A recent essay from The Bulwark defended the act known as “doxxing”–revealing the identity of people who make controversial (or in this case, horrifying and hateful) assertions online.
Anyone who follows such matters can hardly be unaware of the steep rise in the magnitude of online hate, much of it facilitated by Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter. The essay repeats some of the tweets Musk has promoted, and notes–quite accurately– that “this isn’t winking and nodding. It’s goose-stepping.”
The essay began by noting that the Texas Observer had doxxed four Twitter users who had authored those “goose-stepping” posts, and defended the publication’s decision to unmask those individuals.
“Doxxing” has long had negative connotations. Supposedly it’s a bad thing.
I’ve never understood that.
My general view is that if you say things in public, you are accountable for your words. It’s fine to hide behind anonymity, but no speaker should reasonably expect that to be absolute. If someone pulls the mask off, the speaker has no grounds to cry foul.
Musk isn’t the only prominent person to follow and amplify explicitly neo-Nazi posts. According to the article, Republican U.S. Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky follows three neo-Nazi accounts and GOP Arizona state Senator Wendy Rogers follows two, while the account belonging to Sebastian Gorka, former and future deputy assistant to Donald Trump, follows one of the most “out there” neo-Nazis and Chuck DeVore, an executive at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, has retweeted at least one post from that account.
Which leads to my first point: Nazism/white supremacism has been mainstreamed to a degree that many people may not quite realize. This stuff isn’t just buried on obscure message boards or circulating via photocopied handouts. It’s just out there. And the social stigma about interacting with it is shrinking by the day.
The author then makes an important point about the anonymity offered by these internet platforms:
None of these four wadbags would have been willing to say this stuff out loud if they’d had to have their names attached to it.
It was only the warm blanket of anonymity that permitted them to enjoy the fruits of liberalism while secretly poisoning liberal society.
Liberal societies require robust codes of social stigma precisely because you can’t legislate morality. Morality has to emerge from the society itself. How does that happen? It’s not because of laws. It’s because of social mores.
If you walk around your neighborhood wearing a Nazi t-shirt and shouting “Sieg Heil!” at people, no one will talk to you. The people at the coffee shop won’t serve you. Steady employment will be difficult. Good luck finding a date.
Internet anonymity allows people avoid social stigma by leading dual lives. This is toxic.
I have been one of those people who enthusiastically welcomed the Internet, believing in its multiple social benefits. And those benefits are very real. But we are now seeing the downsides–the ability of small groups of disgruntled, resentful, bigoted and hateful individuals to connect with others who share their anti-modern, anti-American world-views.
The Nazis–“neo” may be a misnomer–can now connect to and make common cause with other fringe groups, including the emerging White Christian Nationalists, in an effort to disrupt and reverse an increasingly inclusive culture. They want to take America “back” to a time when straight White Christian males were dominant.
Although I wouldn’t call it “doxxing,” exactly, an important film that sheds light on “Christian” Nationalism is “Bad Faith,” and for those interested in seeing it, it will be presented by Indianapolis’ Common Cause chapter at the Kan-Kan Cinema on January 8th. You can get tickets here. (Common Cause chose the date because that is the day that Micah Beckwith–Indiana’s own White Christian Nationalist– and his fellow travelers take office.)
These allied fringe movements represent a minority of Americans, but gerrymandering, the Internet and social media have allowed them to gain power vastly disproportionate to their numbers. They have captured the GOP, and they are a significant part of Trump’s base. In order for the rest of us to counter them, we need to engage in our own form of “doxxing.” We need to make them truly visible to the millions of Americans who simply haven’t noticed.
Most of us don’t follow people on Twitter/X. Unfortunately, most of us don’t follow the news, either–especially political news. (That’s why so many Americans who do follow the news were shocked by Trump’s election–surely no one who understood what he was could vote to put him in the Oval Office.)
We need to shine a very bright light on these anti-American movements. Call it “doxxing.”
Lol, who woulda think it?
January 20th, what might you do if you knew the date of such an infection point in history? Everything that needs to be said has been said. This is what this country is! And really, always was! So, why be surprised? We’ve read the script before, it was a horrid moment in history! I guess you could say it was so nice we’ll do it twice! Anyone who claims the day weren’t aware of the ramifications concerning the new administration, can be proud the day basically killed themselves. You really couldn’t make this up if you tried. It could be stopped I suppose, but it won’t. Just wait, it’s going to be extremely miserable, and the more than likely, there will be no more elections.
