Here you go, just to complete the experience.
Posted on 10/21/2004 8:12:29 AM PDT by independent5
Hi, I'm new here. I'm an independent so not all of my views are conservative in nature. Am I welcome to post here? Is this is this the appropriate (general/chat) forum to post this in?
Welcome to Free Republic!
Of course you are welcome.
Instead of posting right off why don't you lay back and get the drift for a while.
But I think you should post it in Bloggers/Chat! But you have the general idea cause you didn't post it in News/Activism like most newbies do.
Welcome to FR. Right to post in chat. Be prepared to defend your views.
Hi. This is the correct forum (raucous cheers for not posting it in News!) and "conservative" is a fluid concept sometimes. Post some comments on news articles, and others will let you know what they think, in no uncertain terms!
As long as you are here for an honest and open debate, by all means!
Welcome. We call these kind of posts "vanity" posts because they are personal in nature. It's okay once in a while, and especially if you're new. But you wouldn't want to overdue this kind of post.
That said, what do you as an "independent" want to tell us about the political/social scene?
Read the following Statement by the Founder of Free Republic if you have any questions on what is and is not tolerated.
If you really are independent and interested in political dialogue, you will enjoy your stay. If, on the other hand, you are a liberal troll attempting to disrupt the forum, your stay will be short-lived.
Yup, that's exactly why I'm here :). I just hope that if my opinion differs from others on a particular issue that they'll understand its just an opinion. I don't personally attack anyone or try to force my viewpoint on anyone else.
I've posted on a lot of other politics forums before, but I've grown tired of them because there simply aren't enough conservative people there. The arguments are all the same and quite one-sided. My guess is that they'll be mostly one-sided here, but it will at least go the other way from what I am used to. But I'm always open to being wrong about that -- or anything else :).
I believe that the best way to be accurate about anything is to here from both sides.
Pick an article on a topic that interests you, and offer a comment. That's all there is to it! (Then duck!)
Hey VRW. I'll say upfront that some of my views are liberal in nature or liberal leaning, but I am most certainly not a troll. As I understand it, a troll is someone who isn't interested in actual debate but just wants to spam forums with a bunch of rubbish. I'm not here to do that and have never done that on any other forum that I've posted on. I hope that if I express a viewpoint that is liberal in nature, it is not taken as trolling, but rather simply as my opinion. Which is, also, open to change.
I try to hold opinions that are based on facts. I don't particularly care what the truth of an issue is, but rather just that I am on the truth's side. If I find that I am not, I change positions for the better. If I don't have enough information to come to a conclusion, I simply hold that I don't yet know what my opinion is. This is where I stand and I hope to be a value member here.
Come in, sit down, take your shoes off.
How about a cup of coffee...Juan Valdez kind.
Come in, sit down, take your shoes off.
How about a cup of coffee...Juan Valdez kind.
... not all of my views are conservative in nature.
Uh.. did you read this on the Home Page?:
Free Republic is an online gathering place for independent, grass-roots conservatism on the web.
Am I welcome to post here?
Only time will tell. However, if you bash Bush and the administration with ad hominem attacks, Republicans or conservatives in general - your fate will NOT be pretty and your time here will be short lived and you'll be ZOTTED PDQ.
In English that means you've been outed as a demoncRAT DU Troll and have been banned. You'll also meet the Viking Kitties, and nobody has ever survived that!
So 'play nice' and IMHO everything will be fine.
In the mean time welcome, to FR :-)
The above is MY opinion and do not speak for FR or anyone but myself - however I've seen what happens to Trolls - (shudder) I'd rather fight the 88th NVA Regiment alone and armed only with a bayonet.
Then what is a debate for?!?! ;)
I'm suspicious when someone declares they are an 'independent'. I start thinking 'fence sitter'.
Anyway, welcome to FR.
A few words and phrases to learn:
Moose bit my sister
Cheese
Vey Series!
I'll be in the shower
This is Hugh (goes with Vey Series)
Clymer
ZOT!
All your base are belong to us
Welcome sweetie,
For the most part, if you can support your beliefs, people are pretty tolerant.
