“Anonymity
is a shield from the tyranny of the majority. It thus exemplifies the
purpose behind the bill of rights, and of the first amendment in
particular: to protect unpopular individuals from retaliation– and
their ideas from suppression– at the hand of an intolerant society.
***
Though
often maligned (typically by those frustrated by an inability to
engage in ad hominem attacks) anonymous speech has a long and storied
history in the United States. Used by the likes of Mark Twain (aka
Samuel Langhorne Clemens) [and the founding fathers in the Federalist
Papers], we think ourselves in good company in using one or
another nom de plume. Particularly in light of an
emerging trend against vocalizing public dissent in the United
States, we believe in the critical importance of anonymity and its
role in dissident speech. like the Economist magazine, we also
believe that keeping authorship anonymous moves the focus of
discussion to the content of speech and away from the speaker- as it
should be.”
Anonymous
Source
[Historians should note the use of "Broadsides" in the era just before our first Revolution when signing off on them might well result in criminal prosecution by Royal officials. Today, such politically incorrect statements, when the authors are known, has resulted in persecution of the authors or supporters.]
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