Posted on 03/29/2005 8:58:34 AM PST by Long Cut
We, the Witness Protection Program For Freepers, aka the Wild Turkeys, aka the Coalition of the Sane, have through mutual discussion and rigourous thought, determined that:
1. The discussion threads regarding Terri Schiavo (hereafter referred to as "TS") have become too full of innuendo, rumormongering, hyperbole, hysteria, namecalling, paranoia, and general poor behavior to warrant participation.
2. Said threads have degenerated into "echo chambers", wherein the same, common thoughts are continually posted again and again, and the same old disreputable, unconfirmed and/or false urban myths are propagated.
3. Anyone who joins in said theads with alternative viewpoints to the most extreme posts are routinely driven away with slander, accusations, and vile namecalling.
4. No data or evidence contrary to the "prevailing opinions" are accepted, considered, or discussed; and in fact are rejected outright in most instances.
5. That the continued calls for armed insurrection, military or paramilitary involvement, impeachements of politicians and judges, and death threats are embarassing, stupid, shortsighted, doomed to failure, and contrary to most if not all conservative thought prior to this case, as well as damaging in the extreme to FR and the conservative movement as a whole.
6. That such emotional, hyperbolic, and propaganda-driven hysteria is in fact contrary to all conservatives USED to stand for.
7. That the holding up of swastika and other Nazi imagery towards the police and the Bushes, the use of children as political props, and the disruption of the peace at the Woodside Hospice can only reflect badly on conservatives in general, and should be discouraged.
8. That the pursuit of this issue to the exclusion of all others by the GOP has damaged, perhaps beyond repair, the pursuit of other important issues as well as the reputation of the GOP, FR, and conservatism.
The WPPFF is NOT of one mind as to the case of TS or its correct outcome. In fact, wide disagreement exists within our little group. However, we are united in our wish that reason and sanity be respected in the discussion, as well as the rights of all parties involved or participating. We wish to discuss this as adults and intellectuals, as conservatives and as FRiends, not as children screaming past each other on some playground of hysteria. We wish for facts and evidence to be provided, discussed reasonably, and considered fairly.
We reject all accusations of Naziism, "death cultism", or other slander as methods of debate. We reject the practice of "spamming" multiple threads, of posting unending vanities, and the posting of propaganda and calls for violence. We reject, in fact, all unseemly and childish behavior which has come to characterize this case on FR.
We DO invite others to come and reasonably discuss the issue. We have no problem with FReepers who wish to debate in a rational and fair manner, and with due respect for their fellow FReepers. We have NO problem with those whose views are formed by religion; however we reject "preaching" or "being beaten with a Bible" as legitemite debate tactics. Not all of us are Believers, and such tactics only cheapen the source.
If a FReeper finds this an acceptable meansd to discuss this and other issues, they are welcome to join in and participate. Those who find pleasure in attacks, flame-baiting, slander, stalking, and personal atacks will be ignored, and their egos will go unfed.
We assume this thread to be a zone of sanity in an overheated atmosphere. Thus, a general amnesty is in effect. If posters conduct themselves within the guidlines above, we will be happy to discuss and debate with you. If a poster wishes to apologize for past slips of the tongue, or for possible "over-the-top" statements to another, it will be graciously accepted, and your company welcome.
Please bring a sense of humor; we feel that too many have been taking themselves too seriously lately.
Let the discussion begin!
Signed,
The WPPFF, aka The Wild Turkeys, aka the Coalition of the Sane.
I'll take a shot of Wild turkey and join you!
As if calling themselves "sane" (and by extension, everyone else "insane") isn't an invitation to a fight.
Oh, nice.
FR has always been a great place to discuss topics based on fact and documentation.
That has been missing of late on the main forum.
Maybe we need a patch or a symbol of some kind.
I'll bumpt to that.
Howlin; please add Freeper Don Munn to your ping list for the WPPFF.
Can't endure these threads WITHOUT some Wild Turkey!!!
This thread is an exercise in dogmatically declaring your own position to be correct, rejecting out of hand any argument that might be made to the contrary.
The name calling already on this thread is proof that this coalition of yours is anything but what you claim it to be.
Now, like the liberals, you demand only "acceptable means" to discuss the issue, and also like the liberals, this comes down in practice to mean "only those who agree with me are allowed to speak".
The very fact that you have to resort to that to prop up your position is an admission that you know it contains fatal flaws.
Thanks for the ping. Good morning. At least it's still morning out here on the Left Coast.
Isn't that sad? I've sent people here just 3 weeks ago and am embarrassed. But I've discussed what's going on with them and told them to check back in 2 months. LOL
I'm pretty confident that sanity will return, but I'm getting impatient waiting for it.
Done.
Thanks for the ping.
I asked you a question and would like an answer.
On what do you base your canard that this thread could also be called the Good Germans?
Answer and offer some type of evidence to support it.
ka-ping!
Yeah!! Reason, logic, and civility shall rule!
Exactly. This thread is pure hypocrisy, and its premise contradicts the reasons why FR exists.
Ignore 'em.
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