Initially thinking like so many he had jumped the shark, we were wary. But after reading (and joining - used to be txzman here but can't seem to get my account back - my Dad was Karla (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy reference) - we were all hooked.
I have ALWAYS come back here reading for background information and always wanted to read the comments more than the news I already knew to judge the water around America.
I know what a 'zot' is, how quickly one gets judged anymore but hear my out. I am 62 now, history guy, lived in Bangkok 68-72 while Vietnam was being bombed (Utapao, Udorn anyone) and am writing this now while in Saigon.
Long start - but I am really concerned about the rigid, dismissing, and really outright dumb comments that I know (with late twenties kids) that will stop new, young people from coming here as my father brought me.
My conservative 28 year old daughter - working since 15 and graduating with a degree on her own - was very disappointed visiting here after I sent her many links (which she agrees with!) but hated what she saw as a lack of opinion or caring for other thoughts.
Would hate to see Jim's site fail to keep attracting new, young conservatives. I started a new account after trying unsuccessfully to resurrect my old txzman. I hope this is taken as positive feedback.
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?
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?
Thanks of posting.
People here have strong opinions, me included, and that is a good thing. However, some are not open to reading things after forming a quick judgment, without reading an article, because they don’t like the title for example, or the read something from a site or author once long ago that they did not agree with.
And people here, like everywhere, are fickle. For example, if you posted anything even hinting against the Iraq war 10 years ago you’d be zotted, possibly banned. Then along comes Trump and says maybe Iraq war wasn’t such a good thing or wasn’t handled well .... presto. It’s accepted.
So that’s just the way it goes here. It’s not ideal but it is the best place on the web to get a good range of conservative news and opinion. And you get a good read on the mood of the nation IMO. If the campaigns had read every single post and comment here on FR they would have known a lot more about the mood of the nation. I suspect the Trump campaign did just that and also tested out ideas here to gage the reaction.
I have also recommended the site to others and they came away less than impressed, even though they are conservative. I tell them to stick with it but few have.
I don’t know what the answer is. In the end it is what it is. There are some fantastic posters here. I have learned so much from them and gotten such wonderful leads to other sites and reading material that I wouldn’t have found otherwise. So it’s worth it for that alone.
I see your point; another facet of the problem is the preponderance of overly dramatic and unbelievable memes posted as news.
Ooh.
We lack “diversity” do we?
Don’t tolerate open borders scum and idiots who refuse to admit that Islam in any form is an existential threat anymore here. You don’t like that?
Well, too damned bad.
Take your effing “diversity” and shove it.
Sometimes people say “lack of opinion” when what they really mean is ‘there are to many people here who do not agree with my opinion.’
It takes a discerning eye to pick out the good stuff and disregard the bad, I could see how a noob might be turned off. But once you learn to ignore certain posters, and to "follow" the good ones, there is no better place overall.
Neat trick, what with the Bill Clinton (second) election happening in 1996, and this website going live in 1998.
There use to be more of a dialectic to the debates on here amongst those on the Right. It has devolved into rhetoric, which is a great weapon to use against the Left, but has no place amongst the Right.
We like to have fun at expense of “Snowflake” Millennials, but there are plenty of “Conservatives” reacting the same way if there is an honest challenge to their views. The attack on Syria being a great example of this. Very little honest debate, and way too many rhetorical attacks happening.
The Left isn’t dead yet. There will be plenty of time for fighting each other when that is finally done. Too many want to take the “easy” fight and hit the person standing in front of them, facing the same way. The true enemy are those facing you trying to tear down every single thing you care for, not just a handful of issues of disagreement.
A little FReeper humor... I share your opinion that too often this site and conservatives generally tend to form circular firing squads. Your daughter is right.
You opened you FR account today, posted this one thread (against FReepers) and now nearly 2 hours later you make no reply to the comments.
I brought up but one obvious falsehood in the 1st sentence of your post and you're gone. Should it be assumed that it was not worth your effort to respond here on FR where you face questioning - when he can go elsewhere to places where the facts of so called 'caring' and 'open-minded' posts are never questioned or challenged. Hell, in liberal/RINO internet and media circles even completely false narratives can get you every - even to a Pulitzer Prize.
CORRECTION: can get you every = can get you everything
Welcome back to Free Republic.
Using a search engine for Free Republic shows that it is a site for “conservatism”.
Do you live in Vietnam or are you just visiting?
There are, unfortunately, several people who have citizenship in other countries and come on to this American site trying to make everyone believe that they are Americans. That is disingenuous.
I have had the opportunity to move to a different country and make more money, but I prefer to live in the good old USA.
So, I thought they had renamed Saigon?
CORRECTION: can get you every = can get you everywhere
I’ve been here awhile. I don’t see much different between 1998 and now. Only when this was new there were several posters that had significant notoriety and now there are more places for them to visit. Levin and Limbaugh still use this site. I can see where someone indoctrinated into liberalism would say there isn’t much diversity of opinion here because they would not agree with much said.
Help us understand your beef or stay home.
Just as in real life, FR has the good, bad and ugly. One needs to just learn who is an ahole and ignore their comments. Find the members who have useful informative comments and search for them, that’s what I often do. Make a list of the names and search ‘em. Saves time and angst. Ones who are consistent idiots, never read their droppings.
What you are seeing is the "drive-by" culture of post and run, one comment and leave type of stuff. There are still prominent conservative thinkers here. Lot of younger crowd runs with 4chan and reddit. I don't like either format for discussion.
Just ignore the guys trying drive traffic to their website and sell books here.