"What’s wrong, Mr. Close? Don’t you believe in free speech?"
It took a while for me to understand what the comment sender was saying. Then I remembered: He was complaining because we rejected an anonymous comment. Our stated policy on comments to story is that they must be accompanied by a name. At times, we approved some comments before we noticed there was no name attached, and at Vinton Today, we are trying to be more consistent.
So, if you want your comment to be published, include your name. As the people in charge of Vinton Today, we do have the right to reject or use any or all comments. Sometimes, for the sake of discussion, I have approved anonymous comments that were of general nature. I have also approved comments of a positive nature, things such as congratulations for those who received honors. And I always publish comments from those who are criticizing me for what I say. I do not have much fear of being sued by me. But if you want to take a stand on a controversial issue – and especially if you want to criticize someone – sign your name.
About free speech: Remember the men who gave us free speech all signed their names on the document that initiated the process that led to us having free speech, even though they knew it would cost them. And I promise that the King of England is not going to take your plantation or send redcoats by land or sea if you sign your name on your Vinton Today comment.
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(Editor\'s Note: Abe Lincoln too got his start writing anonymously.. but if you wanna dis King G3 on Vinton Today, we still gotta see your John Hancock... and by the way, it\'s John Hancock, not John Henry, like my dad and many others used to say; he\'s a different American legend.
The founding fathers may have risked their necks to publish criticisms of the British government, but somehow I doubt the same applies to letters to the local newspaper in 2011.
Mom always said, \"consider the source\" when I repeated gossip. She never put much stock in you.
The existence of anonymous speech doesn\'t disprove Dean\'s point, nor does its existence in political circles.