Some get kinda cranky, but pay no attention to them....it is usually past their nap time.
Welcome. We call these kind of posts "vanity" posts because they are personal in nature. It's okay once in a while, and especially if you're new. But you wouldn't want to overdue this kind of post.
You got it. Besides I came here to discuss politics anyway :).
That said, what do you as an "independent" want to tell us about the political/social scene?
Well, I'm not quite sure what I want to tell you :). I want to get a feel for where you guys are at and why you're there. I have a good idea of why hard-core liberals are where they are at.
If you want to know how I form my positions in politics, then I'll say that I simply go by what appears to be factually correct. I vote for the candidates that I think best serve my local area and our country. I understand that that is vague ... and who wouldn't vote for the candidates that they think are best? I'll just have to slowly explain what I think is best over time in different topics :).
I am of the opinion that we rarely put forth the best candidates that are available for the job -- and I'd often like to vote for third party candidates, though I feel that I'm throwing my vote away given that I live in a somewhat-swing state. If I lived in a die-hard republican or democrat state, I'd likely support third parties. My only problem with most third party candidates is that while they have good, honest ideas, they are often impractical.
That's kind of where I'm at -- I'm going to jump into some other specific topics to offer my opinions. Thanks for the welcome :).
You forgot:
My beeber is stuned.
I'm suspicious when someone declares they are an 'independent'. I start thinking 'fence sitter'.
Thanks for the welcome.
Well, I would say its true that I'm on the fence for some issues, but its not that I'd prefer to be there just for the sake of it. Its just that I understand that I don't have all of the facts so I can't just jump on one side or another. I'd rather admit to not knowing everything than risk being wrong when I don't have to be. Please don't think that's, in any way, directed back at you (I have no idea where you stand on anything yet :)), I'm just speaking about myself.
BUMP
Factual I understand; I'm very BIG on facts(ie truth); at the same time I try to marry facts with belief & principle, with a dash of practicality thrown in.
Tell me do you think Kerry is factually correct on anything? Do you think his purple hearts were factually correct? His flip flopping? Was he factually correct in 1971 to say that atrocities were committed on a day to day basis with full knowledge at all levels of command?
rs
If you like facts, you're gonna have some fun here! The fastest Googlers on the planet are FReepers.
Although the site itself is plainly conservative, you will find that there a lot of ways to be "conservative" here. We range from rock-ribbed (some say fossilized) Republicans all the way over to those wacka-a-rama Libertarians (I can say that because I am one).
Browse the threads to get a feel for the site. When you comment, do use the spell-checker and preview utilities. Feel free to make a contrarian argument but back that sucker up with facts, figures, and links.
If you even mention Ann Coulter in a comment you must post a photo.
Have fun and welcome!
I suggest checking out this thread:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1252299/posts
That way, no matter which side you take, nobody will think you're a troll (just a totalitarian or an anarchist).
Tell me do you think Kerry is factually correct on anything?
Well, there's always a little bit of truth to distorted "facts." I did a lot of checking up on the facts during the debates, and both candidates kind of pick and chose. Takes the jobs numbers for instance -- Kerry's 1.x million jobs lost was not exactly accurate because he was talking about private sector jobs. So that was dishonest and misleading. However, Bush did more of the same with his 1.x million jobs gained, since we have had a net job loss overall.
So, I mean, politicans will be politicans (unfortunately), and you just have to sort out whose "facts" have more truth or whose "facts" are more important.
I will say that I'm not very pleased with either option, Kerry or Bush .. or even Nader.
Do you think his purple hearts were factually correct?
That I have no idea about. And I can't say that I really care either way ... I'm not going to vote for someone just because they have some purple hearts.
Its just like when a pollster called me here in Virginia ... and said: "I'm going to read you a list of nascar drivers, and I want you to tell me if you knew they were supporting the republican candidate for congress if you'd be more likely to vote for them." True story. I'm not going to vote for someone because nascar endorses them, or because they have medals in the olympics or for valor or injury in war.
His flip flopping?
