Constitutional protection of the freedom of speech is all fine and dandy in theory. You might not end up in jail, but you can find yourself in court, which, for

Constitutional protection of the freedom of speech is all fine and dandy in theory. You might not end up in jail, but you can find yourself in court, which, for most, is an excellent deterrent of voicing their opinion. Aside that, once people, real people, know who you are, your controversial opinions might very well give rise to real threats. Remember the whole Jyllands-Posten fiasco? I agree with your last sentence 100%, but, at least for me, complete anonymity is a necessity. You can relate (f.i.) to my online persona, which is consistent and available for discussion. There is no need to know my real name.