At The Wildlife News, we get quite a few comments from people who enter a fake email addresses. It is time to ask them to read the rules how to comment in this forum. You are free to use an alias as a name, but we want a real email, no exceptions! That prevents people from using 5 or 6 different names and trying to cause confusion in the comments.
I notice most of those with fake addresses are hostile. Guess I’m not surprised.
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Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University. He was a Western Watersheds Project Board Member off and on for many years, and was also its President for several years. For a long time he produced Ralph Maughan’s Wolf Report. He was a founder of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. He and Jackie Johnson Maughan wrote three editions of “Hiking Idaho.” He also wrote “Beyond the Tetons” and “Backpacking Wyoming’s Teton and Washakie Wilderness.” He created and is the administrator of The Wildlife News.
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Ralph, good luck. My AOL account lets me have 6 distinct addresses. I would say that people who want to comment should do so with their own names. In those circumstances where, for example, someone’s gov. job might be at risk, they can appeal to you privately for an exemption. Having the strength of your convictions means standing up for what you believe and doing it in a public way. Speaking on public matters from behind a mask has never been to the benefit of society.
mike post,
Normally, I would agree with you about using real names. Unfortunately, the vehement anti-wolf crowd is potentially very dangerous. Some of them are exceedingly aggressive and “in your face” people. These people are a different sort. They stick anti-wolf stickers all over their vehicles with no consequence. But, watch what would happen to your rig if you plastered a pro-wolf bumper sticker on it and left it for a while. People I know who support wolves have been threatened with bodily harm or worse.
I used to use my real name on this site, and personally, I can handle any anti-wolf extremist, but my wife became concerned about our four dogs, who are left unattended in a kennel when we are gone from the home. She felt the potential for someone to harm them was very real, thus I dropped my real name from usage.
Agreed. Beyond the job issue, some of us live in places where making our views known might not be a good idea.
There’s no way I’d post my real name on a public forum with political overtones, which is why I chose a relatively common username. Otherwise, I’d be wearing the “mask” of moderation and hiding my actual views (or not posting at all).
But if you want to know my real name, it’s Jeffrey Lebowski.
Hi Jeffrey Lebowski, my name is Nancy Lebowski, we might be related…..
Careful, Dude, the anti-wolf nihilists may threaten to cut off your chohnson. 😉
It makes sense to me why some folks use pseudonyms.
If you are a professional who has to withhold opinions for whatever reason, or has a career to worry about, it makes sense. Another good reason is if you live in a rural area and are concerned about your safety. It can get very uncomfortable in a hurry when you go against the grain in some in a judgemental, close-knit community.
I have a real curiosity about the identities of a few of the folks who post here, but I’m comfortable with just being left to wonder.