We are what we notice.
That statement may not seem worth remembering, but if it strikes you as profound, you have noticed it. Your brain wakes up and wonders how to act on what you just noticed.
That comes from millennia of living in caves. If you stumbled out in the dark to pee, you didn’t want to become an animal’s breakfast, so you woke your senses before you left home and paid attention to your surroundings.
Now, it may be “doxxing,” notifying others of the identities of people who make online controversial statements (threat or opportunity is the next big question).
Twenty years ago, I was teaching a climate change class of adults, and someone noticed that my demeanor might connect to this blog, so he recommended I log on and notice what went on here.
I did, I learned, I became politically aware.
Meanwhile, ABC News / George Stephanopoulos settle a defamation suit with Trump for $15 million for their lies, while Trump commands an impressive press conference as President-in-waiting. His popularity is at a 7 year high.
The Biden administration is called out for selling parts to be used for the border wall for pennies on the dollar. – Despicable –
and YOU wonder why Trump won ?????
Maybe YOUR news or the “Trump hatred” is not serving you well.
John Sorg, maybe you intended to misspell “inflection”, but “infection” works perfectly for the idiocy about to happen on 1/20/25.
Becky, you continue to worship a convicted felon, adjudicated rapist, serial liar, tax cheat, misogynist and someone exceptionally stupid as well as presenting as a psychopath. How proud you must be. Trump doesn’t command anything except a forum for idiots. His press conference reiterated how really, really stupid he is, in re tariffs and just about everything else. You present as someone who is willfully ignorant of facts and will spend the next 4 years denying them, blaming Democrats for our failures and wondering why you can’t get your second tattoo because you’re hungry. Good luck.
There needs to be a deeper examination of militias because armed “haters” are a threat. If you think they don’t exist in Indiana, they do. How about some investigative journalism about them? I believe they are illegal organizations, but is Todd Rokita interested in this topic?
The Doxing works both ways. Brock Turner raped an unconscious Chanel Miller at Stanford – women in Dayton, OH – due to lifelong sex predator – requirement to notify publicly when he moves – put out the Word – to watch out for him – he is Dangerous – first time he’s been held accountable! – Good! Similar Tactics are Legally and Illegally Used – against the Non Privileged Generally – be it Racism, Sexism/Abuse, Classist – related – “6 week old fetuses” – are pictured as “murder victims” 10-11 year old Female Rape Victims in Indiana have No Rights – while their 20 or 30 or 40 year Old Rapists/Step-Fathers/Brothers etc. – have – rights as “the Father” (sic/sick) – “Middle of the Road” – folks such as the ACLU – try to have a “principled” approach – while – the Oppression – is extremely One Sided – the Militias – likely may be protected by the Corrupt Supreme Courts – and Judges like Matthew Kacsmaryk – who claims “standing” – in all kinds of situations nationally – as a Texas Federal District Court Judge – wield incredible power.
Oh Vern – you’re such a clueless dope and bitter hater – but you are fun for a good laugh! You need to lighten up.
My net worth would make you cringe. My PLTR investment alone has doubled in the last 3 months…. and, I hate tattoos, but I could lose a few pounds- haven’t been missing any meals. Merry Christmas 🎄
and God Bless America 🇺🇸🙏🏻🇺🇸
Vernon, LOL!
I am grateful for the internet. I can discuss state or federal matters with residents in India or Palestine. Europe is now open to discussion, as it also struggles with fascism. Who doesn’t adore Giorgia Meloni’s facial expressions when she is in the same room as foreign leaders? Her face tells you everything you need to know about what she’s thinking or feeling. She is the descendant of a Nazi and is also a right-winger, anti-immigration, which is tearing up Europe primarily thanks to France, Germany, England, and the US.
But, like everything in the universe, there is a shadow side. In Taoism, it’s called the yin and yang. For every positive energy, there is also a negative energy without exception.
And yes, anonymity makes some people braver than in person. Sharing what you think does have consequences, even though we live in a country with free speech. Employers can access your internet history and fire anyone at will in 49/50 states. The FBI can add you as a “person of interest” for social media posts. You can even be added to a do-not-fly list or have your passport revoked. Big Brother is watching like never before.
