Columbia Citizens

I think I'll let Brian's post stand, just because it's so amusing.

Scott,
Question about identities on here. I don't see anyway to determine that Crazy Monkey, Good Neighbor, and Brian R. are the same person. Am I missing something in the profiles? I understand you would know this as the moderator and could at least add 2 and 2 together by looking at the emails submitted under the different names.

My purpose for asking is that I assume we have a certain amount of anonymity on this site. I don't agree with Crazy Monkey (though his moniker seems to be apt); however, I don't know if he should be outed even if it is only his first name. That being said, if anyone could come to that same conclusion based on the publicly available info on the site, then I have no problem with it.

Thanks.

This is a good discussion to have — here are some thoughts I've posted about it before. I think online anonymity is generally overused and often abused, but it's easy for participants and I understand it.

When guest commentors sign in, I don't get to see their emails. I'm working with the same information available to everybody else. From the standpoint of connecting with neighbors, I'm always curious about who posts to the site. But I don't focus on anonymous identities too much, and I have no real interest in sussing out who's who in some off-topic rantfest. At this point it's just simpler to delete.

Brian has given us ample time and opportunity to get to know his online persona. He and I have exchanged a few emails, but I don't remember ever talking with him in person.

I agree, online anonymity in this forum should not be an issue and is most certainly abused too often. As 'neighbors' a certain decorum should be administered at all times, nothing can be gained by personal attacks. But if you are going to take that route follow my advice:
Accountability - get some. =)

I am not trying to get into a discussion over on-line anonymity. Complicated subject and I don't have time for an in-depth analysis of it. My main question was more along the lines of the policy of the forum. If Brian R. didn't mind being outed in the forum and had a chance to express his desire one way or the other, then I'm fine with that. However, if Brian R. wrote something and used an alias on purpose, he should not expect to be outed by the moderator who just happens to be able to put the pieces of the puzzle together.

I may use my real name all the time when posting comments; however, if I choose to use an alias then I expect that I won't have my real name attached to the post, no matter how obvious my identity may be to the reader. I would expect not to be outed by the moderator, at least. If another reader wants to put 2 and 2 together, then that is their prerogative.

Get rid of on-line anonymity across the board, great. Randomly choosing who to out, regardless of their level of crazy, doesn't seem like a sound policy to me.

I agree with Anonymity - people who think they are anonymous shouldn't be outed on this site. And I also don't think posts should be deleted by the moderator. We should be able to have a discussion about anonymous posts, even if they are disturbing. I don't agree with the censorship. As neighbors we can, and should be given the opportunity to, support each other if someone is being abusive via anonymous posts.

It's a fair concern. As I say, I've got no special access to emails as site organizer. There's no explicit guarantee of anonymity on this site. We're all neighbors and many can piece together ideas with identities.

In this forum, I'd say anonymity is a vehicle of convenience, so neighbors can participate without jumping the hurdle of setting up a new account.  But there are no particular guarantees. And I have no problem with sharing the identity of anyone who singles out neighbors for derision or other attacks. I've told Brian as much.

I like that many folks support the open forum, and I consistently support it. But I will continue to delete posts I consider to be spammy, abusive, or entirely irrelevant to Columbia City living. You'll just hafta trust me on that one.

Hey, no need for anonymity here. I am well-versed in what I am discussing here. Anyone who wants to discuss the core roots of the sustainable development and how it works, how it was created, who created it, and who is funding it at the top of the food chain — as well as how Fabian socialism works — let's discuss it right here right now. I am all over it and I suspect this is exactly what Mr. Ringgold does not want.

Let me get you folks started….

Joan Veon is a recognized expert in the United Nations (where sustainable development has its roots). You can read some of her deep research here:
http://www.newswithviews.com/Veon/joanA.htm

Niki Raapana is an investigative journalist, originally from Seattle. She is an expert in communitarianism, which is what Mr. Ringgold believes in:
http://nikiraapana.blogspot.com/

In addition, someone who works within the sustainable development/carbon audit industry (and who has a conscience, unlike some people) has been documenting and compiling information in this topic here:
http://www.green-agenda.com

Please understand the roots and origins, and most importantly — the source of the funding — before you begin supporting sustainable development. Not all things pro-environment are here to help us. This one is a Trojan horse, and a very good one at that.

I'm calling you out, Mr. Ringgold. Be prepared to walk the talk.

Mr. Ringgold would like to focus on my perceived intentions here, to make me out to be a problematic troublemaker. How convenient that would be for him, that you would believe him.

The truth is that I am a concerned citizen. I no longer live in your area. However, this does not mean I do not care about the people who still live there, as I had many friends there. Many of them are aware of the Fabian socialist movement in South Seattle, which has been targeted by the United Nations as an incubation site for various sustainable development methods/policies, prior to their implementation elsewhere.

Mr. Ringgold works for the government. He came out of nowhere to create this web site and forum, for the sole purpose of pushing sustainable development onto the community. He appears to be a paid and trained provocateur, skilled in swaying public opinion. This is all very intentional.

Also note that, without any notice, he linked this community forum to his own sustainable development forum so that those discussions are intermingled with neighborhood discussions here… to give the appearance that most of the neighborhood is already onboard with sustainable development planning. It's all about appearances. It's what a trained provocateur does.

And, I can tell you Mr. Ringgold is not working alone. I have met several Fabian socialists with the same agenda in South Seattle, as these folks tend to work for the government, working in jobs where they are supporting programs that help the poor. Nothing wrong with helping people… I am just identifying the Trojan horse that comes with the package.

Brian, I guess I just don't really get why this larger political discussion fits on a community wiki. Has anyone ever engaged you here? Is there a history of this type of discussion on CCitizens? I can't find any…

Perhaps you could start your own Columbia City (or maybe South End…since you said you don't live in the neighborhood any more) political discussion wiki rather than poaching a forum that mainly discusses garage sales, new businesses, lost dogs, neighborhood events, and the occasional proposed building project…I am willing to bet that Scott would have no problem posting an official link to it.