Jim- I suppose that's fair. Then again, if my posts made sense, would it matter if I was some kid fooling around?

I've worked for a lot of news magazines, broadcasters, and newspapers over the years. Many of them requre that I am not publicly associated with sides of a controversial issue. Writing for CityLife in Vegas, it isn't a problem, nor is it with any of the other people I work for at this moment -- I'm doing entertainment reporting only. But other employers have had strict regulations. i can't attend protests, I can't contribute money to a political party, and I can't take sides on controversial issues. So I prefer anonymity, since I may one day write for those people again.Let's say I were to pitch Time magazine on a story on the crackdown on the homeless oin Las Vegas. They know that every reporter has an opinion, and they wouldn't mind that I'm a leftist, so long as I report fairly and balanced. If, however, my name has come to be associated with being a leftist through posts on various Internet bulletin boards (not that this one is the most troubling of all the palces I post), they would not want me writing that story for them because people assume they hired me to get a leftist slant.

I've always asked for opposing opinions on this board. I've been willing to admit when people on the other side have a poitn. Yet I bet if any one of you picked up a copy of CityLife, and saw my name on a byline, you wouldd assume I'd be taking a left-wing slant. That's ironic, since I was actually offered a press relations job by a police organization that was so impressed with my impartiality in covering a story. They told me they don't care what I believe, so long as I could present their side convincingly. Yet people are still going to assume anyhting I write will be left-wing rhetoric because of a few posts. You should see some of the conservative things I post in liberal forums in order to stir up debate! You see, I just love debate, because I think everyone gains from a heated debate.

It's for that reason that I prefer anonymity. If my arguments make people think, fine. if they make people mad, fine. if they convince people I'm insane, fine. I don't need to attach my name to them to achieve any of those goals.

Peace