Minority viewpoint

A lesson I learned back in the stone age (according to my offspring) was I was responsible for everything I would write and publish. In the 'olden' days, you could send a letter to the editor of a newspaper and ask to have your name withheld but you had to put your name on the letter. You had to take responsibility for the words you put together and the context and tone in which they were written

All of the school newspaper advisors I ever worked with, from junior high up until college, were specific in taking responsibility for the words attributed to a writer's by-line. I personally view writing a blog the same way. This applies also to responding to an article or story whether it is on-line or in printed form.

The big issue for me in all of this is the 'anonymous' responses to on-line articles, not just on this website but all over the web. They are that way because those typists are hiding behind the anonymity of their screen names. What I find additionally disturbing is the inference made by one of the anonymous typists recently that it is okay to do this to people who run for office or have certain professions. The inference was that these people "ask" for and deserve anonymous electronic harassment.

In my old-school opinion, that is just wrong on so many levels. But by appearances, I am most likely in the minority viewpoint on this one but at least my opinion has my name attached.