A noble proposal Mr. Fried, but your internet policing is mis-directed. As long as anonymous posting is allowed, it will be used. The commenting tools supported by both this site and Baristanet provide for and implicitly support anonymous posting. In case you didn't know, clicks = $. These are commercial sites. If you don't want to really hear what complaints are out there, you should address it with the site owners who could more strictly moderate the comments to your liking. I doubt you will see any changes in those policies in the near term, but keep us informed of your progress.

Jon Bonesteel

"Until then, I ask Montclair residents to abstain from posting anonymously and to renounce those who do."

I didn't realize the mayor was so adept at comedy! Maybe he should command us next to be kind to one another, and don't forget to do unto others as they do unto you.

If there's anything worse than anonymous rants on blogs, it's some privileged dude answering them. How pathetic. If you had a job, Mr. Mayor, like normal people, you probably wouldn't be bothered by anonymous chatter on local blogs.

I RARELY comment on either Patch, or Baristanet, yet feel the need to do so today. Do you want social security numbers too?
If I comment, and use a screenname, it is not to remain anonymous to the discussion at hand, more so so that employers, etc. can not google my name and find out what I think about local politics, etc. It´s just not their business, and could be misconstrued.
As a public figure in the internet age, I´m afraid you will have to get used to the concept of screennames.
Respectfully, Mandy939

Jerry, you are Mayor, "for now", so I suppose that gives you more access to the media than most of us plebes.
However, your megalomaniacal desire to control the social fabric of Montclair will not extend to the Patch. I would be curious to know what Shelley and her gang have to say about your call to "transparency on the Patch".

I am a very nice and respectful person. A lot of people like me and I have a lot of friends.

But I think you are a terrible mayor. Sorry.

I am afraid that you and the town council are doing permanent damage to this town. I think you have social agenda for this town that you want to advance above all else.

So I will continue to post on the Patch under my Patch "handle" for as long as I feel like it.

Jerry, I am so saddened that you, as Mayor of Montclair would encourage citiznes to renounce other citizens for ANY reason. I can come up with a handful of reasons why I and others choose to blog with as Can't says, "handles." Mandy actually pointed out one reason out to you. The title of your piece is "one way to make our community better." Is encouraging citizens, friends and neighbors to renounce each other YOUR idea as to how to make our community better? It appears to me that YOU aren't making this community better by your suggestion. I sugggest if you can't take the heat Jerry of being Mayor, you should get out of the fire. How dare you tell people how they should communicate with each other. Last I remembered we live in a democracy and we have freedom of speech. I hope I didn't just give you an idea for an agenda item for the next Town Council meeting, no blogging anonymously, OOPS!

People are a little cranky these days. The CCM and OBAC have made several proposals/presentations and recommendations to the Mayor and Town Council which have been ignored for the most part. I would recommend that you pay attention to those who have made those thoughtful and ethical proposals and simply ignore the anonymous rants on local blogs.

"Renounce those who do"? Sounds like he's been hanging out a little too much with his Chinese friends.

In Mayor Fried's utopia, the suggestion box is banned.

See what I mean:

"Chinese news websites have implemented new rules stating that all users have to register their true identities before allowing them to post comments ... The government has called the measure part of a drive to forge greater "social responsibility" and "civility" among users, yet have suppressed reports regarding it. Proponents, led by officials and state-connected academics in the information security field, have stated that such mandatory controls are necessary to help subdue inflammatory attacks, misinformation and other illegal activity deemed to endanger social order"

http://www.ngonlinenews.com/news/internet-regulations/

After reading this first blog entry by our mayor, my takeaway is that he is truly a very scary character. He wants to limit free speech in an effort to bury any negative press about our town. Did you try to google "social rights" when you were over in China Mayor Fried? I hope I don't need to tell you that such a search will reveal no results. Are your experiences in China where you are getting your motivation for this blog entry?

