This Really Burns My Buns

Via Hilzoy I learned today that State Rep. Mike Doogan (D) of Alaska decided on his own that bloggers don’t have a right to privacy and anonymity, and so he outed an Alaska blogger at Mudflats.

Here is a copy of the email I just sent to Rep. Doogan:

“Would You Have Outed Thomas Paine Too?”

Since at least 1775, when Paine published “Common Sense” anonymously, there has been a tradition in this country to honor the words in a political argument, rather than the name of the person who wrote it.  Have you forgotten this, sir? Why on earth would you decide to violate someone’s privacy in such a despicable way?

As AKMuck said in her post regarding this matter:

“I might be a state employee. I might not want my children to get grief at school. I might be fleeing from an ex-partner who was abusive and would rather he not know where I am. My family might not want to talk to me anymore. I might alienate my best friend. Maybe I don’t feel like having a brick thrown through my window. My spouse might work for the Palin administration. Maybe I’d just rather people not know where I live or where I work. Or none of those things may be true.”

Did you consider any of these things before you decided to publish her name?  No, you didn’t. You just decided that your “own theory about the public process is you can say what you want, as long as you are willing to stand behind it using your real name.”  Well, I’m sure I’m not the first to point out that your theory sucks.  And there is a long list of patriots, including Paine and Ben Franklin, who think it sucks to.

You owe AKMuckraker an apology. Dickhead.

I’m sure my name is attached to the email, and if he figures out how to follow trackbacks, that means he’ll be able to out me too.  Not that it would be all that hard to for a determined person to figure out anyway, given all the clues and links to other blogs that do have my name on it.  I don’t happen to have a politically sensitive job, nor do I have children that might be affected should I write something offensive or controversial.  Nor do I have many readers, so even if I did, no one would notice.

The point is, a blogger/citizen has a right to maintain anonymity should they want it.  Our patriot forefathers thought so too.  If you feel like it, write Mr Doogan and let him know just how wrong his “theory” is.