It is with great sadness that I bring the news to the Nature Blog Network community of the temporary (it is hoped) silencing of Bug Girl’s Blog. To all those of us who were – and hope to one day be again – regular readers of this wonderful collection of entomological and social commentary, the fact that Bug Girl was an anonymous blogger never detracted one whit from what she wrote. Like many working professionals who blog, her reasons for desiring anonymity were commonly accepted by her readership without their needing to be disclosed; she requested personal privacy and we were more than happy to grant it. Unfortunately, one person unbeknownst to the rest of us, forgot the unspoken agreement that protected Bug Girl from whatever retribution or persecution she feared would visit her should her name be made known and she was “outed” to her boss and “the Michigan Powers That Be.”
That anyone in the United States Should fear retribution for what they write or say is unthinkable to all who have ever read that nation’s founding documents. Sadly, the Bill of Rights only prohibits Congress from making laws abridging the right to speak and write freely; universities, as has apparently been seen, are not so enjoined.
Bug Girl’s last post to date is still alive and accepting comments. Well wishers desiring to send messages of support are heartily encouraged to post a few kind words. With luck and the changing of a few hardened hearts, perhaps our beloved blogging sister Bug Girl will soon return to us.
One Comment
I’ll be back! I’m just waiting for my boss to forget all about it
It’s really more about my being a state employee than anything else–we are prohibited from making statements of a political nature in our offices. That’s not a bad thing.
Although one would think that doing it anonymously online as a blue insect-girl would take care of that….
:p