I have to look at those on an issue by issue basis. Sometimes I think its a political flip-flop, sometimes I think its just being thoughtful.
Was he factually correct in 1971 to say that atrocities were committed on a day to day basis with full knowledge at all levels of command?
I have no idea. I can tell you my gut feeling is that there were atrocities committed in Vietnam, but I can't back that up with any facts so its not a strongly held opinion by me. I do think that Kerry likely blew it out of proportion.
And you will also find yourself WAY more educated on the issues than anyone else you know. :) Welcome!
ZOT 'EM, DANNO!
Just teasin'. I never get to say zot to nobody, so I just let loose.
Abortion. The killing of human life.
I agree. Though I do think there's a difference between a person and "human life". I'm somewhere between pro-life and pro-choice. I'm very much for the ban on partial-birth abortion (given that a mother's health exception is made). I'd be for a ban on abortions after the first trimester as well. But I'm not quite sure what to do during the first trimester -- and I don't think that arbitrary of a line can be drawn, I'm just saying "first trimester" for simplicity's sake.
Gun Control. Constitutional violation.
I want to agree with you on this one, but I'm not sure its practical. I do think that criminals are going to get weapons no matter what ... so gun control is not the best policy for combating that. More police/prosecution, etc, is better. However, I'm not comfortable with making assault weapons, I'm taking AK47's, etc, available to anyone without any sort of background check, etc.
Terrorism. A war. Not a police action.
I think its both. There are small time terrorists and big time terrorists. Small = police/fbi/cia, etc. Big = war = military/special forces.
Universal healthcare. Socialism.
Agreed, but would it really be a bad thing? What's more practical? This one I really don't know.
9/11. The United States of America was ATTACKED by terrorist forces intent on destroying the political and economic fabric of our country with the ultimate goal of collapsing our nation.
Agreed.
President George W. Bush declared WAR on all terrorist and those who support and give comfort to the terrorist. President George W. Bush appealed to the world, through the UN, to support the USA in eliminating terrorism, but stood strong in the philosophy that we do NOT need a permission slip from anybody to defend the security of the citizens of the United States of America.
This is fact. And I agree with the philosophy that we needn't any permission slip.
Welcome aboard, newbie and watch out for splinters.
Thanks :).
Haha, alright :).
lawgirl,
Thanks for the welcome. And if I move to the right, so be it. I just want to be accurate :).
Well, you're certainly entitled to think so, but its more like I haven't come to a conclusion on every political issue out there. I need more information to go one way or another.
And what does "ZOT" mean?
Here you go, just to complete the experience.
Oh, I don't know about one sided...
When you get around to filling out your profile, be sure to put your state flag on it. When you click on the flag, you will be sent to a sub-forum for your state.
On the Michigan forum, we throw cyber chairs at each other on a regular basis. Always lively.
Welcome to Free Republic!
I start thinking, "I can knock 'em off the fence," followed by my evil laughter...
Mwahahahahaha!
Thanks for the welcome, grellis. By the way, what's the average age around here?
And where is your obligatory photo? LOL
May I suggest an alternate site for you to enjoy if you decide we are too far right here, or that we don't provide enough debate? conservativeunderground.com allows all persuasions to join...word of warning-don't insult the owner!! He gets mean!! Also...a warning about the language differences... CU is alot like DU...lots of cursing!!
We have children who post here as young as 8 years old...and we have old timers that are older than dirt!! So for average...I would say middle age!! LOL
It really runs the gamut. There are junior high and high school posters and there are FReepers in their 70s. I think most of us would fall somewhere between the ages of 25 and 50.
Last I heard, there were tens of thousands of registered FReepers. I think if you move your mouse on your screenname in a post it will show a number--your registration number.
Nope, that just shows sign on date. TC, do you know how to see someone's registration number?
So independent are you decided on the presidential election?
Click on your user name. Then at your profile page, click on "In Forum." Up at the top in the address line, it will show at string like this: "http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/user-posts?id=47569"
The number after id= is the user number. Yours is 47,569.
(I just learned this recently :-).
Mine is 89,469.
Dang! I'm a newbie!!!
Not compared to me!
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