The real doxxing was sharing a person’s identity and address online so kooks could visit you. Can you imagine what the local Nazi clubs have in store for you? The wives of our local police department would call me a “nigg**-lover” when I ran the city’s swimming pool. They didn’t want blacks in “their pool.” Do you think the local cops are Nazis and white supremacists? 😉
Bad Faith was an excellent documentary. Mehdi Hasan’s Zeteo media has a short video of Trump claiming many times that he had no idea about Project 2025 even though 10 of his administration appointments were affiliated with the Koch’s de-regulation goals or P2025. Russ Vought was the primary author and has been nominated to run the government’s budget. Trump lied!
Let’s face it: the ignorant masses represent the majority of Americans today. Those with critical thinking skills are a small minority, and many have been conned by propaganda media themselves. It takes significant work to find the truth today, but the answers are available online. The entertainment media will not tell you the truth…
Vern, you are right! I was still half asleep lol! Not to say this isn’t worth my full attention, it’s a bad habit not proofreading.
Lol, who woulda think it?
January 20th, what might you do, if you knew the date of such an inlfection point in history? Everything that needs to be said has been said. This is what this country is! And really, always was! So, why be surprised? We’ve read the script before, it was a horrid moment in history! I guess you could say it was so nice we’ll do it twice! Anyone who claims they weren’t aware of the ramifications concerning the new administration, can be proud of the day they basically killed themselves. You really couldn’t make this up if you tried. It could be stopped I suppose, but it won’t. Just wait, it’s going to be extremely miserable, and the more than likely, there will be no more elections.
I personally am aware of quite a few individuals that claim they weren’t enthralled with DT and he wasn’t their personal choice, lol, except in the dinn of election euphoria, he was! If you put it down and black and white or whatever, on social media, it’s there forever.
They are already going to get their meat hooks into SS, Medicare, and Medicaid! And then you have the South African sidekick, already talking about slashing everything, messing with the government employees and wanting to build a 20 trillion dollar tunnel to the UK! What could go wrong there?
And, who’s going to build it? After all of the workers are deported, there won’t be anyone left to do anything. People are not wanting to have children, I believe they call them DINKs, dual income no kids, because they want to explore the planet without restriction. There’s nothing wrong with that by the way, but when you kick people out of the country, and no one’s having kids, you run into a huge problem. Maybe start cloning? Maybe they’ll just put robots to work, is that why Musk is trying to perfect his robots? What could possibly go wrong there?
This is really all of the nightmare scenarios and alternate realities that writers have put to paper over this last century or more. And if I recall, it really never ends happily!
Like I had written before, when my uncles went into Auschwitz, and they saw the piles of bodies, and those guards who were still there trying to finish off the few that were left alive, They took those guards out into the forest and executed them. Then they went into town and brought all of those folks to the camp and made them Bury those guards and the piles of murdered innocence. They complained, they claimed they didn’t know, they disavowed Nazism, but they weren’t merciful on those town folk, they showed them no respect..
People like Hitler, like Stalin, like Mao, like Pol Pot, when they are done eating their enemies, they end up eating their own. It happens every single time! When you try to make people live by religious beliefs by imposing them in secular law, or, even vice versa, there’s going to be a lot of misery and blood spilling.
Becky, just because your portfolio is doing well, does not mean that you are not all that Vernon said!. BTW, if your god would bless America, he would not have even let this anti-Christ even run for office. He is a very sick Malignant Narcissist who gifts tax breaks to the VERY wealthy, so that they will donate to him. The concept of trickle-down economics was, and is, nothing but an excuse to divert what would have been public wealth, and thriving, to the most greedy.
Robin Wall Kammerer puts it succinctly: “All thriving is mutual.”
This country has never been clear of hateful types, and Trump has energized and empowered them, and they have no idea that he is manipulating them. Outing them is a civic responsibility.
Okay boys and girls, let’s not get personal. Becky has the right to her opinions. Be patient. If this is the last vote we ever get, she might have an epiphany.
I too, have benefited from the recent rise in the stock market, but I have been benefiting from consistent rises since the second year of the current administration, after tanking in the previous one. If I recall correctly, that was OJ’s first. If I get even a whiff of crisis that requires adherence to scientific principles, I’m planning to take the money and run. (Yes, Woody Allen’s early work was his best.)
We can’t learn the lessons of history, without actually remembering history!
