Opinion : Being Anonymous isn\'t all that bad

Dear Editor, I just wanted to take a minute to write about your policy that requires folks leaving comments to attach their name. While I understand the importance of making sure comments that might be offensive are not anonymously cast about, this policy opens up the potential for harassment from those who see the comments. Earlier this year, I commented on a popular post that was sparking controversy and big differences in opinions. A person who disagreed with my views took the time to find me on a social network and sent me a private message. I feel that was very inappropriate. When I'm commenting on an article, I expect the discussion to stay in that comment thread, not to follow me to my personal social networking page. Perhaps an alternative Vinton Today could offer is a place where folks can choose to register a username and password for the site, and their username would be the identifying mark when they comment on a post. This would give Vinton Today the security of knowing who is posting and would give folks commenting on articles peace of mind in knowing that they will not be singled out in their day-to-day life due to their comments. Thank you for your time. Concerned Commentor