The following is a post I just left on the press-citizen.com chat site.
http://www.press-citizen.com/comments/article/20100215/OPINION03/2150301/Our-real-name-only-experiment
I'm interested in other views.
In the comments regarding Patrick Riepe's "On the Record" column there is some interesting discussion about whether our "experiment" will work. Some flat out state that OTR will fail because people won't engage for various reasons. Some contend that people won't post their opinions in a "named" forum if they believe it could bring about reprisals from employers, neighbors, etc. OK - I'll buy that, but is every comment that they make one that could bring about such reprisals. Don't they ever comment on important issues of the day that have nothing to do with their livelyhood and everything to to with community concerns? Isn't there an opportunity to participate in BOTH forums? I wonder how many anonymous chatters have stood up an spoken at a city council meeting, or written a letter to the editor - where identification is unavoidable. If they are willing to do it there, wouldn't it be appropriate to do the same here? I see no reason why it wouldn't be.
My feeling is that for some posters anonymity is simply a convenient way to be provocative, malicious, contrary and generally unreasonable.
I think some posters comment because they really want to engage in a constructive dialogue on a topic and unfortunately get swept into the vortex created by the sort of posters I've just described. Then they either try to fight back (only to ultimately be sucked into the same unreasonable behavior) or they just give up and go away.
I think controversy is healthy - and I hope there are those who sign up for OTR and generate some of that. I also hope that there are posters who are willing to address issues that have huge implications for our community, but are, for some reason considered taboo. Whether people discuss these topics and try to find solutions or not - they are going to remain issues with huge potential impact.
I also hope that OTR posters will post about "things." Regular, everyday things that strike them. Like Arnold's comments about Iowa, or the tough calls that the West High wrestling team had handed to them in the state meet last night, or new discoveries (I discovered "Her Soup Kitchen" on S. Dubuque St. recently - fantastic lunches).
I hope that OTR can be a combination town hall meeting, watercooler and backyard fence.
db
Dan Brown's opinions are his own and do not reflect those of the Press-Citizen, its editorial board or employees.