Death threats and readership: two great tastes.

Just recently, a blogger of some standing was singled out and defamed on the internet. Yeah, I know, that really narrows it down. But, still, it has garnered a lot of attention, attention I believe better spent discussing things that actually matter. What frightens me here are not the death threats that were rattled off, or the possibility that I could be next (gasp! No, probably not.), but rather the reaction of the 'victim' and the way that people are rallying to her cause. These small and seemingly insignificant events could easily lead down paths of much more dangerous efficacy. Here is a comment I left on drumsnwhistles. That's right. I'm that lazy:

Roark said:
March 30th, 2007 at 10:06 am

The irony of the situation is chokingly delicious. I don’t think I could take another bite. If Kathy Sierra had remained anonymous, the same anonymity she and many others in the blogosphere are railing against, it would be difficult to target her, her family, her image, or her gender for such, admittedly frightening, comment. Of course, if the nature of the job lends to a certain amount of celebrity status that is beyond your control, then unfortunately these types of comments are an unavoidable consequence of the choice in career. If so, you are again faced with a choice: accept these consequences or change careers. If the belief spreads that instead of taking responsibility for these choices we must force the population to behave in a way that we find suitable, we will find ourselves on a slippery slope of unappetizing ends. I understand that the behavior on meankids.org is reprehensible, that’s why I don’t go there or any of the other websites that promote an agenda that is morally contrary to my own: KKK sites, Kiddie Porn, FOX news, etc. But they have a right to exist. If a law has been broken, alert the website and other authorities to try to ban or isolate the offending party. This has been done. If a tirade on the subject is warranted, about hurt feelings and the way it has affected the lives of those involved, have at it. But, please, let’s not make this into a widespread regulatory discussion. We need to take personal responsibility of our actions AND reactions. The bit about our children being at risk of falling in with a bad crowd of questionable moral judgements has existed well before the internet, and it is STILL the job of the parent to guide them through those pitfalls. Not mine nor anyone else’s out in cyberland. How can we “create communities?” By monitoring our own actions and beliefs. Unless you want to go the route of tyranny. Be careful what you ask for.

On the vast expanse that is the wired, there is only anonymity and celebrity, and very little, if any, gray. Choose wisely.

PS. Kudos to anyone that has profited from this affair! I wish I could, but that’s not my style.