Vernon — LOL!!!
Becky — still drinking the Kool-Aid, uh? Better you should leave off Faux News and put your marvelous wealth to better use. But then perhaps you really do admire men like DT — grifters, thieves, predators and liars. And how any woman could admire the women-hating remarks that come from the mouths of these men — well, seriously, get some self-respect!!
And on today’s topic: my mother always said if you say nasty things without identifying yourself, you should either be in confession or not saying them at all.
Publication of anonymous, controversial, opinions didn’t begin with the Internet. President Lincoln, and his wife Mary, were prolific publishers of anonymous opinions. One editorial made a reader so angry that he challenged Lincoln (once his identity was revealed) to a deadly duel. Lincoln appeared in the field to meet the challenge, but avoided bloodshed by choosing weapons his opponent could not manage.
Lincoln cultivated relationships with newspaper publishers, both before, and during the Civil War, who would print his unsigned opinions, and maintain his anonymity. He apparently saw good purpose in venting opinions he could not express publicly under his signature.
It may be that Lincoln’s rationale for anonymous opinions survives today on the Internet. As in Lincoln’s day, readers have the option of not reading opinions they find distasteful.
“If you don’t make it dangerous to be a Nazi, they’ll make it dangerous not to be.”
– Words to live by
Becky, Thanks for confirming my analysis. Your portfolio has jumped because of the BIDEN administration’s investment in the people. I’m also very glad I can entertain you. The rest of your life must be really sad with you living in that fetid silo you call home.
John Sorg,
What rational person would want to build a 20 trillion dollar ANYTHING never mind a tunnel. It just proves again that Musk isn’t as smart as he thinks he is and that money/wealth does not measure a human’s worth. No matter what.
BTW, years ago I worked for a government-funded research project that studied the feasibility of creating an aqua-duct from northern California to southern California. The oceanographic, the geological and hydrological dynamics laughed at the feeble attempts by humans to pervert the natural world. For example, tunneling across the Atlantic ocean means dealing with the freight train current known as the Gulf Stream and spanning the mid-Atlantic ridge and rift, both of which are subjected to massive mud slides … to say nothing of the pressure at 15,000 feet below the surface.
Maybe sending Musk to terraform Mars would be a better idea.
John S. — Musk IS a robot! LOL
I have often wondered how many of the CEOs and techbros are true sociopaths. My guess is that a majority are. They got to their positions by stepping on anyone who got in their way, by cheating and lying to get the things and positions they wanted with no remorse. Most are very bright. Some have inherited great wealth and wield it like a weapon to oppress and intimidate. We all know people we wouldn’t trust to safeguard anything of worth, tangible or not. When Scalia pushed the Citizens United decision, he knew exactly what he was doing. Another sociopath, using assumed superiority and entitlement, he almost virtually
shredded the Constitution and rule of law.
Musk and his ilk have purchased the most powerful and wealthiest country in the world for chump change to them. And those who sold it to them will eventually regret it if they manage to live that long. Unfortunately, the rest of us will suffer and some will even die in the meantime.
Doxxing anyone who takes a job in any capacity in his purge of immigrants would allow us to see who they are and were they live, not to persecute but to hold them to public account for what they are willing to do. They, in fact, are working for us.
Besides being the safest, most comfortable humans ever, we are also the most connected globally.
Yet, Maga whines.
What are you going to do?
This is another case of focusing solely on the benefits until it’s too late. In this case, “doxxing” may be a partial remedy.
Becky is entitled to her opinions, but she loves to troll here. I always say, “Don’t feed the trolls.”
Peggy – if you like early Woody Allen, have you noticed a similarity between the character Esposito in Banana’s, and our new banana republic President to be, the Donald?
Esposito: From this day on, the official language of San Marcos will be Swedish. Silence! In addition to that, all citizens will be required to change their underwear every half-hour. Underwear will be worn on the outside so we can check. Furthermore, all children under 16 years old are now… 16 years old!
Sad thought for the day
John Kennedy – The Best and the Brightest
Donald Trump – The Worst and the Dumbest
and yes, JFK’s people messed up, but as the late Barry Beyerstein of Simon Fraser University analyzed it, their problems came when they only listened to each other
Imagine how bad Trump’s team of “Yes, Master” will be — or better not imagine
Vern,
As always, right on Brother!