September 12, 2011
Ever since we changed a website and made it easier for commenters to post their opinions on stories, we at The Pilot have faced and interesting situation: Should commenters be anonymous or should they be required to use their name when posting comments. After all, in our print product we require letter writers to submit a name, a hometown and verification contact information before we post letters. Online, currently, we have nothing of the sort. Sure, we have some commenters who, in my opinion (not that of The Pilot) have the guts to attach their name to their comments, and others who provided their names through the course of their regular interactions with fellow commenters. But a vast majority are anonymous on the site. Anonymity can be a double-edged sword. It can allow readers to post information on stories that they may otherwise not if they were required to utilize their own name. On the flip side, that anonymity, also can allow for comments, which wouldn't be posted if real names were required, that are meant to do nothing but stir controversy. Wonder what your thoughts are... If you'd like to elaborate, please feel free to comment on this blog post. As always, we appreciate your input.
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RD28327 1 year, 8 months ago
Well, if folks don't know me by now, they better call somebody!!! LOL
clodfelter37 1 year, 8 months ago
I like it like it is
JustAnotherNobody 1 year, 8 months ago
I have created an anonymous username for the specific reason of making a few comments that I simply cannot make under my own name. I have a hand full of issues that are very important to me, especially regarding self-serving public authorities in the area. Another issue that concerns me is the Village giving away the fire station to David Michael Wolff.
For example, why do so many "public servants" need to be reminded or coaxed into recusing themselves from important issues or votes, both in our local city governments and in Moore County government? Unfortunately, I am not in a position to make such comments publicly.
Or another example -- if the Village goes through with transferring the fire station to Mr. Wolff, they are literally cutting the legs out from underneath the many long-standing local music teachers who have to pay rent for their teaching spaces... will the Village give all of those fine teachers a free building so that they will be able to compete on a level playing field? Mr. Wolff has stormed into town proclaiming himself the savior of Sandhills culture and entertainment (I'm not sure we need such a savior, but that's a subject for another day). Although Mr. Wolff's arrogance is sickening to many, many others are even more concerned about what appears on the surface at least, to be questionable ethics surrounding his plans and actions.
I obviously have a connection to the music community that precludes me from making a big public splash about this subject. However, an anonymous user name allows me to make small quiet comments that might start other people thinking and talking. Without the curtain of the anonymous user names, many such important statements might never be made.
native 1 year, 8 months ago
I like it as it is, with the exception that personal attacks and name calling should not be allowed.
blessherheart 1 year, 8 months ago
I do agree with that!
skylinefirepest 1 year, 8 months ago
Hey Tom, Since you know who I am already I'll say that there are people that write in to the blogs that I'm not sure I would trust. Therefore I'd stick with the usernames. Most of the problems seem to self-solve over time. For instance, I notice that staff sergeant viper ( if that's what his username really stood for!) seems to have shut up since we spanked him for his lies on the 9-11 blog. I would like to see the Pilot leave some of the blogs open longer...when you get over thirty comments it would seem that the subject is popular and it would seem y'all would let those go for a while. Thanks for the consideration. Frank.
ethicallocalmusician 1 year, 8 months ago
JustAnotherNobody is spot on!!! This community has got to wake up and realize that they are being charmed by a snake oil salesman, entertained by a charlatan and giving their hard-earned money to a phony!!! David Michael Wolff is exactly that. "The Maestro" lists his credentials and accomplishments any chance he gets be it on this website (a.k.a. www.ilovemyself.com) or in any article. Did anyone ever bother to research his credentials? Well, I did. And it turns out that practically all of the organizations to which he claims he is or was affiliated with, has won competitions from or has been the genius behind their initiation either do not exist or are now defunct. If he is "all that", why is he here in Pinehurst/Southern Pines? He should be in New York or Europe continuing his fabulous career instead of small town NC. We're not idiots or hicks but this is the golf central and we have a fair arts showing. Yeah it can always be better but to give away property to this guy at the taxpayer's expense is ludicrous. And to charge outlandish prices (comparable to NYC concert tickets) is even more ludicrous. Mr. Wolff might have talent but ask yourselves why here? what did he do before that led him here? And why isn't he really "all that"??? And have you ever nothiced that everytime someone uses 3 names he is most likely a serial killer??? A Wolff in sheep's clothing...beware!!!
ethicallocalmusician 1 year, 8 months ago
My apologies for not sticking to the original concept of this forum...another musician going ANONYMOUS in order to express concern and opinion...
PineconeGal 1 year, 7 months ago
Barack Hussein Obama, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Martin Luther King...right. According to your thoughtful post, "Everytime someone uses 3 names he is most likely a serial killer???" (sic)
GJohn 1 year, 8 months ago
Please understand that many of us citizens need a voice, but cannot verbalize our thoughts without endangering our jobs. Examples are in the medical profession, education, and safety personnel. If required to use real names, we would be silenced - or we would speak and be fired. Freedom of speech doesn't always play out like you think it will.
JustAnotherNobody 1 year, 8 months ago
That's very true. If you have any public presence at all, such as owning a retail business or being in the service sector, then you run the very real chance of alienating half of your customer base if you allow yourself to voice a personal opinion, especially about any issue that the two extremist political parties are deeply divided on. Therefore, the ability to have an anonymous voice on public issues allows us to maintain our sanity by expressing our opinions and possibly even offers the chance of affecting the opinions of others without committing business suicide.