Believe it or not Mayor Fried, most of us can decide if what is posted anonymously is true or not. It would be even easier for us to judge the merits of such anonymous postings if you fulfilled your promise of transparency when when you originally ran for mayor. In some of my email to which you have actually responded to, your general theme was that you knew 'better' than the rest of us 'angry' townsfolk, regardless of how many of your constituents appeared to be in opposition to many of your policy decisions. This request to censor anonymous viewpoints is intolerable. Would it be OK if I went into the election booth with you next November?

At the risk of sounding like my 5-year old, I can only mutter, "Oh my God!"

OK, Right of Center, now you are scaring me. I am still reeling that Jerry would not only think that we should renounce others who blog without using their names but that he would suggest this in writing. I used to feel sorry for Jerry because I thought he meant well but was just inept at being Mayor. No more, now I think he is absolute idiot and someone perhaps we should all fear. I wonder if Shelley was laughing or crying when she received this from Jerry?

Here's a few inspirational quotes for you Mayor Fried, from our Founding Fathers:

When a man has cast his longing eye on offices, a rottenness begins in his conduct.
- Thomas Jefferson

Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action.
- George Washington

A wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government, and this is necessary to close the circle of our felicity. Thomas Jefferson, First Inaugural Address

Seems to me, you could learn a few lessons yourself about being thoughtful to the taxpayers of Montclair.

This is exactly the type of valuable cultural exchange we're getting from our relationship with our Chinese sister city! Well done, Mayor!

I believe the sister city also volunteered the idea of subsidized housing for municipal workers. Maybe we could get the Strahan mansion for a good price. There's plenty of parking for our fleet of town vehicles.

I've never been anonymous, nor do I care what this pathetic politician thinks of my or anyone else's rants.

The right to anonymity has been decided in NJ law. If you, Mayor Fried find comments from specific posters to be degrading or causing defamation of yours or anyone else's character, I implore you to file the correct legal documents and subpoena the Names from Patch/Baristanet/MTC Times on-line.

Mayor Fried you can review the case Dendrite vs. Doe if you have concerns about the legality of anonymous posters and their comments on these sites.

Otherwise get back to work raising taxes and pushing more struggling families out of Town.

Otherwise get back to "work", which is joke considering the job you have been doing!

my radio play was prophetic:

http://www.baristanet.com/2010/09/trembulak-to-be-or-not-to-be-town-attorney/#comment-240012

Cary. You have to jump into this thread before I cut & paste and frame. I'll hang next to my property tax appeal and my 2008 muni ballot - hanging chad and all!

I also sense the presence of cyber elitism. I want to remember you were an "appropriateness" monitor for the Watercooler. Do you think the Watercooler cyber cafe society put our Mayor up to this? Isn't this heresy for a registered Watercoolerette to even acknowledge the existence of Patch... much less submit a blog piece?

Mayor Fried,

You quote George Bernard Shaw, a man who wrote under the pseudonym "Corno di Bassetto" as a critic!

????????????

* My radio play is satire. The mayor has not, to my knowledge, engaged in any kind of corruption.

Bravo, Chairman Fried! How many days until the next election?

There may not be another election...if Fried has his way. Fried knows better than you who should run this town.

I have another quote from Shaw that comes from the preface of "On The Rocks" :

"Put shortly and undramatically the case is that a civilization cannot progress without criticism, and must therefore, to save itself from stagnation and putrefaction, declare impunity for criticism. This means impunity not only for propositions which, however novel, seem interesting, statesmanlike, and respectable, but for propositions that shock the uncritical as obscene, seditious, blasphemous, heretical, and revolutionary."

Some other choice Shaw quotes:

"Extermination must be put on a scientific basis if it is ever to be carried out humanely and apologetically as well as thoroughly," he wrote. "If we desire a certain type of civilization and culture we must exterminate the sort of people who do not fit into it."

