I’m not sure why some are uncomfortable with anonymity. Why is it so important to put a name to a comment - isn’t the comment enough? Blogs generate conversation; controversial, whimsical, factual, or otherwise. Is it the ‘enemies among us’ mentality or the ‘I had NO idea they felt that way’ if the posts were signed? A level of comfort, perhaps? I sign my posts but I’m not at all confused, annoyed or frustrated when people don’t. Blog on good people, whomever you may be :)

We don’t know where Ian Murtaugh gets the impression that we are preaching to the choir or that some would-be readers are not reading the blog because articles or comments are not signed. As Rhett Butler told Scarlett O’Hara in “Gone with the Wind,” we have to say, “Frankly, we don’t give a damn.” From time to time, readers like him suggest that “Crotonblog would be (a) more readable; (b) more believable; (c) more friendly; (d) more widely read—you name it—if it abandoned the practice of allowing anonymous contributors to post on its pages and allowing anonymous commenters to offer opinions about the postings.” He suggested that huffingtonpost.com would be a good model to emulate.

Huffingtonpost.com is a site covering topics of national import. Its contributors and commenters alike are people who are anxious to see their names in print. On the other hand, Crotonblog.com is a blog serving a village of some 8,000 people living in close proximity to one another and whose feelings sometimes run high. The two situations are not comparable. We have said this before, and we say it again. We have no objection to Mr, Murtaugh (or anyone else, for that matter) wishing to post items or comments to other postings and to sign them with their own name. But we do not see why knowing the identity of the poster of an opinion or a comment should make any difference to those who read it.

Moreover, should Mr. Murtaugh post an unpopular opinion and sign his name, Crotonblog accepts no responsibility for incidents in which damage is done to his house, automobile or other personal property, not to mention his good name, as a result. This has happened in the past. In the meantime, Crotonblog will not change its policies—policies that are common throughout the world of blogging and are not peculiar to Crotonblog—of accepting all contributions, signed or unsigned. In short, we prefer to stay above the fray.

It is interesting to note that the several NCN forums, which originally excluded anonymous contributors and commenters (and took Crotonblog to task and scorned us for accepting anonymous items and comments), have had to eat humble pie. They now welcome anonymous items and comments. Need we say more in defense of our position?

— The Editors

Waffles- What I tried to say was this: The crotonblog is a great source of information, but it is preaching to the choir mostly. If the good info and points of view are to be shared with those who have different opinions, then maybe using one’s name is not such a bad thing. I don’t think it’s a matter of simply believing or not believing; if a serious and well researched opinion on this blog goes unseen what good does it do? Are we just chattering amongst ourselves, or are we trying to influence and change public opinion? If one doesn’t view the blog (and see the other points of view) because they believe the unsigned posts are not credible or truthful, a chance to change opinion is lost. I was pointing out that to have the most credibility the blog owners, and posters if they wish, merely identify themselves. That was my point.

Ian

to believe or not to believe, Ian, that is your question. It is up to a reader to believe anything they read. This forum gives people an opportunity to let things fly, read it or not, believe it or not; this is America, it’s your choice. There is plenty of good information anonymous or not on this blog. Dig a little deeper and I think you would agree. Make your own decision. I for one love it.

Today I had a spirited discussion with a friend about the village elections. She said that she would not believe anything from this blog which was unsigned. There is a point to be taken, I must admit. Perhaps the crotonblog.com could have a masthead of some sort. The blog operators could be identified and continue in their fine muckraking, and those who wish to comment can continue to post using their tag. I think huffingtonpost.com is a good model. Ian Murtaugh

Readers should make sure that at least 5 of their friends vote if they haven’t voted yet. Elections on the local level are VERY CLOSE. Leo Weigman only lost by 43 votes to Susan Konig last time.

Kevin W. Davis

At last night’s Village Board meeting two things really bothered me:

1) Schmidt and Streany had an argument over the scope and mission of the Recreation Advisory Board’s role in making recommendations about dogs at Croton Landing. FORGET ABOUT BI-PARTISANSHIP these two can’t even get PARTISANSHIP right, before the election no less!

2) Tom Brennan’s incoherant ranting about truthful information brought to light by the Democrat’s campaign materials which highlights the Schmidt\Cudequest\Wintemeyer administration’s lack of accomplishments. The reports portion Village Board Meetings is supposed to be for the trustees to report on their liason assignments and accomplishments. Perhaps because Mr Brennan has not accomplished anything, and their was no High School game to report on, he felt obligated to waste everyones time with his inept attempt to dispute what we all know to be the truth, taxes are up, and so is spending under this adminstration with nothing to show for it.