It is time. My opus

Self | 1-28-2013 | melas

[Melas]

While the title says it all, I thought a goodbye was in order.

While I've been a FReeper for well over a decade, I must declare that it is time to part ways. While I have the greatest respect for a great many of you, the days where I can in good conscience remain silent about the issues that set me apart from the rest of FReeperdom have past. For clarity, or perhaps catharsis, I'm not entirely certain which, I'll lay them out on the table an call the ZOT™ down upon myself.

The racism: I just can't handle it anymore. FR has become increasingly racist since President Obama took office, and enforcement has dropped. Now, not a single crime can be reported with an "amish" comment, and I've yet to see a post express embarrassment or shame when lo and behold sometimes the perpetrators turned out to be lily white.

Homosexuality: FR is on the wrong side of history on this one, and I'll just leave it at that.

Mostly though, it's the hate. More and more posts reference violent solutions to political disagreements. Some subtly couched, others make no pretense. I wouldn't be surprised at all if I read in the morning paper that a FReeper murdered a federal bureaucrat or a federal judge.

I've learned so much, from so many of you, and for that I'm grateful. I genuinely and truly wish all of you well, and sincerely hope you all live out the rest of your lives in happiness.

Melas

[Darksheare]

Meanwhile, In

New York!

Meanwhile, In

New York!

[APatientMan]

I meant Lots and quilters ;0)

[Norm Lenhart]

Hey Laz,

Have you ever noticed that it’s almost always the same people on FR exhibiting this type of alynski BS that...

1: suffer a severe case of PDS (insert name of any actually conservative person here)
2: Are race obsessed
3: Cannot make excuses for GOP failures fast enough
4: Do everything within their power to disrupt threads where progress toward coalescing behind an idea or ‘candidate (general use of the word) shows signs of starting?

Perhaps people should pay more attention to the posts these trolls make. Because they all point inescapably toward one thing.

[TigersEye]

I don't even know what "Spacheme" means and that's funny! I think Cuomo just surpassed Woody Allen as Most Neurotic New Yorker after that recent rant of his. Although he may have to take on Bloomberg in a cage match for the title.

No crowing here though. I live in CO and we're teetering over the abyss as it is.

[Darksheare]

Mario Cuomo was called “Spacheme” during his reign as Emperor of New York.
Now that we have his son in office, we can dust it off for Spacheme Junior.

UGH!
Any chance that the angry throngs can tip the balance out your way towards sanity and sense?

Here, the pols will simply call us the “Chattering Classes” again like Schumer did and ignore us.

[AppyPappy]

“I wouldn’t be surprised at all if I read in the morning paper that a FReeper murdered a federal bureaucrat or a federal judge.”

You’ve turned into a scared little woman who lets the media think for her so maybe it’s time for you to leave and let the men do the work.

[Darksheare]

Finally found the proper spelling.
Bob Grant used to say it all the time to Mario Cuomo, and Mario would go bonkers.

“Mario azende me tuzeprovenos sfachim”
Rough translation is “listen to me, you are a low life.”

We can dust it off for Andy as mentioned.

[KevinB]

Good on ya, Laz, for pursuing this.

[TigersEye]

The gun control hysteria may well tip the balance back. Apart from the usual rational resistance measures I'm going to hope, cross my fingers and maybe buy a rabbit's foot. They probably don't sell those anymore do they?

That gun law don't go 'round here, law dog!

[EveningStar]

I don't know. Am I credible to you? Is Laz credible to you?

---

It depends on whether or not the posts are made when you're in a rational frame of mind. I ought to know. I've made plenty of stupid irrational posts here - for which I'm ashamed.

[EveningStar]

In some cultures, wives and lovers throw themselves onto the funerary pyre.
One could only hope with EveningStar.

---

Don't be an assclown. I'm always disappointed when people I like leave here - voluntarily or otherwise, but you don't need to be an insulting fool.

[TigersEye]

That’s an entirely weasel answer. I ask you who is credible to you and you reply with another condition. The fact that you consider Melas and wtc911 as credible says it all.

[Nowhere Man]

There it is again...another voice trying to convince us of the increasing irrelevance of social issues. The other day someone said we were going to have to stop talking about abortion. The GOP has drafted the memo, and it's beginning to go out, slowly but surely.

WE have to shift gears here. If you want to win people over with some of the issues you like, you have to win first and you have to calculate on what it takes to get into the driver's seat. I've talked to many young people, I am encouraged on many things, one told me that too many people expect the government to care for them although he isn't too religious. We need to reach out to them and if we get in the drivers seat, maybe if you do care about the social issues, perhaps you can win them over. The first step is to win. Think of it this way, it is like taking on an M1 tank with a WWII era King Tiger. You ain't going to win head on and if you keep trying, you'll run out of King Tigers. You have to employ tactics that will enable you to win by other ways.

The culture is rotting from the inside out. Unborn babies by the millions are being pulled out and thrown in the garbage dump; God is openly scorned and mocked. And we're being urged to accept the idea that two men messing with each others' filthy anal area, or two women abusing themselves with objects, is "marriage."

as a libertarian, I'm pro-life, without life there is no liberty. Yes, God is mocked too much, the bullying should stop No matter if your religious, gay, up, down, whatever, no one should be bullied. The gay lobby should leave the Boy Scouts alone for example. Personally, it is the radicals of all stripes that make things look bad.

Tax cuts and fiscal policy won't save the country as long as moral degeneracy is tolerated and embraced. If you don't think those are "real" issues, I don't know what to say to you, but don't expect me to shut up about them.

