Posted on 04/23/2017 7:02:11 AM PDT by texaszman
Feedback from Old Time User
When people have legitimate complaints about Trump, or post critical articles, it is not ‘concern trolling.’ It is keeping everyone aware of issues within the administration. Things that we as conservatives should be aware of & concerned about.
You raise an interesting point, and it is worthy of some discussion and debate.
However, there has always been an undercurrent of rigid dismissal here - you just have to ignore it and get past it. This is not a site for the feint of heart. As to the dumb - well I think you see folks jump all over those.
Because of the tone here, this site offers something you cannot get elsewhere. You can actually debate your points here. Yeah, provocative points raise provocative responses, but it's a tough world out there. And here you are protected by the fact that we don't, actually, know who you are, so you can practice arguing away, find out what works and what doesn't, practice making your points more concise and cogent. For those who want to practice the art of forensic debate, I can't think of a better place.
But portray yourself as a conservative anti-Trumper when you are really John Podesta in wolf's clothing - man you are asking to get zotted big-time and down to the fifth generation.
Afraid you’re correct.
Many of the brighter lights at FR were either banished or left when even constructive criticism of Trump was not tolerated.
Labeled a “Never Trumper”, you could no longer post.
Irrespective of many constructive posts, not to mention actively working on the Trump campaign.....
“.. lack of opinion or caring for other thoughts..”
I have to disagree. Many, MANY threads carry wide opinions (many based on personal knowledge and experiences). Even if I disagree with their opinion...I still respect the fact that they are entitled to it. “Caring for other thoughts”... okay, sometimes. There is sometimes an “edge” to a thread and other times.. no. Personally, I am happy the whole “Protestant vs Catholic” stuff is over. Younger people have grown accustomed to being treated with “Just Culture”. You can “disagree” but you have to go through certain steps in order to do so. Many jobs/employers now use it and to be honest.. it is stupid. It isn’t the “real world”. That being said, I heard about Free Republic from my hubby. One day, I went on to look around and thought, “Wow.. finally.. a place where I can view and express other (and my own) conservative opinions without being called an “ist” of some sort. I can discuss my faith without being called “stupid or uneducated”. Free Republic goes through its own “chapters” or “moods”. It changes, grows, shrinks and all the while.. you can view it. Be a part of it... to whatever extent you want. JMHO. (((Hugs))) Mom
Bill Clinton was elected in 1992 and reelected in 1996.
Free Republic did not go public until 1997.
There seems to be a problem with veracity of your post. But does pointing this out make my comment "rigid, dismissing, and really outright dumb?"
No, you did not understand and illustrate my point perfectly. Re-read what I wrote and correct your statement.
(I won’t respond further. It’s not worth the effort).
I recently hit a rare ABUSE button on a foul-mothed lady (personal attack with f-bomb on another FReeper) and the mod zotted her post. So the foundation still holds. Can’t let this place become like the cesspool YouTube.
I cringe at some of the dumb things I’ve said here over the years, but we’d all benefit from learning to OVERLOOK a lot of mere venting.
I think this raises an interesting point. The difference is argument vs opinion. Any society, and FR is a kind of society, depends upon a certain congenial animus among it's members. We are here because we, for the most part, value the individual liberties - and individual obligations to ourselves and our family that arise - guaranteed under our constitutional form of government. World progress is disheartening enough, without having to put up with demoralizing propaganda here.
At the same time we should value argument to understand our views and those of others. The point here is the term "opinion."
If you just want to state a propagandist / leftist opinion to demoralize one of the last refuges of constitutional conservatism on this planet, you should be zotted.
If you want to question how, say, Trump's strike on Syria, advances an agenda we can all sign on to, then ask away. But argue, with logic, not poor rhetoric and name calling.
"sides, it would not fit, to loose around the shoulders, and the crotch.
ping.
There is a lot of diversity of opinion, take the views on the wisdom and rationale of Trump's strike on Syria. I want to think that is sorted now, but it was vigorously debated.
Further, again, the problem is the word, "opinion". We are not electing a home-coming queen. If I want people's opinions I will look at the comments on a you-tube video. I want facts and I want considered positions - which is different than opinion.
“.. a lack of opinion”.
I was just thinking... we haven’t had a good ole” North vs South thread in quite a while. Talk about DIFFERENCE of opinions.. LOL!
You want “difference of opinion” here just start a devo-crevo thread.
There's a lot of that plus blaming women in general. Any post having to do with divorce, women, battle of the sexes, feminism, etc. I tend to avoid because the comments are the same thing. All women are evil feminazi witches. Everything is their fault. Etc. I get the feeling there's a lot of bitter divorced men here who absolutely despise women. The trouble with that is, young conservative women, like the OP's daughter, will be turned off by that. The Dems used to have a saying, "When women vote, Democrats win." We have to reach women and persuade them over to our side. But with all the hateful, anti-woman posts here, I don't see that happening .
It used to be that when you formulated a coherent argument in your post then there was a chance others might either approve or else propose an alternative viewpoint, strictly addressing the issues. Over the past few years those types of responses have evaporated. In their place you find replies to your post are blatantly hostile, and net you a personal attack or an outright personal insult. There are lurkers here on every thread who do nothing to advance a discussion but use FR as a target to engage in a no holds barred demolition derby. Hopefully hearing cheers from the captive audience.
This place shouldn’t be tuned to the delicate sensitivities of a 28 year old girl. Since when do the old guys make sure we tippy toe around the feelings of kids?
“There has been a tendency to be unnecessarily rude to other members.”
There’s no love on the internet. And without rude and snarky responses, this would be like a Michael Medved show in print. A snoozefest. BORING.
My daughter calls it old man facebook and laughs at some of the mean responses.
The problem isn’t dissenting opinion, it is the liberal propaganda, the lies, that are typically brought with them.
FR should not be yet another outlet for liberal propaganda.
Those that state facts and ask factual questions rarely get the zot.
Those that pretend to be asking a factual question guised as liberal propaganda do get the zot.
P.S. Facts are boring. There are not 100 differing opinions to a fact. A fact is a fact. There is little to discuss.
Perception is not reality; reality is reality.
ZZZ. Rigid enough?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.