Ummmmm.... there's a whole lot of difference between the two, Nick. I actually don't see how they're comparable at all except for the fact that they both involve publishing and names.

I'd say, "What's the difference between this and publishing the way Representatives and Senators voted on a certain bill?" Much more related.

"violating their privacy"?????? These people are signing a petition with the government, one that they know will be public record! I just don't see how legislative action, which is what they're participating in in this case, is at all improved by secrecy. If they can be shamed out of signing that petition just because people might find out about it, then maybe they shouldn't be signing it in the first place. Because, honestly, "shame" isn't something I would associate with signing a petition.

On the other hand, entrapped queers I would argue shouldn't have been entrapped in the first place. But your example of license plate numbers at the adult superstore, while a little bit closer here, still isn't the same thing because, however we'd like for there not to be, there is shame involved in going there for a lot of folks. I can understand that.

But if a Senator said, "I don't want my vote on such and such an appropriations bill to be published because that might shame me out of voting for it," everyone would laugh at her and she'd deserve it.

And I don't think that anyone is basing their value judgments on the law. I don't know where you're getting that, except for the fact that what they're doing is legal. That doesn't mean that they're out there doing everything that's legal and nothing that isn't, just that they're pointing it out in this one case.

And you know, Nick, you can sign up as a registered commenter on this site so I don't have to keep on approving your comments.... :)