After nearly four years of blogging, I still don’t understand anonymity. It’s cowardice, plain and simple. If you have something to contribute to public discourse, identify yourself, so that what you say can become part of your record. Someone named “q” has been commenting on my “Global Warmism” post. He or she knows who I am. Why should I not know who he or she is? Why the asymmetry? I’m brave. Why is “q” afraid? From now on, I accept no anonymous comments. If I don’t see a full name (and not an obviously made-up one) in a comment, it gets deleted immediately, without being read. If you don’t like this policy, go elsewhere. I don’t make any money off this blog. In fact, it costs me money. I’d be as happy with 250 readers per day as I am with 1,500. My days of enabling cowardice are over.

Addendum: For the record, I have never written anything anonymously (or pseudonymously) in my life. If I utter a falsehood, I am responsible for it. If I reason fallaciously, I am responsible for it. If I analyze a concept incorrectly, I am responsible for it. Part of being an adult is taking responsibility for one’s actions. Evading responsibility is childish.

Addendum 2: It may appear that I made an exception for “JJS.” I did not. If you click “JJS,” you’ll be taken to John J. Sullivan’s website. John is not a coward. He takes responsibility for what he says in this blog. Nobody should take this policy personally. I’m not picking on anyone. I just think I should adopt a policy of openness. When I was replying to “q” yesterday, it felt like I was having a conversation with someone who had a bag over his or her head. That’s creepy. I want to know who I’m talking to. Wouldn’t you?