It's a great quote. But it was before the internet existed, which has amplified fake news and propaganda, and threatens to drown out civil conversation.

I'm not in any way suggesting the government get involved. I don't see where you find that in my writing. I'm asking the private company that owns Reddit and it's investors to replace pseudonymity with authored comments. Facebook has a real names policy - and while you may have issues with Facebook, you won't see vile, hateful, racist, masochist posting there - as they are at Reddit.

I don't understand what you think the alternative is. I'll talk to anyone about the issues we face, but I won't be called names or threatened, that's not a conversation. Civility matters, perhaps now more than ever.

Reddit is many things, but among them it has become a powerful center of center and activism for the alt.right. The owner's decision to embrace pseudonymity has real world impact, allowing hate speech and digital bullying to hide behind anonymity. For every thoughtful comment and conversation on Reddit you can show me, I'll show you 10 bitter, angry, hateful comments. It simply doesn't help foster conversations or advance solutions.