Originally Posted by MrUmpire

Aren't we the enlightened one? Do you think Garth would walk away from verbal sparring? You don't know him very well.

I think that what has happened with Rob and Garth is a bit more than you understand. Trolls have gone beyond the name calling and arguing. They have stolen identities and used them on the internet. They have made up their own "facts" and are posting them, boldy and unquestioned. These trolls have progressed from being a mild nuisance to being unethical, slanderous and unstoppable. They are the internet version of terrorists.


The cloak that the internet provides gives cowards like these trolls cover and makes them feel invincible. We are all one post away from pissing one of them off and finding ourselves in the same situation as Rob and Garth.

No, Rei, this is more serious than you think. And I would not be so quick to lose respect for two former posters who became victims of slander and took the time to warn the rest of us of what was going on. We won't know how you will handle finding your name being used on posts you didn't write until it happens.

Garth used to chide me for using a pen name. He used to tell me that using his real name signified that he wasn't afraid to stand behind what he posted and that only cowards used pen names. I maintained that the internet was a dangerous place where whackos lurked and providing any of them with more information about you than they needed was foolish.

I am sad to be in the position of saying, "I told you so."