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From: robison@eosp1.UUCP (Tobias D. Robison)
Newsgroups: net.news
Subject: Re: Objection to annonymous postings
Message-ID: <1258@eosp1.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 19-Nov-84 12:28:12 EST
Article-I.D.: eosp1.1258
Posted: Mon Nov 19 12:28:12 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 20-Nov-84 03:10:51 EST
References: <112@normac.UUCP>
Reply-To: robison@eosp1.UUCP (Tobias D. Robison)
Organization: Exxon Office Systems, Princeton
Lines: 25
Summary: 

There is a place for anonymous comments in our written society --
Moderated postings.  We are all familiar with books and newspapers
that protect their sources by quoting them anonymously.  However,
THEY IN TURN generally know who their sources are, and they are
responsible for the accuracy of what is reported anonymously.
Thus there is always someone who either knows the source, or who
is known, and has independently verified the information reported.

Truly anonymous postings, pamphlets, advertisements, etc., lead
to the most scurrilous and scandalous publications and are geenrally
frowned upon, and/or outright illegal, in our society.  Disgust with
anonymous writings is as old as Democracy.

Although we all feel able to distinguish between scurrilous scandal
and the facts, it's a good check and balance to avoid anonymous
postings.

The desire for groups that could discuss touchy issues on which people
might want to talk anonymously, can be handled fairly well by a
responsible moderator.  How about it?

	- Toby Robison (not Robinson!)
	allegra!eosp1!robison
	or: decvax!ittvax!eosp1!robison
	or (emergency): princeton!eosp1!robison