Unmasked
: Two once-anonymous bloggers have taken off their masks.
Patterico — the guy who got the LA Times to cover stories they should be covering — let Mark Glaser print his real name in the story about bloggers’ influence on big media. He’s Patrick Frey. There, that didn’t hurt, did it?
Armed Liberal just revealed himself to be Marc Danziger, who just signed onto be COO of Spirit of America (more on that shortly). Danziger said that as we discussed the need for transparency in this endeavor (and, see below, in media and business and government) it was time to come out.
A few weeks ago, I speculated that Atrios, now unemployed, would take off his mask and he left a comment saying he just might. And he should.
I know we’ve had this debate on anonymity many times over. But I say again that in this new medium that values and demands transparency, openness, and honesty from government, politics, journalism, business, and the academe, it’s hypocritical to hide behind a chicken’s mask of anonymity.
And in this medium whose greatest liability is the conversational terrorism of comment trolls, it’s dangerous to give them cover by demanding cover yourself.
I have much more respect for writers who are willing to put their monikers where their mouths are. I have no respect whatsoever for trolls who snipe and run into their rat holes of anonymity.
The excuses for not revealing your identify are — let’s be honest — rare. If you have the courage of your convictions, then follow the examples of Danziger and Frey. Reveal yourselves.
