Laws banning anonymity by government employees are foolish

[Tim May]

The notion being touted by some, that government officials, employees, 
agents, etc. should not be allowed to be anonymous is a bad idea.

If such a law were to be passed, this would be a "feel-good" measure 
which would not in fact be enforceable.  Whether through cut-outs or 
contractors or just plain duplicity, the government would not stop using 
such methods.

(This is a separate issue from whether the courts might rule that 
entrapment or provocation by undercover agents has limits. The issue of 
double agents, Red Squad infiltrations, etc. has been with us for more 
than a century. Courts have placed limits on entrapment, a separate 
issue from requiring True Names for all government employees.)

I don't think having taxpayer money spent funding agents who go around 
infiltrating clubs and social groups and SIGs is a good idea, generally. 
But "there ought to be a law" is not likely to be effective.

And it leads to the ostrich syndrome: if we pass a law to make a threat 
go away, and we don't see the threat anymore, it must be gone.


-- Tim May