No, that doesn't mean you win, it just means you're a dick

[obsession_inc]

H/T to cofax7: publius of Obsidian Wings has been outed. To which I can only say: Jesus Christ, people, what is wrong with you.

The summary of the argument for outing bloggers seems to be this: the argument is incomplete without knowing who is making the argument. Over and over again, people indicate that they have a right to know, because otherwise,

Comments

[jood]

I think the most hilarious irony in this entire sad situation is that the douchenozzle who outed him didn't actually know the history of the pseudonym Publius. If ever there was a legitimate group of people using a collective pen name for a legitimate reason, it was the fist Publius.

[cofax7]

Awesome rant!

I really wish people would understand the secondary purpose these outings serve, as well: they chill speech by people who (unlike Publius) cannot afford to be outed. Single mothers working for conservative employers; gay culture critics working for homophobic organizations; etc. Now that the NRO is known for outing bloggers who dissent with their positions, fewer underprivileged bloggers will do so, for fear of being attacked the way Publius was.

The argument against pseudonymity means that if you don't already have privilege, nobody has to listen to you.

[brewsternorth]

This, this and this.

(And this wasn't either big or clever when it was being done to a blogger who turned out to be a perfectly ordinary bloke. Why are they still doing it?)

[amonitrate]

It frustrates them that on the internet, there are entire cultures that don't give a damn about their authority and refuse to give them their proper deference, and a nom de net is a symbol of that.

AMEN.