It’s About Accountability

So I decided this week to make a few New Year’s blogging resolutions.

The first one I made was to ditch my “handle” (“daverunner”) and write under my given name. Personally, I figure that if I’m going to write about issues that inspire passion in me, then I should be proud enough to put it under my own name, rather than under a pseudonym. It’s very simple for someone to hide behind a moniker and attack people. That way, you can live the life of an internet tough guy without having to face repercussions in real life, except from the few people who know who you are.

I have first-hand knowledge in this; I blogged anonymously on an old, ill-conceived blog a few years ago. I called people out for their actions, but was too cowardly to reveal myself. An internet tough guy.

So I’m going to be accountable. I write something scathing, I’ll take the heat.

In that same vein, I’m going to make a resolution this coming year to not engage in personal attacks on anyone. And I mean everyone. It’s too easy to do this with political figures, and it cheapens the debate. But that doesn’t mean I will not criticize. Politicians (and candidates, for that matter) say and engage in things that are well-worthy of criticism. So, rather than attack personally, I will attack words and actions.

Hopefully, raising the bar and having some accountability will also raise the level of debate in Loudoun County, blog-wise. If nothing else, it will show readers that progressives are willing to be accountable for their words and to engage in civility, rather than attacking people for, say, their appearance, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.

Be accountable.