"You must all know half a dozen people at least who are no use in this world, who are more trouble than they are worth. Just put them there and say Sir, or Madam, now will you be kind enough to justify your existence?
If you can’t justify your existence, if you’re not pulling your weight, and since you won't, if you’re not producing as much as you consume or perhaps a little more, then, clearly, we cannot use the organizations of our society for the purpose of keeping you alive, because your life does not benefit us and it can’t be of very much use to yourself."

"We should find ourselves committed to killing a great many people whom we now leave living... A part of eugenic politics would finally land us in an extensive use of the lethal chamber. A great many people would have to be put out of existence simply because it wastes other people's time to look after them."

ipso facto -

The Montclair Watercooler has nothing to to do with this. Mr. Fried is a member there and has posted under the general guidelines that all members there adhere to. Mr. Fried has no relationship or influence with the moderators or the list beyond that. Why would we care that he post where ever he wishes? Sort of an odd conspiracy theory you've got going on there.

I for one appreciate Cary's time as a moderator on the Watercooler as well, and hope he rejoins us if he gets fed up with town politics.

Jon Bonesteel
Montclair Watercooler moderator

Mayor Fried,

Regardless whether the people posting in the Montclair Patch are identified or remain unknown these are the people of Montclair that have taken their time to voice an opinion. It seems that you are more concerned with some type of retribution since you would like to know the names.

Mayor Fried are you Richard Nixon? How is your enemies list coming along?

Why do not you try to control the spending growth in Montclair and stop trying to infringe on the common man's right of free speech.

Read this, from the Electronic Frontier Foundation:

https://www.eff.org/issues/anonymity

Here's a preview. From the U.S. Supreme Court:

Protections for anonymous speech are vital to democratic discourse. Allowing dissenters to shield their identities frees them to express critical, minority views . . . Anonymity is a shield from the tyranny of the majority. . . . It thus exemplifies the purpose behind the Bill of Rights, and of the First Amendment in particular: to protect unpopular individuals from retaliation . . . at the hand of an intolerant society.

"it creates the illusion that we are a nasty, cranky place..."

Is that all? And for this, the Mayor calls for renunciation?

The last time I attended a town council meeting, there were a lot of nasty cranky people in the audience, and I don't recall any of them wearing Groucho Marx disguises. Maybe we should renounce those meetings, too?

The Mayor's rant reminds me of the time Rudy Giuliani tried to enforce jaywalking laws in NYC.

"These are commercial sites..."

This misses the point completely. Anonymous speech has a history going back to the founding of the nation, to the days of Thomas Paine, and continues right up to the present day, where bloggers and twitters and FBers--some anonymous, some not--are promoting through the act of speech the spread of democracy throughout the world (eg Middle East). The undue influence of corporations on our political life is, in fact, the exact opposite trend.

Isn't this dialogue just distracting everyone's attention away from the serious bike locker issue we have in town. Where are your priorities, people?

The mayor already renounces those who attend the town council meetings as well as those who voice themselves on blogs. He will only be happy when his authoritarian dream is fulfilled. So far, he has thoroughly convinced Weller and Lewis to join him on his journey.

People who attend/watch council meetings know the mayor's not too good with non-anonymous criticism, either. If there's a regular speaker who is known to be a critic, he finds every opportunity to interrupt them, keep them from speaking, etc. Hrant Yousoufian isn't even allowed to speak twice when there is literally no one else who wants to speak. Why? Because the mayor doesn't like it.

And who can forget the mayor's thermonuclear meltdown when Montclair Times quoted him ragging on his political opponents. He must have spent days posting differing versions of his comments, and they were all essentially the same: the people who don't like me are angry and don't know why.

I, for one, would like to suggest, as I did earlier, that the mayor get a job. If I spent all day focusing on Patch and Baristanet comments, I'd go batty, too. Luckily I have a life that keeps me from doing so except for a few minutes a day. Jerry, you should try it! It'll do wonders for your sanity.

