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.

[bourbon]

"I would love for somebody to explain to me how wanting to see Filipinos and Mexicans treated equally supporting the principle of states'-rights smacks of "white racism."; said the segregationist in 1960.

Thanks for your reply, but I really don't have any interest in conversing with someone who wishes to alter or ignore my questions in favor of posing their own tendentious and needlessly provocative questions.

If you're interested in having a "conversation" with a strawman, then by all means please Freepmail him.

[rottndog]

Uh Ronald Reagan signed total amnesty, and was the first one to propose NAFTA. Second President Bush isn't proposing amnesty, but a way to bring some sanity to a system that has been out of whack for 40 years.



Reagan later admitted this was one of the worst mistakes of his administration. Reagan was a MAN who had the honor and integrity to admit when he made a mistake, and who had the fortitude not to repeat it a second time.

NAFTA is a trade agreement, not an open borders agreement.

Bush's non-amnesty amnesty proposal is shortsighted and stupid. If we can't deport Illegal Aliens now, what makes you think after six years of the "Guest Worker" program we will deport Illegal Aliens who don't leave?

[staytrue]

so regretting the loss of traditional USA culture and democraphics doesn't automatically make one a racist.

I'm not even sure saying xyz race is inferior makes you a Racist with a big R. It might make you a racist with a little r. Put 100 people in front of me, and I can tell 90% correct the area of ancestry. Am I a racist ? Not really. You can say you are for equality and non discrimination and blah blah blah but then if you go out shooting people of a certain color because you don't like them, then you are a Racist with a big R. Talk is cheap, actions say more about what you really believe. The limosine liberals go out and blah blah blah about racial inequality and what do they do about it, nothing. Hollywood is the worst. They blah blah blah but when it comes time to put a minority on tv or in film in a nice role, you can forget about it.

Wardaddy's comment about demographics is a racist comment. But how does he live his life ? That I do not know. Besides, we are all human, we all have faults. Saying inappropriate stuff is not a jailable offense yet. I'd rather have someone say something inappropriate, than do something inappropriate.

[F16Fighter]

"From what I've seen so far, it looks like the conservatives have choosed up sides on the illegal mex issue and are now going at it fiercely enough that people and threads are getting banned and erased from FR existence."

Real "conservatives" do not abdicate the right of the United States of America to stringently enforce it's borders and deport illegal invaders without the fallacious charge of "racism."

Take note of those faux conservatives. They'll be hysterically ranting and raving like a small army of Barbra Boxers these coming months against anti-illegal legislation, and in support of RINO legislation to water down Border Enforcement.

[mamelukesabre]

I agree.

Like I've said a thousand times: What part of "ill-e-gal" don't you understand? THey're called ILLEGALS because they're here ILLEGALLY and that means THEY AREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE HERE. that means they HAVE NO RIGHT TO BE HERE. That means KICKING THEM OUT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

comprender?

[wardaddy]

Do you do anything besides whine about race?

Did some big cracker knock over your sandcastle when you were a kid?

If it were me then I apologize.

My statement that you keep alluding to w/o pinging me which is gutless but nevertheless to be expected said more or less that I do not desire the demographics of this nation to be disrupted by immigration from ANYWHERE.

Do you need ANYWHERE defined.

And I do not know of any nation on earth that wishes their demographics which make up the CULTURE to be overrun by foreigners on the scale you and others advocate here.

And the reason you advocate basically overthrowing the "white" power structure here is because you are either not part of it, or blame it for all sorts or evil or you are plain stupid or probably in your case all of the above.

I told more moderate freepers months ago that there were FReepers who advocated and cheered on diluting our founding culture here.

They did not believe me. Well, here you are in all your glory. Bask in it.

The fact that you think I am a racist or care how I "live me life" as a racist or not means not one kernel of flea shite to me.

Being called a racist doesn't stand for squat coming from you....that's yer only bullet.

You've made it plainly clear here that you are a lot closer to Ward Churchill than Ward Connerly. The world does not revolve around race, Jim Crow, slavery or any other victimhood enabling issue that you must have to sustain your life support.

[Trinity_Tx]

...breaking my silence on this thread just to say Thanks to the two of you, and others who are like-minded, for your great posts.

[beandog]

Good evening wardaddy. You're still my here. LOL. Don't let them get to you. I'm sure you could give a rats rear end what they think of you. I know I don't.

[wardaddy]

thank you

a lot of folks are afraid here..


the internet coverage is astounding...folks from places I've never heard of linking me over this schism.

by now....we're like a good fistfight where both parties are lying gasping in the mud with chewed ears panting but slinging a haybaler now and then...lol

[bourbon]

Many thanks to all of you for your kind comments re: my posts.

