholes on occasion, and on occasion they have referred to me as Delaware Dumbfuck.
Personal attacks of this sort have become common, and to be honest, I really do not take offense at it. In fact, in some sort of perverse way, I take it as a sign of respect, or at the very least, that my arguments have gotten under their skin. Listen, I am not going to complain that I am called Delaware Dumbfuck. I am not going to complain about being called an idiot. If others find that these types of attacks are over the line, then I am perfectly willing to sheath my sword if they are. But I find we, on both sides of the aisle, lapse into name calling like it is instinct. It is like it is the cost of doing business nowadays. Should it be this way? Has it always been this way? Civility in politics would be nice, but I have found that are Founding Fathers were just as potty mouthed, and our civilized brethren across the pond refer to each other as “the right honorable bastard from Nottingham” during Prime Minister’s Questions.
But there are personal attacks that go further, that really cross a line, and I am afraid, like the famous definition of what is pornographic and what is not, we know it when we see it. Attacks dealing with racism, sexism, or other forms of discrimination, for example.
Finally, there has been some talk today of our mutual disengagement from each other in the Delaware blogosphere. Our friends elsewhere may say “Fuck Delaware Liberal and that echo chamber” and we may say “Fuck Delaware Politics and their insane right wing talking points.” I speak only for myself, but I don’t think that is a good idea. I would like to see us all reengage each other. I want to see us all comment on each other’s blogs, and I would like to see us all discuss each other’s posts. I admit that I got away from visiting other Delaware blogs during the campaign, and for me, that was a mistake. My colleagues here are free to disagree with me, and they can choose not to follow me back across the partisan divide. But I will be visiting Common Sense Political Thought, Delaware Politics, Down with Absolutes, Delaware Way, Delaware Watch, Colussus of Rhodey, Kavips, Kilroy, Delaware Curmudgeon, Delaware Libertarian and the countless other sites that I am forgetting right now. And I invite you all on the other side to the same.
We are not going to agree with each other on everything, or anything. We are going to call each other idiots and assholes and dumbfucks. We are not going to respect each other opinions. But there should be engagement, not isolation.
Good call, You insane, left wing, echo chamber…just kidding.
You right wing whacko. Not kidding. Kidding.
As I said on Newton’s blog, we aren’t thin skinned over here. I draw this analogy.
We are Israel and anyone that attacks us or our ideas will get excessively pounded on. If you don’t like the excessive force we used, complain to the UN or leave….
We are doing something right over here and if you don’t like it, you get your own blog, you link to what you don’t like over here and blast away.
That’s how it works.
If you don’t like being made fun of, then leave. If you come here, get made fun of and still don’t like it, don’t blame someone else for your stupidity.
Agree, DV.
I think “outing” is pretty common now. In the early days, it was a big deal but now it’s kind of meh.
It shouldn’t be that way, UI. Here, it will always be a bannable offense.
(Serious question) I agree that outing is unacceptable, but what is the term for posters using “sock puppet” alternate IDs attempting to avoid even association with their “standard” pseudonyms? And am I correct in assuming that outing a sock puppet back to the original identity is not the same as outing someone’s real ID?
Before you all out me, I am going to do it right NOW! My real name isn’t RSmitty! Gasp! 😯 I know, I know. It’s RKSmitty. Now that it’s said, you all know me as RSmitty, so just take solace in the fact you know my real name (which could also be MOTNewbie, but that’s another story).
I’d agree with that, Steve.
Hmmm, good question Steve, but when the “sock puppet” season was on, keep in mind that infamous chase was over a person(s) who was intending to inflict public-image harm to others while benefiting a specific person. I’d like to go back and think about the Cahill v Doe case on that one. I think Cahill was totally screwed and deserved to know his libelous attacker. Fortunately, someone finally came to her senses, but put me in the conspiracy camp of thought that it might not have been the complete story.
A “sock puppet” to me is a person who purposefully switched their identity to a.) make it look as if others agree with their pov, and b.) what RKSmitty said.
Who is this rKsmitty? An imposter? 8)
Steve asks a good question:
I agree that outing is unacceptable, but what is the term for posters using “sock puppet” alternate IDs attempting to avoid even association with their “standard” pseudonyms?
They are called sockpuppets, as you say. On Daily Kos and elsewhere in the liberal blogosphere, sockpuppets are also forbidden. If you were caught using more than one moniker, it was a bannable offense. However, the reason for sockpuppets on Daily Kos and other scoop platform sites was to rate up or rate down other comments. Here, since we do not have a comment rating feature, the purpose of a sockpuppet is to get it to look like more people agree with you, or disagree with someone else.
