Judge Orders Identities Of Commenters Be Revealed

People have asked Tom and I (and Mike before us) why we are so strict regarding our commenting policy. Articles like this help to prove why we must continue to enforce this rule.

Anonymous bloggers beware. You may not be as anonymous as you think.

Forward Township Supervisor Thomas DeRosa has won a court victory in the action that he filed in November to uncover the identities of people who posted comments on an online bulletin board that he said defamed him.

On Wednesday, the ACLU, which had intervened in the case, turned over the Internet Protocol addresses of six individuals who made specific posts that Mr. DeRosa mentioned in his court filings.

Read more: www.postgazette.com/pg/10224/1079435-96.stm

ACLU Discussion Group In Mt. Lebanon

NOTE: This was received from Hilary Chiz, one of our blog readers, who asked that I post it on her behalf.

The ACLU of Pennsylvania, Greater Pittsburgh Chapter, holds regularly scheduled “Coffeehouse Discussion Groups” around town, focusing on civil liberties issues with broad community appeal.

Now in its second year, the group, which began in a Shadyside coffee shop, has expanded to include both the South Hills as well as the North Hills.

Mt. Lebanon Library and the Sunnyhill Unitarian Universalist Church have hosted the public events in the past. Speakers have included Duquesne Law professor Bruce Ledewitz and Andrae Marak, professor of Political Science at California University of Pennsylvania.

This Thursday, January 17th, at 7 pm, the ACLU will present “Guantanamo: The Enemy is Us,” facilitated by Don Guter, Judge Advocate General, U.S. Navy, and Dean of Duquesne Law School, at Panera at The Galleria, at 1500 Washington Road.

Dean Guter will discuss the Guantanamo Bay prison camp, and the forum will include participation by those who attend.

The lively events are intentionally thought-provoking, and allow for a number of perspectives to naturally emerge. Mt. Lebanon events have been particularly stimulating, perhaps because of the wide diversity of actually-held opinions in our community.

For more information and to download reading materials, please visit: www.aclupa.org/events/discussiongroups .