[budwiesest]

When looking at the production function of a firm in micro-econ, we looked at factors such as capital, raw materials, plant and equipment, and labor, and the relationship each had with respect to output. In short, as the cost of any of these inputs went up or down, it was possible to calculate how much of each would be necessary to maximize output (while minimizing costs), resulting in the highest total output.

The cheapening of the 'labor' component through years of illegal input has become a rigid fact-of-life for many industries, unfortunately. Labor has been a volitile component in most production equations (they don't use robotics to build cars for nothing) and any cheap, illegal, and abundant source will be met enthusiastically by most producers.

The exploitation of illegal (cheap) labor generates profits that wouldn't exist otherwise. But then, the same could be said of illegal capital (stolen money), illegal raw materials (stolen goods, energy, etc.), or illegal plant and equipment (setting up shop overseas/sweatshops, etc.)

For the moralists who've justified the exploitation of illegal labor, I would like similar justifications for conterfeiting or receiving stolen goods, as these could contribute as much toward a similar increase in output.

Greed can be a good thing until it involves trading in things illegal.

[wardaddy]

yep....being called a racist by these clowns is actually high praise.

being called a racist by Billy Graham or Daniel Lapin ....that would carry weight with me.


I have been here over 4 years....this is what folks like this always do....call folks racist when they disagree with them on a social or cultural issue that has an element of race or religion to it. Racist or bigot...it's always the same mantra.

Most here who do it are either thoroughly indoctrinated by white oppression=minority victimhood or in many cases they have a minority perspective of some sort though few admit it.

I have never hidden from the fact that I am a white Southern conservative and feel no need to fall on my cultural sword to sate their desire for basically revenge. In the end...that is what they want...payback.

Yet they mock Michelle Malkin...a wonderful example of good immigration...what idiots.

and no....they are not conservatives in my eyes anymore than if they support gun control, abortion rights or higher taxes.

They are traitors to our sovereignty....which is far worse than racism real or perceived. In my over 4 years here, I have seen very very little overt racism of the stormfront variety alluded to here like it's some sort of plague and those sites sure didn't have any stormfront links that I saw after reviewing them. Race, stormfront, bigot....all canards masking something I have yet to really appreciate but I bet it's coming.

[beandog]

I've learned two things on this and other threads that are upsetting. One is if you disagree with Pres. Bush on anything you are anti-Bush, and the other is if you disagree with the President's immigration plan you are racist. I wasn't aware that I had to agree with anybody 100%. I voted for and like the President but I have no intention of being quiet when I don't agree with him, no matter what anybody says.

[Trinity_Tx]

Just know that there are people of influence in the media (who despise racism and think Pat Buchanan's bigotry is highly offensive) reading what y'all write, agreeing completely, and talking about how sad it is that some here are allowed to call you racist for it.

[wardaddy]

I see the thread is now in the smokey backroom yet it is the topic of conversation on conservative sites all over the net.....even on some radio show.

Don't ask me what....I don't follow it.

I have learned almost everything I know about other righty sites in the past 72 hours mostly thru communications from folks I don't even know who are watching this and e-mailed me thru folks here who do know me.

The purge and this thread have held keen interest for many.

I hate it. What are supposed to do....toe the immigration line or move on? that's the feeling I get or else walk on eggshells and be hounded by the sanctimonious gnats while they ratpack with no leash.

A damned shame....and totally outta sync with most conservatives as was evidenced as late as Friday in Congress.

[Trinity_Tx]

Yup.

[jrewingjr]

Here's the word of the day:

AINOs.

Americans In Name Only.

Those that are legally American citizens, but have no loyalty to America.

They see their status as American citizens as merely an "in" which allows them to help open the gates a la the Trojan Horse for the rest of the citizens of their ancestral lands to flood across our borders regardless of consequences. To them, America is simply a resource to plunder, not the land of freedom and opportunity.

My grandfather came through Ellis Island legally in 1928 and never forgot the opportunity that this land offered. He did it the right way; when his kids went to school they weren't sponging off of the rest of American taxpayers; their dad WAS an American taxpayer.

Why should the latest batch of immigrants from Mexico get to skirt the rules that MILLIONS of immigrants in the past from many, MANY nations have had to follow. Are they special? Maybe we could get little yellow schoolbuses, (the special ones) to drive them across the border.

If someone is more concerned about the citizens of Mexico than of America, perhaps they should immigrate to Mexico and help rehabilitate that 3rd world den of corruption, rather than turn America into a lifeboat.

Those wishing to immigrate to America need to follow the rules; if they can't we don't need them here, regardless of where they come from.

[international american]

AINO's......I like it!

[Marine Inspector]

You are welcome.