Cary, I've read your posts before elsewhere, but I have to say for this one, you've lost my respect. That fact that you would bother to comment on a message board with that type of rebuttle Geez, why are you not down at town hall working on those financial reports and information that no one can ever seem to access.

For me, that would be time well spent instead of calling out the mayor on a message board.

That said, the mayor is dillusional.

Actually, Wayne, I was in a big battle several years ago about a similar situation involving a "no editing ordinance." The Mayor was demanding the right to edit tapes of BOE and Council meetings, to make sure content was appropriate.

I was resisting posting this morning, until I was asked to post. I thought the EFF stuff was an easy way to respond.

Today, my "cause of the day" is tax exempt properties. Are we keeping good track of them? Are we keeping track at all?

Among other issues, of course!

Your friend,
Cary

Oh Cary, just give it up. Keeping track of things will never work around here. People might have to create a spreadsheet or something like that. It can't be done. Don't you get that we're different here?

What will be tomorrow's cause for banging your head into a wall?

I have a deal for the mayor: keep Kathryn Weller-Demming from knitting as she works, and I'll stop posting anonymously.

Jon Bonesteel, my post was directed at Cary. Nothing was directed or even implied about WC moderator mgmt. Sorry you inferred otherwise.
FYI, doesn't meet the definition of "conspiracy", but interesting word choice. I found the "if/then" wording of the last sentence even more illuminating.

Cary,
Are you fed up yet with Montclair politics? I hope not. This story has legs and I think fodder for some media outside Baristaville. Can't wait for RB to jump into the fray on the non-cyber side.

The tradition and importance of anonymous criticism dates back well before The Founding Fathers and included a long line of great thinkers before and after. The basis of our Constitution is The Federalist Papers which were published anonymously. To suggest this method of communication is cowardice or inappropriate strikes me as the opposite of what this progressive Mayor and Council have stood for and Un-American.

We should have known with the failure of the Mayor’s support for an elected School Board that he didn’t understand the new realities. Anyone who thinks this town and Mayor aren’t looking to vilify those who think different can start by reading the Council’s minutes on the way Pegi Adam was treated by the Mayor when she spearheaded the Elect the Board movement.

Now he is trying to back his way into another 6 months. I will not be anonymous when the Council votes on that. We can’t take another day of this. Maybe its time for the Mayor to feel the real heat of the National Press when Drudge AND The Huffington Post both get a hold of this and are equally incensed. Properties may take a short term hit, but maybe that will be the catalyst to

RECALL MAYOR FRIED OF MONTCLAIR NEW JERSEY.

jajabooty

This was like a Montclair version of Sermon on the Mount...maybe Jerry thinks he's Jesus Christ's brother "Jerry Christ"

Chapter two of the liberal handbook is to censor critics. Ban Fox News too! Mayor, get a grip and a job because after the next election you will need one. And hey why don’t you renounce any councilmen who take the health care plan that tax payer’s pay for like yourself.

Hey Ipso,

Lots of us post both here and on the Watercooler. Some folks who post on the Watercooler post anonymously here. I don't, preferring to use my name on my posts. No heresy in that, or in posting here or baristanet.

Pat Gilleran
Montclair Watercooler Moderator

Hi,
When are your Wednesday office open house hours? morning, afternoon and/or evening?
Thanks

Pat and Jon, would you comment on the thinking behind the Watercooler policies on real names, comment guidelines and comment moderation? Why is the Watercooler structured this way?

Thanks,
Mara

I wasn't around at the time, but have been told that back in 2001 or so the Watercooler had been taken over by trolls and was experiencing flame wars. The concept of having a moderated list with guidelines was suggested.

The guidelines are not set in stone and have been revised periodically based on suggestions by the membership. We have found that if you have to introduce yourself and it is known who you are that people think twice about flaming their friends and neighbors. That doesn't mean that you have to log on as yourself, you can have an addy (I am badd_patti) but that members can search and find your intro and know who you are.

