Not so ‘Free Republic’: The Shot Heard Around the Net

The Conservative Voice ^ | Feb 11, 2005 | by William Gheen, President, Americans for Legal Immigration PAC

[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.

[thoughtomator]

Between the two of you, living proof of FR's tolerance!

[freedomson]

I'm gonna turn myself in.

I have commited thoughtcrimes.

[mnehring]

Jim
I don't see what this author is seeing. This subject is treated like other subjects that split our base, a lot of hot and heavy debate. Just because we aren't in lockstep with each other doesn't prove any sort of sniper censorship. Sounds like someone feels if they are disagreed with they are being oppressed-repressed or some other pressed.

[Darkwolf377]

Websites like this are privately owned. It's like being in someone's house. They get to make the rules. Simple as that.

[lnbchip]

Jim,

I have promoted Free Republic to all my friends as the premier news source on the web for conservatives. The main reason that I give urging them to join is that all the discussions of current events, etc. are extrememly intelligent and well thought out. Thank you for keeping it that way. Your moderators and yourself have done a magnificent job of controlling a VAST number of members with varying ideas of appropriateness. Once again - great job!!

Chip

[PianoMan]

This "conservatives" from "Conservative Voice" have a lot to learn about freedom if they think it means they can go squat on someone else's forum and say whatever they feel like on someone else's dime.

[Arrowhead1952]

Open borders and illegal immigration ping.....

[nutmeg]

bookmark bump

[Sloth]

Did you not read the 'Hillary-speak' part?

[irishtenor]

How dare you purge people from your own site! What gall! I don't know how you sleep at night. Your ancestors must be spinning in their graves. Don't you know that there are little children in China that can't go online? And yet you purge away as if you own the ... wait, you do own it. Sorry, my bad :>)

[retrokitten]

God bless you and FR. I love it here.

[BreitbartSentMe]

Geez, Jim, I almost went off on you! When I started reading this tripe, I immediately got ready to reply to the poster not to let the door hit him you-know-where, etc. I'm so damn TIRED of people coming here whining how they don't like it here anymore. Get the hell out then! Geez Louise, it's not that hard to understand. Jim invites us into his livingroom for a political discussion. If someone misbehaves and takes a dump in the living room, they deserve to be booted.

</ rant>

[hispanarepublicana]

At the extreme end of both the left and right are those who can't or won't see the difference between illegal hispanics and true Americans of hispanic heritage. There is no room here for either, in my opinion.

[L,TOWM]

Damm, this must be a pretty inefficient purge if you're still here! Or me, for that matter...

I suspect the flame war loving Clymers have gotten Zotted, but those that manage to (mostly) avoid whizzing into the punch bowl are still here.

Rock on, Garth!

[Michael Barnes]

testing....

[secret garden]

Your site, your rules.

I'm cool with that.
:-)

[Dog Gone]

Your tagline is pathetic.

[Uncle Fud]

In my opinion, President Bush's proposals to deal with illegal immigration are dreadfully misguided and deserve a speedy defeat.

I am confident that the above statement will not affect my posting status on FR.

[PaulaB]

Continued posting of racism, personal attacks, insults, profanity, etc



I can't understand why people can't voice their opinion without doing the above...I've have always expressed my views about our immigration problem (I live in Texas 'nuff said)and have never had a problem on FR. I think people confuse attacks with debate. A good debate always keep us sharp, an attack is ignorance.

[Mears]

bump