No anonymity?

Matt Drudge, bless his slimy soul, does us a public service by noting a NJ bill that would prohibit anonymous posts on the Internet to cut back on defamatory and libelous comments. While the end goal is admirable, the means is utterly ridiculous. The bill's sponsors may not realize the severity of their mistake, but in my mind at least, the complete abolition of anonymity, whether it be in journalistic sources, online posts, or public actions, reeks of a government that is unconsciously embracing a quasi-totalitarian mindset, where it can't imagine why anyone would seek the ability to make comments without being identified.

The Bush administration has said something similar along these lines to justify invasions of privacy: "If you have nothing to hide, then you of course won't mind if we dig around in your life. If you do have a problem with this, we'll need to have a talk, you stinking communist. Terrorist. Fascist. Fan of Britney Spears."

Let's hope more capable minds prevail in NJ.