Regrets

I've given a lot of thought over the last few days to the practice of publishing people's personal information on blogs. It's a despicable practice, an act designed to scare those targeted into silence. It is never justifiable.

I did something very similar a few months ago. I published a map of the area in which Michelle Malkin's former residence was situated. Although I did not publisher her address or label the exact location of her house--instead, I added a "Malkinwald Internment Camp" a few blocks away at a football field--I left the red Yahoo pin, unlabeled, at the location of her home.

I justified it to myself, thinking that it was OK because the map was vague--it couldn't be used by itself to locate Malkin's residence. Others had listed her complete address, so I felt that I wasn't adding any critical information, and perhaps by adding the phony Malkinwald graphic, I was actually adding a little confusion to the issue. Still, I left that red pin on the map until I had second thoughts a few days later.

I did it to retaliate for Malkin's publication of the personal info of two college students who had organized an anti-war demonstration. I was wrong to do that. Her actions spoke for themselves. They exposed her for what she is.

I now wish I had listened to Auguste at Malkin(s) Watch and the others who urged me to delete the post. They were right. I was wrong.

I want to thank reader Elendil for making me think long and hard about this. And I want to apologize to her for reacting defensively at first. She was right to call me on it.

Note: Malkin no longer lives in the area depicted on the map.