Well, in addition, we need to force responsibility and accoutability. Sometimes people have to find out the hard way.

I see myself as a realist. We live in am oral world of various shades of greys to pure black. That is our nature, are are not perfect although we strive to be. We have to learn how to make good decisions on our own and teach the next generation the best we can to do that but there is a time bird must fly and fish must fry. Sometimes the "best choice" is the least of the grey's out there.

I just get tired of all the hyperbole that goes on where it seems some always see a pedophile behind every tree or a demon behind every bush and yet, I get picked on for Martians even though I never mentioned them. It would make a good Playstation 3 game, but it ain't real life. We got real boogie men out there without making more up.

I distrust government period, I certainly don't want Bronco Bama's American nanny state however, I don't want us to become a nanny state period, sometimes I do see where some here would use the government to enforce their social code on the rest of us which is just as bad. That's my point. Also, religion is a personal issue although it should be freely practiced

I don't know, most likely I have Asperger's (I was tested at high functioning autistic as a kid) so I have more tolerance for differences in people since I'm different. I guess I don't like finger pointing because at some point if I do it too much, I'll have 4 or 5 pointing back at me. I like to decide for my own self on moral and ethical issues from what I was brought up and taught. We are given free will by God. That said, I also like to make up my own mind as on what I think of situations on a case by case basis instead of a blanket approach. I see myself as a Barry Goldwater type, minus Planned Parenthood, they need to be investigate and shut down if the case warrant it.

I'm sure we can agree on 80% of the issues if we sat down and had a beer. We need to work on those and figure out a way to win and get in the driver's seat. I'm sure DU is laughing at us here, we don't want that.

One last thing, I agree with Melas where everything must past scrutiny but one minor nitpick, religion is a matter of faith and I think it's hard to apply that rule of thumb. I do believe science and religion do converge at some point but where I don't know and I don't know if we ever will find out. Still that said, no one can force a person to believe or disbelieve. It is up to each of us to find out. This is my last post here on this thread. We need to quit nitpicking and work together as libertarians and conservatives of all stripes.

[EveningStar]

Bob J. Melas with his odd proclamations. Now the Race Troll wtc911. Lord have mercy -- is there ANY liberal, moderate, liar, fraud, race baiter, 'doxer', would-be internet bully that you DON'T seem to fall behind?

With the track record you are amassing, I'm starting to bet you stood up for Eschoir, back in the day.

---

Come on, Laz. You know me better than that. I despise bullies. You know that.

I'm sorry about what happened with you and Bob J, but I think Bob is a good man. I think the same thing of Melas and wtc911. I don't consider them to be any of the things you said about them. I look upon them as people who are willing to speak their minds and not just go along with the crowd. I understand that this quality was once greatly admired here.

[Mr. Jeeves]

Any opus that gathers over 400 replies is a success - well done, sir. You will be missed here.

[TigersEye]

...I get picked on for Martians even though I never mentioned them. It would make a good Playstation 3 game, but it ain't real life. We got real boogie men out there without making more up.

That was the point of the 'Martians' remarks. Your comments on fearing the rise of an American Taliban is likewise 'making things up.' Sorry you missed the sarcasm in my analogy.

[Lazamataz]

Come on, Laz. You know me better than that. I despise bullies. You know that.

cognitively dissonates with

I'm sorry about what happened with you and Bob J, but I think Bob is a good man.

Total cognative dissonance. See, Bob J was attempting to be an internet bully with me. You remember the events clearly. He, of course, picked the wrong guy -- I not only accepted his 'doxing' but proceeded to fill in additional details he missed! :)

But the problem is, your definition of a 'good man' and mine differs. I don't view Bob as a BAD man, per se, but certainly a very broken one. Further, you claim you despise bullying, but then embrace the 'bully'. No consistency there.

I think the same thing of Melas and wtc911. I don't consider them to be any of the things you said about them. I look upon them as people who are willing to speak their minds and not just go along with the crowd. I understand that this quality was once greatly admired here.

Well gosh then! John Wayne Gacy didn't go along with the crowd... and Karl Marx was willing to speak his mind!

These personality traits, 'not going along with the crowd' and 'being willing to speak ones mind' are not so stellar that they outweigh the content of the message or the direction of the travel. If the message is hideous, or if the direction of travel is harmful, then these are not postive qualities... though you are embracing these people, presumptively, simply because they possess these traits.

Unless perhaps you DO embrace Melas', Bob J's, and wtc911's messages, but do not have the courage to boldly state that.

[wardaddy]

Well as one who has disagreed with you over these very issues and as contentious as they are I will say in your defense that you have always comported yourself much better than most and have I admit on occasion exhibited more self control than have I.

I may disagree with you but I respect your conduct and appreciate your good manners.

God bless and enjoy life.

The warm soft joy of a fine preferably not overly dressed woman is where I go to escape the frustration of life...it works...that’s my advice for what it’s worth.

[Nowhere Man]

That was the point of the 'Martians' remarks. Your comments on fearing the rise of an American Taliban is likewise 'making things up.' Sorry you missed the sarcasm in my analogy.

Must be Asperger's, sometimes I take things literally. B-) I just believe in small government as a small "l" libertarian, that's all. BTW, like you, I support the right to keep and bear arms, I think we must all accept that we are different in some ways but I think we all want the same general thing.

[Fiji Hill]

plural of ‘opus’ is what?

In Latin, it's "opera," but in English, "opuses" is OK.

I'm curious as to why a farewell message is called an "opus" on this board--perhaps it indicates that all of a member's postings are now a completed work. However, I would suggest that "valediction" be used instead of "opus."