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EditorPS
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Posted: Mar 13th, 2007 03:33 am |
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| Okay everyone, we've discussed this before but in light of recent events, I'm gong to ask again -- and I'd like to hear from those of you who have posted your real name on this forum as well as those who haven't. As many of you know, Summerfield Town Council member Dwayne Crawford has made it his mission in recent months to identify our anonymous online forum posters -- to be more precise, only a select group of posters -- specifically, those who have made comments that are not favorable to either him or Councilwoman Becky Strickland. How do you feel about a council member accessing our forum database via what he claims is a software "glitch" and publishing forum participants' I.P. addresses on his Web site and via e-mails? Do forum participants, who are local citizens, have the right to remain anonymous when they are discussing local issues? Is Crawford's behavior appropriate for an elected official (or for that matter, is it appropriate for anyone)?
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macca
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Posted: Mar 13th, 2007 04:02 am |
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Well, I'll bite. Obviously, since I post anonymously, I believe I have the right to do so....
I'd like to know if my rights have been violated by his actions? If he posted my IP address on his web site, couldn't that create problems for me?
And what is this deal about a "glitch" -- Does finding it give him the right to break into the forum? What is it about this forum that bothers him so much he would do this? There are fewer than 200 people who post here ....
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A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. Herm Albright
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DOGGETTJA
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Posted: Mar 13th, 2007 10:31 am |
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Patti- Lets call it what it is. Dwayne Crawford hacked into the NWO forum for the purpose of getting people names. It concerns me that a member of a group who got elected on a platform of "fair and open" government would think it was alright to do that. It concerns me as a citizen that people's first admendment rights of free speech have been violated. It concerns me that the information he gained will be used to intimidate people. Seems lke a real abuse of power along with a violation of peoples first admendment rights. It further concerns me the ethics of breaking into somebody's private company for the purpose of gaining information. I suppose I could break in to your home but it certainly would not make it right and I possibly might go to jail. Dwayne has broken into your house and I for one feel like he has broken into my house too.
I post under my own name obviously because after serving on the Town Council and going through the abuse the last couple of years not much bothers me. Plus I have reached a stage in life where I have trouble remembering my name anyway and an anoumous name would further confuse me.
I don't care that other people use other names. On this forum for the purpose of discussion they are who ever they say they are. Does not bother me at all that they may be somebody else at the grocery store. On this forum I know what I need to know.
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StewartM
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Posted: Mar 13th, 2007 11:08 am |
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I agree with everything Jane said (including remembering my name).....
DC is nothing but a hacker......If it was a "glitch" then why didn't he delete it and not put in on his Web site.....Dwayne tell the truth, you started with lies to get elected, now your hacking into people's systems......For what?...Do you think you are "BIG BROTHER"?
I think people can use any name they want....There has been a lot of Americans dying to give us that right everyday.....I don't care what your name is, In fact I like not knowing your name....It can allow you to express yourself more. Its that not what the forum is all about ??
Its not your name he is worried about , its your ideals and thoughts....
Now that he is the government "BIG BROTHER" is watching you.....
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Steve Adkins
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Posted: Mar 13th, 2007 11:08 am |
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Agree with Jane
It is sad one of our local elected officials is a hacker, and now uses a "talent" or better yet "misguided technical knowledge" to violate folks rights to free speech. Wonder what the ACLU would have to say about Dwayne's behavior?
This forum has been in existence for about 18 months, folks join with the knowledge anonymity is protected. Play by the rules, or don't join, go away !!
It's interesting that when candidates were running for office, Susan Bray, Ray Riffe didn't seem to mind participants were using anonymous names, they still treated them with respect.........geez, they must have realized there were real people/voters/taxpayers behind those names.
I think the "glitch" is in Dwayne's personality. If he were paying attention to the bigger picture, ie the town is he supposed to be concerned about, he would be more focused on "what folks were saying", not consumed with "who's saying it".
Dwayne's behavior is totally inappropriate, I don't trust him, I don't respect him, I don't care who knows it, least of all Dwayne himself.
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Hairbrush
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Posted: Mar 13th, 2007 12:01 pm |
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I think we all know how I feel about the harassment I received from Dwayne Crawford. Luckily I am strong will, okay so maybe my family would say stubborn, and am not going to let anyone push me around. Someone else though might be intimidated into not posting anymore and to me that is an infringement of your 1st amendment rights. I feel like Dwayne is on a witch hunt.
There was a case in the past couple of years where perspective students decided to hack into some colleges' computers to see about their admissions. Dozens of students were refused admission to Carnegie Mellon, Harvard and MIT because the schools felt that were ethical and moral character concerns with hacking into their computer sites. How can what Dwayne does be any different?
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bama80
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Posted: Mar 13th, 2007 12:36 pm |
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I feel that Dwayne broke the law in numerous ways, infringed upon our rights and also used the information to harass and intimidate certain people.
I also began restricting the information that I posted on here because I was afraid of what else he could be capable of or willing to do. If he believes I had a part in anything against him, would he send me a computer virus, possibly also affecting my work network and getting me fired? Would he send some crazy vigilantes to my house and throw molotov coctails in my yard accidentally burning down my house. -Of course some of these seem far fetched but I am not experienced in hacking nor in revenge. I have no idea what hackers do in their spare time or what they do when they get angry. It is all pretty creepy to me and if a restraining order from the site was possible, I would ask for one against Dwayne. Then maybe I would once again feel free to discuss things like my handsome son or where I work on here without fear of someone using that information to get revenge or intimidate me to not post. This place has definitely been affected since the suspicion arose that dwayne was hacking the site. I hope someday it will return to its normal self.
