ON ANONYMITY



This is a brief discussion of the author's views on anonymity.  The author of this entire tutorial wishes to remain anonymous.  Anonymity is an issue that brings many varied responses to it.  People say you have nothing to hide if you are doing  nothing wrong.  I'm not so sure of this.  First a link for you to a case where the Supreme Court of the United States of America upheld an authors right to maintain anonymity.  This is not the only case where that Supreme Court upheld anonymity rights of an individual author.  Now to return to the question regarding if you've done no wrong, you need not hide.  Let us not forget the famous Underground Railroad that existed during the United States Civil War period.  This was used as a means to help African American's in bondage to escape slavery.  It was done under cover of secrecy.  Let's not forget the Underground that existed during World War II when people hid Jews to keep them from being apprehended by the Nazi soldiers.   So we already see two uses of hiding from the 'powers that be' of their given time that were of course right, yet probably condemned by those in charge.  And what about Christianity.  For a period in Roman times it was illegal to practice Christianity.  The only way for the religion to grow was for people to practice it in secret.  There are undoubtedly many more examples of using the cloak of anonymity and hiding for positive ends.  


It is true that anonymity can assist others to do misdeeds.  This is a situuation that the reader must wrestle with in his or her own conscience.  I personally take the chance of anonymitiy's dark side because of the advantages it has to offer in responding to any oppresive force in one's life.  Please read Ian Clarke's views on anonymity and the freenet project on the Freenet Website .  In addition there are plentiful  resources on the internet discussing anonymity issues both pro and con.  I favor everyone informing themselves about this very important issue for our generation and  for  those to come after us.  Peace.

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