The Observation Deck

By forcing people to use their real names on this message board, people are leaving themselves open to Identity Theft, Junk Mail, Spam, Extortion and all other kinds of problems.

It's plain and simple common sense that you not put any real information about yourself onto the internet.

Seeing as how I've been told I can no longer post here because I refuse to endanger myself or potentially expose myself to other people's harrassment, I just wanted to suggest to people that they might reconsider their policy on the use of handles.

Pax Domini,

Brother Petty

Using your real name does not do any of those things, the only thing you lose is the ability post things anonymously. The only way you open yourself up to spam, identity theft, etc is by posting things like your address, phone number, e-mail address, credit card numbers, social security numbers all of which I'd hope a person would be smart enough not to do on a public forum.

Using a real name is no danger to anyone except those who are afraid to stand up for the comments they might write.

In all reality, with the proper tools a person could track down anyone online whether they use a pseudonym or not, there's no such thing as a completely anonymous internet.

Well Said Bryan! If we cannot take a responsible ownership of our ideas, thoughts and dreams then the purpose and intent of an informed discussion becomes illusory. If I feel that its important enough to say, then I stand ready to stand by what was said and not hide behind a pseudonym (except of course Chef Geoff...but you all know who he is).

Jeff

"It is best to remain silient and be thought a fool then to speak and remove all doubt" A. Lincoln

I've been waiting for an indecent proposal

One of the attractions of this site is knowing that we're all accountable for our words. The Observer is about good neighbors - we don't hide behind the curtains and peer out. We stand on the front lawn and speak to one another. Sometimes we agree and sometimes we disagree but at least we're comfortable talking to one another.

Thanks for clarifying fellow Observers.

I would only add one thing.

On a deeper level, the Observer is about breaking down the cultural coma of anonymity. It's all about knowing each other and what we think and feel about our city,nation,globe and selves.

Anonymity is not appropriate for building honest relationships. The Observer is here to build.

Let your guard down, and put it on the line. Like the rest of us have.

Anyone can push the envelope while hiding inside one. Few will bare it all. Many Lakewoodites have stepped up to the challenge. They too have careers and families. They are risking no less than you, Brother.

Where do you live again?

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that a real name is imperative for a civic agent to participate meaningfully in the mission of the Lakewood Observer.

Gatekeeping is essential for the levels of courage, respect, trust and truth that build civic intelligence and community good will.

The Lakewood Observer must build capacity to dispatch quickly with those whose nominative practice can't put up but whose disinformative impulse can't shut up.

Kenneth Warren

Pateticus wrote, "We can hide safely behind our pseudonyms in order to express outlandish ideas that we'd never share in public. Uninhibitedness, so essential to the creative process, can now be applied from the very beginning of any venture and we can be free to associate with each other and seek each other out on the basis of mutual interest and belief alone."

We're trying to foster outlandish ideas in public, in the light of day, standing up for creativity, collaboration, and trust.

Brother Petty, you are welcomed to join us when you quit hiding behind your mask. You may even find more support for your ideas when you step from behind the shadows. If you want to fully commit to Pateticus, do so. If you are not ready to commit to transparency, there's another great forum in Lakewood where you may post under your pseudonym.

We started this project because we felt a longing to foster self and civic knowledge in our community. We cannot do that unless we each contribute openly and honestly.

It was your choice to sign up on the Observation Deck and you knew that we asked for real names. You felt that you should be treated differently from anyone else here, for reasons I don't comprehend.

You are not being booted from the Observation Deck because of what you have to say, but because you have not chosen to communicate honestly. Every person who has communicated openly here is done a disservice by your dishonesty.

When you decide to commit to being real, please come back.

-dl meckes

Object lesson learned this weekend. Although I can make a case for closer examination of the assumptions undergirding the protective mechanism provided for by using a real name, with much riding on what constitutes a real name, its clear enough that this name is the one called: one's legal name.

The advice with respect to what a real person with a real name might choose to reveal on the internet is also clear: etch self-expression into the stone of the internet while assuming that complete strangers and 'worse' will be reading your words sooner or later.

I've been using the internet since 1984. A savvy researcher can pull up the lion's share of my words. It would be impossible for me to be in charge of how that data set might be read. However, it is an honest data set. And, even had I wanted to hide it behind layers of anonymous protection, I knew going into it that it would be impossible to do so. (Well, it never occurred to me to do so...too big an ego have I!)

Thus: write as if anybody will read it and know that who you are cannot ever be hidden from the discerning.

Something I want to make sure is clear.

The Lakewood Observer shares NONE of its member's information with ANYONE.

The "list" is not availble for purchase or use by any group, advertiser, or political group. There is nor will there every be any "Spam" coming from membership in this project.

This policy will never change.

The Lakewood Observer and staff, respect all who have entered into this project.

Jim O'Bryan