I’ve have spoken to several fans of our blog who are interested in writing but are concerned about retribution from those whose kingdoms are under siege. Understandable, as our writers and their families have received vague threats, angry phone calls, curious texts and even some unexpected personal visits by the subjects of our discontent.
Well fear not, Friends. Head over to the Contact page, write down your thoughts, give yourself a clever pseudonym and click Submit. We’ll post your story and nobody will be able to identify you.
Anonymous political speech has a long and proud history in our nation. Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay wrote the Federalist Papers under pseudonyms like “Publius” … not that we would dare compare ourselves to such great patriots. Nevertheless, our pursuit of a government accountable to the people does echo the words and spirit of our founding fathers.
As the Supreme Court has recognized, the anonymity of the Internet gives democracy a burst of power not seen since the rise of the printing press:
Protections for anonymous speech are vital to democratic discourse. Allowing dissenters to shield their identities frees them to express critical, minority views . . . Anonymity is a shield from the tyranny of the majority. . . . It thus exemplifies the purpose behind the Bill of Rights, and of the First Amendment in particular: to protect unpopular individuals from retaliation . . . at the hand of an intolerant society.
McIntyre v. Ohio Elections Commission (1995)
And to those who disregard ideas expressed anonymously:
The merits of a good thought stand on their own, no matter who said it or why it was said. Accepting an idea based on who it came from is nothing more than idolatry, and rejection on that basis is mere bigotry.
So join us in using this new medium to speak out against those who have abused our trust, wasted our resources and taken what does not belong to them for so many years.
