I’ve picked my heroes from comic books. It’s funny: when Batman does something wrong, nothing bad happens to Bruce Wayne.

But not everyone who conceals his or her identity is a superhero.

Bank robbers, they wear masks, too.

Human beings will always find something to hide behind. In the middle ages it was castle walls and moats, but this is the information age, so naturally, we hide behind words.

Words are powerful, dangerous things. Like loaded guns – except more people have them, fewer people know how to use them and no one seems to be afraid of them.

A word can end a career, can end a marriage, can end a life.

On the Internet, no one has to know who you are. You are free to construct for yourself a new personality, life or gender, because all you are to anyone else is your words.

Taking personal responsibility for your actions, words and ideas is an act of bravery; anyone who mocks or criticizes something without taking ownership of his or her comments is a coward.

The moment you sign something “Anonymous,” you no longer own your words. The ideas you breathed into existence-the ideas that contain the very fiber of who you are-lose their context. The words of “Anonymous” are meaningless because they can belong to anyone- and thus belong to no one.

I’ll admit that anonymity carries with it the obvious appeal of the freedom that comes from a lack of personal accountability. When you fail to attach your name to your words, the likelihood those words will bring repercussions is almost nil.

When nothing you do or say can affect you, you begin to feel powerful and gain a false sense of self-importance. The apparent lack of consequences gives those who choose to remain anonymous a sense of security.

After all, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. But if there is no you-

It’s why thieves and vandals wear masks.

It’s why anonymous Internet bloggers post under pseudonyms.

Hiding who you are while asking the world to validate your views is hypocritical. Anonymity is a sign of weakness, arrogance, and cowardice. Any thoughts of merit will come from those who claim ideas as their own and not from those who childishly hide behind masks, closed doors or usernames.