Outing Mudflats: The Dirty Martini Philosophy (from Andrew Halcro)

[Blue_In_AK]

Andrew Halcro, as many of you know, is a Republican former state legislator who ran against Sarah Palin as an Independent in the 2006 governor's race. I enjoy his take on issues since he comes at things from a slightly different perspective than the, quote unquote, "liberal bloggers."

Here is what he has to say about Doogan and the "outing."

http://www.andrewhalcro.com/outing_mudflats_the_dirty_martini_philosophy

3/29/09) The Alaska blogosphere is erupting like Mt. Redoubt after a State Representative outed the most popular as well as the most anonymous blogger in the 49th state.

The closely held identity of Mudflats, the king, or I should now say the queen of Alaska blogs, is no longer a mystery after State Representative Mike Doogan revealed the identity of the blog's proprietor in his Friday newsletter.

Not to get distracted from the real debate, which is whether or not bloggers have the right to remain anonymous, but the dust up began months ago when Mudflats reportedly took Doogan to task for his response to emails that encouraged him as a State Representative to press an issue that he had already declared dead.

<snip>

To Know Or Not To Know?

There is a bit of irony within the story of the outing of Mudflats; Rep. Doogan's right to free speech gives him the same right to out a blogger as the blogger has to try and keep themselves anonymous.

On the surface there are compelling arguments on both sides, but I come down on the side of personal choice. If you choose to remain anonymous, so be it.

Last Thursday night at the Alaska Press Club conference, I sat on a panel of bloggers who tackled the issue of anonymity and bloggers.

On one hand you had a great journalist like Tony Hopfinger, who argued that real reporters are forced to put their names on the articles they write, thereby accepting complete responsibility for them. It was moving to listen to his real life story about working at a daily newspaper in Idaho, covering the Aryan nation's activities in the gem state, all the while getting death threats.

To some degree Rep. Doogan shares the same scars as a former journalist writing for the Anchorage Daily News. Doogan's columns often took politicians to task, including one that nailed me during my freshman year in the legislature, however readers always knew the source of the criticism, thus making Doogan accountable for what he wrote.


But there is one big difference in this comparison; bloggers aren't journalists.

Having a blog makes me no more of a journalist than shooting hoops in my driveway makes me Larry Bird.

Having a blog simply means I'm a guy with time on my hands, thoughts on my mind and a computer within reach.

Also, the argument against anonymity ignores the fact that some of the most influential names who shaped America wrote pieces under pseudonymous.

<snip>

The story of the Mudflats blog is truly amazing. The blog was started less than a year ago and already the site has generated millions of hits and has grown an army of loyal followers across the world.

The blog's popularity has spawned Mudstocks, gatherings, where followers called Mudflatters, get together and celebrate the host and her daily blog content. The most recent Mudstock was held in Connecticut.

In the aftermath of her public outing by Rep. Doogan, Mudflats has announced she will step back and reassess her life in the blogosphere. It's safe to say her legions of followers are awaiting her next move with much anticipation.

I offer but one piece of advice to my fellow blogger; it's what I have embraced personally as my dirty martini philosophy.

Beginning in the mid-nineties my cocktail of choice was a dirty Grey Goose martini with double olives. In 2002, my wife and I were visiting our daughter Lauren at college in Texas when we decided to take in a movie.

A ways into the movie, the main character strolls up to the bar and orders a drink...a dirty Grey Goose martini with double olives. I sank in my theatre seat. My favorite drink had been outed. Not by man of the world figure like Sean Connery or an American icon like Al Pacino, but by Reese Witherspoon.

No offense, but there is a dramatic difference for a man between sharing the same taste in cocktails with a James Bond or a Michael Corleone compared to a Melanie Carmichael.

I wondered if the next time I ordered my favorite adult beverage, would the bartender look at me and think I was getting my drink suggestions from the movie Sweet Home Alabama.

However, by the end of the film I was only wondering one thing; where could a guy get a dirty Grey Goose martini with double olives after a bad movie.

After all, some roads we enjoy traveling in life are just too important to allow others to change direction for us.

Mudflats shouldn't allow Rep. Doogan's revalation to change her direction.

Blog on sister.

This is worth reading the whole post.