And am I correct in assuming that outing a sock puppet back to the original identity is not the same as outing someone’s real ID?
Yes, it is not the same. The protection of anonymity is still there.
Okay, I’m done.
I am a Mike Protack sock puppet, have been since 2006. I am also a muppet, a snork, Azrael AND Gargamel, He-man, and a very attractive shade of the color red.
I couldn’t let this charade go on any longer.
I KNEW IT!
i am a. hussein price
Was there some recent outing on another blog or something that prompted this? Just seems a little… odd… out of the blue, like someone doth protesteth too much.
But anyway – thank you very much on behalf of the 2,699 other anons who post here.
Yes, anon2700, there was an incident.
Oh, hey Viti.
The Irish Red didn’t come out so great. It’s been in the bottle for 3 weeks now and has a twang that shouldn’t be there. However, I made an IPA that tasted great going into the secondary that I think you’ll like lot! So, I’m going to save a six of that for you, rather than the red, if that’s okay.
ooowww… an “incident”.
Looking for a fight, DG? 😉
For those of us who don’t have 20 hours in the day to catch up on all the posts, can someone summarize what happened and where? Or is it gauche to provide the details?
It is sufficient to say that someone mentioned another’s real name and some other personal information.
Just trying to figure out if it was moi. 😉
No, it wasn’t. You wouldn’t be posting here right now if it was you. 😉
joe sounds good
I just had someone posting as anonymous on my log, with a anon email address and using a proxy. I honestly don’t mind people posting that disagree with me – I got pissed when it turned into a my turn-your turn-who-can-piss-farther-thing reminiscent of middle school.
I know I overreacted. Though, I would never post someones identity or personal stuff – I am totally with you on that.
Great post.
That’s it — I ‘m changing my name–and Del Gem to protect me!
Wow, I totally missed all this kerfluffle, and I usually consider myself fairly well-informed. Up to speed now, thanks.
In a positive vein… I’m very interested by how DL has become the most actively-commented blog in the Delaware sphere. You guys are fast to put stuff up, and even faster to comment. If only Jason could learn to use spellcheck, you’d be my second stop for Delaware news online. 😉
sekond?
Sekund, yes, Ferst is still TNJ, despite its atrocious online design.
goatfuker!
Kidding!
This whole sensitivity thing really HAS changed people…
everybody likes to take down the guy on top
Did you guys delete Dave Burris’ trackback to this post? He is saying that you did:
[link deleted]
I didn’t. But then again, I never saw it. Let me check the spam filter.
hero worship, really don’t care what burris says.
Outing someone’s pen name in a blogosphere argument is the equivalent of calling an African American the N word in a verbal argument.
It’s a last ditch ploy to pull out all the stops and get emotions flowing to turn the tide of the argument.
In other words, it’s only used when someone is either backed in a corner, or wants to be a major asshole and get the argument over with.
Disclaimer: I’m not saying the hurtfulness is the same, but the motives are. It’s the nuclear war scenario of the blogosphere.
Maybe this debate has been settled in the blogosphere, but it seems to me that if people were to use their real names, a lot of the grand standing would not occur. This isn’t like we’re having a discussion face to face. If I call you a name to your face, you obviously have some idea of who I am. If you’re bigger than me or I care about your feelings, I’m less likely to call you that name, largely because you know who I am. And yes, everybody gets hot and says dumb things from time to time. However, in this medium you have to type out your words and then hit “submit.” Some of us even reread our posts before that.
If I didn’t believe in my words enough to put the name Jason M. Zerbey behind them, I wouldn’t write them in the first place. Without anonymity, I can’t use foul, vulgar, or inflammatory language without consequence. -Sorry for the triple negative- If EVERYONE used their names, things would be much more civil. And, there would be fewer comments here and everywhere, proving people who use pseudonyms really don’t care that much.
All that said, I wouldn’t out someone and agree that the policy to ban such people is the correct one.
Jason M. Zerbey(in case you missed it)
If EVERYONE used their names, things would be much more civil. And, there would be fewer comments here and everywhere, proving people who use pseudonyms really don’t care that much.
Sorry, Jason Z, but I’m taking that generalization a little personally.
http://www.delawaretalkradio.com/delawarepolitics/my-response-to-delaware-dem/
And here too.