On the sockpuppet election.

As we've recently learned, there are Democrats, Republicans ... and sockpuppets.

One of the more common abuses of alternate accounts is the “sock puppet”. This is an account set up by a user to support their primary account, generally in debates. A sock puppet account for me in the user comments for this article might look like this

Sock Puppet #1: Gosh, what a brilliantly incisive article from Patrick.
Sock Puppet #2: I agree! And what a handsome byline picture! Vanilla should give him a company car!

Wikipedia provides an overview of sockpuppet, and also sockpuppetry as it pertains to Wikipedia itself. Why does any of this matter to us, locally, in the here and now?

In the present tense, it matters because of this ...

Those "phantoms of Facebook" have quite the pedigree -- right, Amy?

... and this.

News and Tribune bombshell: "Fake Facebook accounts linked to State Rep's wife."

Except that it doesn't.

Or it does.

Perhaps it depends on who's doing the asking ... and whether the questioner actually exists.

The topic, of course, is incumbent State Representative Ed Clere, and whether his wife's apparent proclivities for sockpuppetry have anything to do with his legislative record in the House, and his re-election bid. To put it mildly, these stories have compelled much internal soul-searching, and consequently, I've purposefully avoided commenting publicly. It may be a cop-out, but it's what happens when one's brain is rendered into a clamorous house divided.

I absolutely abhor internet anonymity and deceptive tomfoolery -- and I equally detest the overly glib attack mailers flooding my snail box from the Indiana Democratic State Central Committee.

The same local Democrats wailing about Ron Grooms's slimings of Chuck Freiberger have mimicked the demeanor of church mice as Clere has been ravaged by money from elsewhere. They're hypocrites. Conversely, I've read the comments of more than a few Republicans, in which the "so what, big deal -- all politicians practice similar deception" apologetics induce primal screams of desperation.

I disagree with Ed Clere on a good many matters, but for quite some time now I've focused instead on those places where agreement is possible. It's better this way. We had a famously rough patch following the deletion wars of 2010, and worked through it. Pragmatism is a responsible, adult thing, right? Besides that, I like the guy as a person, and we share interests. The sockpuppet saga doesn't change any of this. I'd already indicated my preference in the election. My guess is that Ed comes through with the same winning percentage as last time, circa 53%.

However, something does need to be said, and today's a good day to say it.

Rep. Clere, please stop with the "it's just the internet" and "I don't pay any attention to that internet nonsense" (paraphrased) lines of defense. You're way too smart and way too savvy for that. It's understandable that personal and professional become intermixed, but sockpuppetry on your behalf is about your career as a politician, not your world as a private citizen.

As such, it isn't good ... and it isn't even necessary.

Many of us inhabit on-line milieus. Maybe that's good, and maybe it's bad -- it just is. As such, please give it the seriousness and respect it deserves. There are numerous ways to wreak havoc, dodge civility, don masks, troll and in general, to be disruptive ... and that's out in the real world, not on social media, where it's far easier, particularly when identity is corrupted. Noble intentions are duly noted. Unfortunately, it's regrettable all the same.

Short and sweet: You didn't know it was happening? I believe you ... so please, start paying attention. You're quite capable of espousing your views and defending your record without sockpuppetry and fluffery. In spite of our divergent views in certain areas, you're probably the most intellectually capable politician in Southern Indiana. We all know it.

At some point, Connie Sipes will run out of former teachers to pit against you, so relax. Live long and prosper, and all.

We just need to know who is who, and who is real.

Because it matters. Thanks.