Posted on 02/11/2005 10:55:36 AM PST by Jim Robinson
The shot heard around the Internet has been fired on FreeRepublic.com The owner Jim Robinson and his moderators have launched a sniper style purge against members that disagree with the President’s ‘guest worker’ amnesty or support more control of illegal immigration. Free Republic is an amazing tool for those looking for a good debate and news from around the country.
The problem for the administration of the site is that their creation is allowing the participants to learn that the Bush immigration record and plans are shockingly out of line with the views of most conservatives. The management’s answer to this conflict between the majority of conservatives and the influence of the White House on their Web site has become electronic executions and censorship.
Members and readers of Free Republic would be surprised to know that many members of their community have fallen silent on the discussions about illegal immigration lately because free speech is an illusion on FR.com. They are silent because they have been banned from the Web site without warning, cause, or explanation in most cases. For weeks the moderators have been suspending and banning new members that chimed in quickly on the immigration debates.
Now this trend has broadened as the first groups of long-term users were suspended or banned this past week. Although Robinson and his staff removed many members of the Free Republic community in the first few days of the purge, those that religiously support President Bush’s immigration plan, open borders and approve of public benefits for illegal aliens remain on the forum. Those that were banned were the members that wanted more done to control illegal immigration and a strict observance to the President’s Oath of Office.
Willie Green?
You're doing a fine job, and we have all kinds of disagreements on the forums all the time. I sure as heck don't see anyone trying to stop discussion over the securing of the borders. Frankly, at this point I basically just dismiss the "no free speech on FR" kind of articles and rants. It's silly, and further it is not correct. You have to have some standards, though, because otherwise all you'd ever have is flame wars, which actually are far worse in the long term for the well-being of the forums.
This article smacks of sour grapes to me.
You're comparing FR to NPR?
Here's how I do it - I type out a reply, look at it in preview, and ask myself, "If I were face to face with that person, would I be so bold as to say such a thing to his (or her) face?" If the answer is no, then I tone it down. It is often too easy to abuse and obnoxious behind the anonymity of a computer monitor. Of course, the above doesn't hold true for trolls. I feel free to indulge in rude behavior, which includes name-calling. :)
There is nothing uglier then interideological warfare.
It's no secret that I am also vehemently against illegal immigration and I'm still here.
Sounds like William Gheen has his head up his a$$.
Freedom of the press means the freedom of the individual owning the press to print -- or not print -- as he sees fit.
Don't like that? Buy your own press and start publishing.
Freedom of speech means you are free to speak. Doesn't mean you are free of the consequences of free speech, and it doesn't mean someone else has to pick up the costs of your chosen forum. You pay your own way.
Are you seriously trying to get Howlin and Luis Gonzalez banned? It doesn't work that way.
How is advocating a wall on the southern border "make conservatives look bad?"
You step out to a meeting for an hour and look what happens! I just can't keep up with this site!
This is, of course, in addition to being opposed to Illegal Immigration.
I do not think they appreciated my reply.
BTTT!
thanks for your comments - I'm with you. Plus this is your site and unlike PBS the support is proof some must like your position.
We already have a guest worker program, and I don't get why people are so hyped up against it. My sister and her husband are farmers in Massachusetts and bring in a group of Jamaicans EVERY summer to work on their farm. At the end of the summer, the Jamaicans go back to Jamaica. What is the big deal?
That is not going to happen until more people enlist in the NG or become border patrol officers. A rectifyable problem. So where are they? Another problem is that all the border patrol officers we need cannot stop the problem of illegals coming to suck up the goodies handed out to them by leftist state governors. Who's fighting these governors who offer free health care, free college tuition and guaranteed driver's licenses to illegals, though native born Americans have to pay for all of the above? WHY is everyone concentrating on the fed - which is half the problem - while ignoring the other half, which is quite simply state laws?
yep
Apparently, your comprehension leaves much to be desired as well. I agree with Jim, and disagree with the author's allegations that he/moderators are silencing those of us disagreeing with the program.
We start out all our posts with "I love George Bush...but...."
sw
Probably.
I'm still here and I don't agree with Bush's plan.
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