[EL] Anonymity, accountability, and blacklists

	I'm curious what people think about the propriety (or impropriety) of government action that makes it easier to hold people "accountable" for their expression, in light of the historical example of blacklisting of Communists and Communist sympathizers.  I have heard many people argue that such blacklisting was unethical when done by purely private organizations, and that the government should not have facilitated such blacklisting by trying to expose secret Communists and Communist sympathizers (see, e.g., the Barenblatt case).  On the other hand, I've also heard others argue that it was quite proper for private organizations to refuse to do business with those whose speech they found to be evil and repugnant, and quite proper for such organizations to take into account public disapproval of those people.  Likewise, in the recent era I've heard arguments that it's unethical for people to refuse to do business with (say) supporters of anti-gay-marriage initiatives, and that !
 the government shouldn't facilitate such boycotts and blacklisting.  On the other hand, I've also heard others argue that it's quite proper for people and organizations to refuse to do business with those whose First-Amendment-protected support of an initiative they find to be evil and repugnant, and quite proper for business organizations to take into account customer disapproval of those people; and that there's no problem with the government's facilitating this by releasing the names of such contributors.

	I realize, of course, that blacklists were more pervasive than the hostility towards gay rights supporters -- but I take it that what one person or organization may do (refuse to do business with people whose speech they find repugnant), other persons and organizations may do as well.

	I should note that none of this goes to worries about fear of "harassment" (a vague term that I think is best avoided, unless its specific meaning is given) in the sense of fear of government selective prosecution, firing or refusal to hire by government employers, or violent attacks -- or, on the other end of the spectrum, fear of loss of friends, tension within families, and so on.  Here I'm speaking only of economic retaliation, and the fear of economic retaliation.

	Eugene