Comments on: Poll: Should we allow anonymous comments? (Updated With Video!)

By: Felicia

Felicia — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 02:29:00 +0000

d.,
Much love to you, brother :)

By: D.

D. — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 22:55:00 +0000

Felicia,
Obama is the Anti-Christ…you ain’t know?

Joking. :)

By: Felicia

Felicia — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 22:42:00 +0000

anon 07:15 said:
So that is really what this is all about. Has it really been that bad? Or is it just not what you want to hear?

Dude, I teach college in the South, and I'm the only black person in class. I have no problem with opposing views. I do, however, have a problem reading the same damn email on 20 different blogs about how Obama is the Manchurian Candidate/Anit-Christ.

Also, not ragging on d. because I love ya, brother, but if I know who's writing stuff that I don't agree with, and we've had the same disagreement before, it is nice to know I can ignore that person (not you d.) because we've been around that mountain before.

By: spiderbytes

spiderbytes — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 21:52:00 +0000

It’s the internet. Anonymity & psuedonyms are the order of the day. If you want/need personalized interaction with people who can be “acounted” for, then it’s time to turn off the computer.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 21:41:00 +0000

i am anonymous and i love it! i wish more sites would allow anonymous – i for one am TIRED of creating log-ins and id’s for every damn thing on the net. its too much committment for me. i love this site and i think allowing anonymous will encourage more people to post comments. there are plenty of sites that i enjoy that i never leave comments because i am tired of all the user names and passwords and email verifications. i love the net, hate constantly remembering my identity. PLEASE KEEP ANON :)

By: Ms.Martin

Ms.Martin — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 21:39:00 +0000

Just wanted to add that pseudos help in fostering blog relationships.

I’ve started to look for comments by pseudos that I find interesting and/or in keeping with my opinions.

By: Ms.Martin

Ms.Martin — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 21:36:00 +0000

My only problem with the anon post is that it gets a little confusing when you're trying to respond and there are several anons and you have to figure out what time the anon you're responding to posted.

Is it possible to have a direct link to respond to a specific comment? If so, that would take care of the anon situation for me.

I love you guys thanks for all your work and could someone please post on the story on the ajc regarding Michelle Obama's Princeton roomate's honesty about feelings of Michelle back then that are in line with her thoughts on her time at Princeton - Please.

Nichelle gave the link in a post on the open thread.

By: anon,Fan of Fauntroy

anon,Fan of Fauntroy — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 20:42:00 +0000

Some readers act as if this brain surgery. You didn't know you could just type in a name and fake url? Are you serious?

Posters should be held accountable for their comments on a blog? It's not like any questions or criticisms of Obama or Jack, Jill, Rikyah or DNA are addressed.

And what are you going to do, spank anons them if they write something you don't like. Are you going to ban their ip addresses?

You are aware if you do that you will have effectively ended the intellectual exchange you claim you want and become a organizational tool for the BO campaign.

Indeed, the result will be a forum where Obama supporters figuratively "jerk each other off" as they discuss the greatness that is Barack. (Kinda like the DailyKos)

If that's the end you desire then blogspot offers the option of only allowing posts with gmail accounts to respond. You may suffer a decrease in comments but if you don't care about that, it doesn't matter.

By: Carol McCullough

Carol McCullough — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 20:37:00 +0000

I vote for no anonymous postings. While there are certainly exceptions to the rule, I find having some kind of name typically results in more thoughtful and less acrimonious comments. I like and encourage dissent, but it is rarely fun to see people be jerks to others.

By: D.

D. — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 19:52:00 +0000

Waggie,
I’m a conservative myself…lol.

S,
Welcome.

By: pwaggie

pwaggie — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 19:46:00 +0000

I tried to use the name thing before and wasn’t allowed. I used a different server and now have no issues. And D. I will try my best to help against the anonymous conservative. I do acknowledge that many of the anonymous posters do post offensive things and hide behind anonymous. I still stand by that not all anonymous posting is bad. Some might have had the issues I had with my server. It might have been easy for you Rhonda, but it took me two times to post with a name on my other server. Just a thought.

By: RhondaCoca

RhondaCoca — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 19:07:00 +0000

Sorry, that was me above, I was just testing.

No anonymous posts!! Getting a name is very easy!! I tried it myself.

By: Rhonda

Rhonda — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 19:05:00 +0000

test

By: Nichelle

Nichelle — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 19:03:00 +0000

I vote no “anonymous” comments as well because

1.) The commenter can STILL be anonymous by scrolling down and selecting Name/URL and writing in any name they want – even without a URL. I add my URL but it is not required if you don’t want to use one. You can just make up a name.

2.) It is indeed less confusing when there are 5 anonymous comments in a row – whatever the viewpoint. I find myself skipping especially long Anonymous comments because it is easy to confuse them and time is short as it is.

By: s

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 18:20:00 +0000

a former anon d wants to meet.

By: RhondaCoca

RhondaCoca — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 17:57:00 +0000

You see I have balls (not literally) I have my name and my picture…lol!!! You can even see my profile…lol.

JJP no anons, I have been saying it for a while. Get a name and you are welcom regardless of your viewpoints. We accept ppl with different viewpoints. We can respond to you easier. When I keep seeing anon, anon, anon…I get confused. When you have a name, I take you seriously. Period.

From looking at your poll, I think everyone agrees with me for the most part=)

By: D.

D. — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 17:22:00 +0000

"let the cowards come and spew their divisive rhethoric"

Well, with THAT said, it would be interesting to know how many of the anonymous posters actually present an opposing viewpoint.Far as I know, there's two people who consistently disagree, and I ain't hiding.

If you're going to post consistently, take a name. If you're just popping in occasionally, it shouldn't matter.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 17:11:00 +0000

Just because an anon poster writes something that is deemed offensive, it does not mean that it cant be dealt with. That is the beauty of Blogging, it is free wheeling and self correcting.

So what if some Troll gets on here? –we are smart educated folks who will deal with them!…let the cowards come and spew their divisive rhethoric–I think it helps some here who will better shape an arguement against the other side.

By: Christopher Chambers

Christopher Chambers — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 16:57:00 +0000

Freespirit is correct. Have the stones to reveal yourself. For a blog on culture, etc. it’s not such a big deal. Lighthearted though often with an edge–you don’t need to necessarily reveal yourself. But for politics, yes, I think the bright line needs drawing.

By: freespiritbeautee

freespiritbeautee — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 16:29:00 +0000

get rid of anon posters. They need to be held accountable for their comments good or bad. IT’s not like their identity will be compromised. Seems to me most anon’s love anonymity and can say anything they want without retribution.