The 'bravery' of being anonymous

Just because we can do something, doesn't mean we should.

I am referring to our right to freedom of speech. Just because we can say anything, doesn't mean we should say everything.

I would never advocate curbing our right to express our viewpoints, our beliefs, or ourselves.

But I wonder when we should just keep our views to ourselves.

I was reading a critique of the movie "Transformers" on the Internet. The same Web site offered readers a chance to provide feedback.

I disagreed with the reviewer, but it was some of the posted feedback I found immature and offensive. I wonder if the people posting feedback should have kept their personal attacks against the reviewer to themselves.

It wasn't the crude obscene vocabulary in the feedback that bothered me. It wasn't the misspellings, poor punctuation or lack of proper grammar. It was the slander and the personal attacks against the reviewer I oppose.

What bothers me is the people spilling forth malicious attacks against the writer, not the review, without having the courage to sign their names. I truly believe the commentators would be highly embarrassed to say the very same words, he or she posted on the Internet, before family, co-workers, peers, or friends. I think the responses would be mostly negative social reactions.

Would this person say the same thing to the movie reviewer in person? Would they say these comments casually sitting at dinner with their parents or children? Would they offer the same repugnant phrases around the water cooler at work on Monday?

I don't think they would.

So why are they posting such abhorrent attacks on the reviewer? Shouldn't they be debating the review? Why are they so rude and petty and attacking the writer like this?

Anonymity.

No one knows who they are, and I believe being anonymous breeds a certain type of bravado. It allows people to say or write things they wouldn't normally utter and get away without any social repercussions. No one will stop them in a grocery story and complain about the loathsome attack they posted on the Internet. None of their family or co-workers is going to shun them or tell them they are ashamed of what they posted. Being anonymous, they get away with being malevolent in an international forum.

I believe the attackers want the smug satisfaction of being arrogantly "right." Maybe it makes them feel better about themselves. It's hard to tell what drives people to such venomous Internet postings.

I shall always ignore anonymous comments. I think if they truly believed in their barbarous personal attacks, they would post their real name along with their opinion. But to do so would open them up to repercussions. Everyone would know who made such savage attacks against a stranger - a reviewer who attached their name to their opinion on the Internet.

Bill Stevenson is the Columbia Basin Herald's managing editor. He staunchly believes in the freedom of speech and the responsibility accompanying such freedom.