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Roll Tide and Go Pack. Maybe or maybe not in that order. [insert profound quote here]
This post will self destruct in 10.......9......8....
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FatPappy
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Posted: Mar 13th, 2007 12:56 pm |
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| Good points all. I just want to add that Dwayne's actions have clearly exposed serious flaws in his character. If he can't abide by the rules, he has no business being a community leader. Creepy is what it is.
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Skiddles
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Posted: Mar 13th, 2007 01:16 pm |
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It is scary to think that someone would use their skills to enter into what is suppose to be a private space, gather information and use this knowledge to harass others. This is just wrong!
I have had my property broken into and stolen before. The thieves stole furniture, nick-knacks and all of my clothes. What you are left with is an awful feeling, the feeling that you have been violated, and then to top it off with harassment... well, this is way wrong!!
How can you trust someone that would do this? I can't!
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EditorPS
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Posted: Mar 13th, 2007 01:27 pm |
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Good Morning everyone,
Thank you for your responses to my questions regarding anonymous posting.
On the subject of forum hacking, we have taken steps to insure that our forum software is more secure. I cannot, however, guarantee that it is hacker-free -- it reminds me of my dogs, both of whom live inside the house ... their lives are relatively simple and they have only a few goals, one of which is to escape to the outdoors; while we're going about our daily lives, sometimes oblivious to them while we're focusing on 1,000 other big and small things, like our jobs and raising kids and volunteering, they're just lieing in wait for any opportunity to get past us and through that door. Sometimes I envy them their simple, narrow-minded focus ... but that's where dogs are different from elected officials - one is supposed to be simple-minded, while the other isn't.
We also have generated more than a little outside interest in the fact that an elected official accessed our database, obtained information from it which he had no right to, presumedly flushed out a select group of anonymous posters (only those who spoke unfavorably about his performance as a council member) and publicized that information. I will keep you posted (no pun intended).
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SaltyDog
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Posted: Mar 13th, 2007 02:29 pm |
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Yes, I obviously think the right to post anonymously should be preserved. I assume this forum was intended to be a place for free expression of ideas and discussion of topics relevant to the northwest communities that the Northwest Observer serves. I believe that anonymity can sometimes allow discussion participants to concentrate on what is said rather than who said it. I do realize that anonymity can be used as cover to make inappropriate personal attacks but I think for the most part the moderators stop that kind of activity.
It is outrageous that Dwayne, on his own authority, has decided that he has the right to overrule the policies and procedures established by the owner of this board (the NWO) by attempting to expose the identies of anonymous members. His actions are definitely unethical and likely illegal. As an elected official Dwayne's behavior is particularly egregious.
Where does it end for Dwayne? What if he disagrees with secret ballots in elections? Will he take it upon himself to attempt to hack voting machines and then publish the identities and ballots of those who's votes he does not like?
Last edited on Mar 13th, 2007 03:35 pm by SaltyDog
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FatPappy
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Posted: Mar 13th, 2007 03:01 pm |
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SaltyDog wrote:
Whare does it end for Dwayne? What if he disagrees with secret ballots in elections? Will he take it upon himself to attampt to hack voting machines and then publish the voters identities and ballots of those who don't vote his way?
Exactly. This is serious, serious stuff he's messin' with here. There should be serious, serious consequences.
Who knows what else he's done that we don't know about?
What he's done (that we know of) is dead wrong. The fact that he bragged about doin' it, that's just dead stupid!
Wrong an' stupid are not qualities we need in a leader, no matter how many times he recites the magic phrase "no taxes". If that's all you want in a leader, get a trained parrot or a chimp with a sign around his neck.
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How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four; calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg.
--Abraham Lincoln
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Jim Flynt
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Posted: Mar 13th, 2007 03:20 pm |
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"We are only falsehood, duplicity, contradiction; we both conceal and disguise ourselves from ourselves."
Blaise Pascal
Last edited on Mar 13th, 2007 03:21 pm by Jim Flynt
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bama80
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Posted: Mar 13th, 2007 03:35 pm |
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The difference is that Dwayne violated the rules of the forum and I suspect several laws in his doings.
On the other hand, the forum posters, to my knowledge have not broken any laws, and from other precedents that I have seen (in my time googling the subject) have only exercised their freedom of speech. Anonymity on a message board is more common than you think Jim. I know you said the forums you frequent do not allow anonymity but there are many that are there for that prupose.
Instead of the forum, would Dwayne take issue with a full page ad in the paper or numerous signs on the side of the road- all equally anonymous. Maybe he is one of those that go around pulling up signs even in other people's yards.
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Roll Tide and Go Pack. Maybe or maybe not in that order. [insert profound quote here]
This post will self destruct in 10.......9......8....
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FatPappy
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Posted: Mar 13th, 2007 03:36 pm |
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"...if there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein,".
--Justice Robert Jackson in the 1943 case West Virginia v. Barnette
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How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four; calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg.
--Abraham Lincoln
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