As for David Michael Wolff, perhaps it's time to start a separate discussion about Mr. Wolff, his questionable ethics, his questionable credentials, and the detrimental effects that his antics are having on the fund-raising efforts of all the other arts organizations in the region -- some of which were here LONG before Mr. Wolff was even born!
ethicallocalmusician 1 year, 8 months ago
I agree with what your saying about a separate discussion about Mr. Wolff but here again is an example of our hands being tied. If we send an Opinion letter or an editorial to the Pilot, we can't be completely anonymous. But how else to get the truth out to the public about this egomanicial succubus? I suppose my mother was always right: "just give them enough rope and eventually they'll hang themselves..." But in the meantime he can do a lot of harm...
JustAnotherNobody 1 year, 7 months ago
It would be good if the Pilot would take it upon themselves to do a little investigation about David Michael Wolff instead of blindly following the hypnotized lemmings who gather around the Wolff alter.
However, I remember a couple years ago when the Pilot jumped on the bandwagon of another pied piper who came to town claiming a star-encrusted past, only to later end up in jail for fraud and bigamy.
It seems that the staff of the newspaper still haven't learned the lesson... opportunists will always take advantage of you. Another valuable lesson: thievery often hides behind arrogance, and Mr. Wolff has plenty of arrogance.
ethicallocalmusician 1 year, 7 months ago
The lemmings are growing by the minute and even the smartest and most respected leaders in town have been bewitched as will soon be revealed. In the meantime, my belief in good triumphing over evil is sorely being tested.
JustAnotherNobody 1 year, 7 months ago
"... as will soon be revealed."
Oh crap. Does that mean that the Village Council has decided to give that shyster the fire station?
JustAnotherNobody 1 year, 7 months ago
Attention ethicallocalmusician and other interested parties. I have just published an article about David Michael Wolff in a new Pilot reader blog entitled "David Michael... a Wolff in sheep's clothing".
I look forward to any discussion it may generate.
Tom_Embrey 1 year, 8 months ago
Thanks for the input....
nothingspecial 1 year, 8 months ago
I agree with GJohn. I think the Pilot does a wonderful job of providing a fantastic paper that presents a balance of views and for allowing the comments sections. They can't be expected to catch everything and I have seen two instances in the past two years where commentors who were small business owners in the community were called out and their business identified in the midst of cutting them down for taking a stand on something - by another commentor. In both instances I saw an intent to hurt that person's business because of their comments. I frankly fear the same if I identified myself and think that anonymity spurs free dialogue in a way that will be checked by other commenters if someone is out of line. One thing I discovered about my anonymous comments early on was that commenting anonymously makes it easy for me to just fly off a vent about something whether it will hurt someone or not and I did that many times as a result. I think anonymous posters have a special responsibility to try to be as polite as possible to others.
geoffcutler 1 year, 8 months ago
NS, you wouldn't be referring to JER's going after my business, would you? I can handle most anything on here, but Tom, NS is absolutely right about this. Going after someone's bread and butter is totally unnacceptable. Please see letter "Trees in Bad Shape" where Mr./Mrs. JER has done it again.
nothingspecial 1 year, 8 months ago
That makes three, Geoff, takes on new meaning when in the midst of even the mildest discourse.
geoffcutler 1 year, 8 months ago
No kidding! And since I don't guess I know the person, I can't understand why he/she acts like I go over to his/her house and pee in his/her corn flakes every morning. Who knows?
Courseaire 1 year, 8 months ago
JER thinks the US is doomed and that the world is going to end soon. I'm not sure why he hasn't tried to find Jesus yet since he seems to be at the edge of the cliff. He could use a helping hand.
nothingspecial 1 year, 8 months ago
You two always make the comments sections worth reading!
pickin2 1 year, 7 months ago
Why do we not see anything about Southern Middle School football or their other sports teams in the paper? We see articles about West Pines games with photos, but never anything regarding Southern Middle School.
danaredfern 1 year, 6 months ago
While there are those who seem to stir up trouble just because they can in both the print edition of the Pilot and online, I feel the accusations can be more baseless and outrageous if those of us sending in comments are not held accountable by putting our names. If you fear repercussions for your opinion, find another way to solve your problems. For instance, those who fear and revile David Michael Wolff might find some of their time and energy well used in doing thorough research on him and what he is promoting in the area. To my knowledge, the Village of Pinehurst is not giving the old fire station to David. The grant is to a non-profit which has been set up to benefit the community. You may not see any difference there, but I do. Each of your blistering comments is off to a similar degree. Study, get your facts right, and then write in using your name when you attempt to smear another individual. You are afraid of repercussions? Where Does Mr. Wolff go to hide behind the anonymity you use as his accuser? Hardly fair... by any standards.
JustAnotherNobody 1 year, 5 months ago
Don't mean to hijack this thread Mr. Embrey, but this appears to be the only place where the 6 people who care about this item do any posting.
Before the Village of Pinehurst, or any of the other local municipal entities gives away any of our public money to build an edifice to Mr. Wolff, I hope they will all do a little research about the troubles that the City of Roanoke Rapids is having. They are now the proud owners of a bankrupt $20 Million entertainment center that is currently valued at less than a third of that amount -- AND they are on the hook for the $1.7 Million annual debt service payments.
But don't take my word for it....
http://www.carolinajournal.com/exclusives/display_exclusive.html?id=8427
In my worthless opinion, the most important quote in the entire article is:
"... Project supporters said the Randy Parton Theatre would make Roanoke Rapids a significant tourist destination. It didn’t — and six years later the project remains a nightmare."
Beware of Pied Pipers seeking your money.
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