There is also another list Montclair UnModerated where the description of the list is:
This is a group where Montclair NJ residents and those interested in the town can feel free to discuss all issues, without censorship. Think of this as Radio Free Montclair [RFM]. Or Montclair Unplugged.

Pat,
I'm sure you are serving your members well, but who moderates the moderators? When a moderator says here that the Mayor's proposal is a noble one, can we assume a little moderator bias back on the WC?
I accept the "you are free to go elsewhere..." comments as a civil way of ending discourse, but you should think about how this can be read as elitist. While WC has its order & civility, I wonder by which era's mores.

The problem I have with the WC moderators is this... The better you do your job - the job your members ask of you - the less diversified your membership becomes. Bnet & Patch have a somewhat opposite problem, but their model has more potential. Clearly, if WC members are cross-posting, that may indicate a need WC is not meeting.

Per the 2010 census Montclair has 37,669 residents. So the mayor has met less then 10 % of the community. I've met more then that handing out candy at my moms house on Halloween's prior (in one night)

princess,
I don't understand your point. I'm not an aplogist for the Mayor.

ipso,
In fact, the moderators are also moderated. We have to abide by the same guidelines and our posts are dealt with with no special standing. Some moderators rarely if ever post and some of us are more vocal, but we were also more vocal before we became moderators.

If you don't like the civility and being known on the Watercooler that's fine. There are plenty other places to post ie: baristanet, patch, unMod. I post in all of these places and always have.

The difference for me is that posts on the Watercooler and UnMod are submitted by the membership and threads here on the patch and on baristanet are created by the mioderators (editors) here and there and the rules are unwritten and unilaterally applied (no protesting that your post has been removed unlike the Watercooler where a backchannel dialog with the moderators is always acceptable)

Make no mistake about it, there is moderation both here and on baristanet.

My experience on the watercooler was if the moderators liked what you were saying or liked you there was lots of "latitude" as to what's allowed or not. And if they didn't like you or what you had to say, you had little chance of it being posted no matter how civil the post was. I found their judgements to be capricious and biased. You are also not allowed to criticize (not matter how civilly phrased) the moderation policy or its implementation. They will allow you to criticize the actions of the township council but not the actions of the moderators. (rather like China!).

It's always thus with cliques and the empowerment of petty fiefdoms.

Peter, I suggest you look up the number of voters for the 2008 Municpal Election. It is a little silly to use a census number for your equation, don't you think. The 37,669 number you did your math from is the total number of people living in Montclair. I happen to think 999 signatures is a pretty good number. And why would you not include anonymous signatures? They are backed up with valid email addresses. I know this because I have a friend who worked on the SOS petition and I just called her.

Pat you never seem to understand my point. I don't think you are an apologist for the Mayor. Feel free to skip over my comments which is much more civil then constantly making assumptions. I was responding to what is above in the 3rd and 4th paragraph.

Premier Fried only received 2,801 votes in the 2008 municipal election. 1000 or signatures on a petition that very few even know about is pretty impressive compared to getting 2,801 votes at an election that nearly everyone knows about.

I just find the whole thing backward on WC. Is there is a parallel society thing going on.
When you think about, the original WC selling point the user had to reveal their real identity which supposedly allowed the non-cyber social constraints to moderate the online dialogue in vastly productive ways. Yet, it doesn't work without 24/7 moderators to do what using society was suppose to do. So bottom line, WC is like a country club. The fact that you also play golf at public courses is irrelevant. I stick to the public "links".

ok, horrible thought fragments, grammar, punctuation, etc.

no princess,

I will continue to comment here when I feel like - to your posts and to others. The Mayor has lived here a long time. If he meets dozens of new people every week he has far surpassed your candy community.

ipso,

No one makes a person join the Watercooler and no one has a gun to their head and is made to post here or on baristanet.

Vive la difference!

hrhppg - Don't bother to fight with Pat. It's not worth it. Pat, do you even live in Montclair?

I don't and neither does the princess and yet we both have family who live in Montclair.