Question

[jiacinto]

Has DU been able to determine if Governor Davis is really posting at DU?

[RandomKoolzip]

1. Is there a rumor going around or something?

Musta missed that. Can ya link me please to the forum and thread?

If he was here, reading our suggestions, he wouldn't be in the mess we are in today. He woulda resigned a month ago or done something to revamp his image. If he's here, he doesn't take us seriously.

[jiacinto]

5. There is a member called "Governor Davis"

posting here.

[charlie]

7. We have a couple of Schwarzeneggers

and Coulters here too. It's just a bit of cheekiness.

[charlie]

2. When you consider

that he's once again in the midst of an election battle royale, the only time he'd have for fooling around on the web is when he's on the crapper. I doubt he's here.

[HFishbine]

3. Well,

does he have a laptop? Or would that be a craptop?

[Skinner]

4. It's not Governor Davis.

It's a long-time member of this message board.

[jiacinto]

6. I assumed as much

but frankly that member shouldn't be impersonating him then.

[charlie]

8. Why not?

It's just a little goofing for fun. Laugh a little, Carlos.

[markses]

9. Why not?

I think you could field a good argument here.

Please explain your position.

[jiacinto]

11. Ok

Would you like it someone impersonated you? And frankly what if "Governor Davis" posted something here and then it became misconstrused as something he actually said?

[markses]

13. OK

I don't think I would like it if somebody "impersonated" me with an intention or even capacity to deceive others (say, for example, identity theft). I also wouldn't like it if somebody imitated me for the purpose of mocking me. However, I'm a big boy, and I know such things happen to everybody, and I'm half irish, so "taking off" on people is even part of my cultural heritage. It wouldn't be a big deal. Within the context of the message board, most people understand that "Governor Davis" is not THE Governor Davis, but rather someone taking up the label for fun. If you went to a halloween party, and somebody was dressed up as a damn fine Madonna - even spitting image - would you consider that an "impersonation" meant to deceive? Probably not, because the CONTEXT tells you that it is a costume. Similarly, the context of a message board will generally tell you that a famous person would not use his or her real name, and that therefore, if a famous name is used, it is done so in jest.

It's no more reasonable to assume - in this context - that many people would take the poster for the REAL Governor Davis than it is to assume that a person at a Halloween party would get excited because "Madonna" just walked in! You'd think a person who misconstrued the costume Madonna for the real Madonna to be - well - disturbed.

If the real Governor Davis wanted to post here, and to post in such a way that maintained his real identity, he would probably have to provide some off-site evidence of his identity - precisely because people would assume a joke. If he were to do that, he couldn't possibly be misconstrued with any number of "faux Davises" because it would become widely known that he was the real Davis.

For these reasons, I don't think your arguments, or your objections, hold much water.

[RichM]

10. I would guess that it's NSMA.

Just a hunch.

[RichM]

12. A demonstration of remarkable naivete.

What do you think he'd have to gain by posting at DU?

Don't you think he has anything else on his mind right now -- as opposed to frittering away time on an internet message board?

If he WANTED to post on DU, don't you think he might use a different name?