George:

I am puzzled by this move to put up a huge chalkboard and to make available an Internet site so that people can post anonymous messages. This is not what free speech is about. With freedom comes responsibility. I can voice my opinions, but I must stand behind them.

I'm trying to think of the kinds of things I could say anonymously that I wouldn't want to say for attribution. Mean, hateful things? Slanderous things? Obscene things? Untrue things?

Why on earth do we want to encourage this??? The only advantage I can see for anonymity is that I could say politically incorrect things: Red meat is good! Grade inflation is destroying academe! Our country is being overrun by Mexicans and Chinese! But shouldn't I have to stand behind these opinions as well?

Is there any way to stop the sixty-foot wall? It serves no useful purpose. We already have plenty of opportunities to express our opinions in this community.

Elizabeth Kutchai (electronic mail, January 20, 2001).