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.

[sausageseller]

I had a feeling the troll jerks from SF were at it again:

To: Cultural Jihad Your racist thoughts are not becoming. Have you been boning up at SF?
2,686 posted on 02/13/2005 1:39:01 PM EST by sausageseller (Look out for the jackbooted spelling police. There! Everywhere!(revised cause the "man" accosted me!)

[An Old Marine]

In general the America People get what they want in the way of geverning our nation. So simply put it behooves us to want badly enough and build the pressure to make sensible enforcement of our immigration laws an imparative of any and all elected officals.

Its called accountability. And its a subject that politians are beginning to learn. Admittedly it might take a few more elections cycles to get into their iron heads but get there it will if we want it badly enough.

[hchutch]

I've taken a lot of crap for two and a half years precisely because my concerns were similar to Jim's. For that, I've been labeled as one of those "typical race-baiters" you have gone after.

I have little sympathy for yoru pains at this point. These conerns have existed among a number of Freepers, many of whom have been attacked for raising those concerns here - trying to avert the damage that is being inflicted. The division would not have occured had the concerns been addressed in a rational manner as opposed to what amounted to personal attacks.

[drt1]

The solution HAS to start with the Employers of Illegals. That is the magnet for many and that is the place that can't hide from concerted efforts at enforcement.

A National ID? Why not? I understand there would be efforts to counterfeit but at least there would be a universal standard for verification of exactly who a person is without all of the confusion current methods of individual ID have. At the minimum, it would represent a giant step forward in finally trying to get control of the Illegal situation.

The arguments against such an ID are IMO laughable and, frankly, not honest in their motivations. Honest, established and legal citizens already have an ID in the system and, if one wants to track their activities and locations it is a fairly simple matter. The same goes for confusion/chaos of the voting booth - Current systems of identification do not provide adequate protection of the right of only legal, valid voters to exercise their rights and have only their votes recorded in electoral processes.

No, the largest impact on so-called individual freedoms by introduction of a standard, effective ID mechanism would fall on those who are now undefined in our systems and Society - For the most part, the Illegal Community. I say go for it.

[Spiff]

I've taken a lot of crap for two and a half years precisely because my concerns were similar to Jim's. For that, I've been labeled as one of those "typical race-baiters" you have gone after. I have little sympathy for yoru pains at this point. These conerns have existed among a number of Freepers, many of whom have been attacked for raising those concerns here - trying to avert the damage that is being inflicted. The division would not have occured had the concerns been addressed in a rational manner as opposed to what amounted to personal attacks.

The damage is self-inflicted. If Jim had just let the posts and threads stay without having any official involvement with Free Republic there would have been little or no problem. But, apparently, he was drawn in by the spell of you and other lying race-baiters who pollute every immigration-related thread with worthless accusations of racism and xenophobism (whatever that is - sounds like the same crap the gay agenda people spew when the scream homophobia...). Now you see this as some sort of victory or validation that YOUR point has somehow been made by all this. You've mislead Jim, he's gone and shot himself in the foot, the site is bleeding and you're all smug about it thinking you've done a good thing.

I have no sympathy that you've been "attacked" for your race-baiting as that is a natural consequence of pointing and screaming "racist!" at people who are truly not racist.

[Final Authority]

What flavor of kool-aide are you drinking? Making a criminal, legal by fiat would lead to the direct destruction of our Constitution and our Republic, not to mention that GWB would be subject to impeachment.

If by the President's plan only those who entered legally after returning to their homeland would be considered for guest worker status then I would support it. If all criminal aliens would be considered for such a status, as it is presently constructed, then it is nothing but an amnesty plan and patently goes against the Presidential oath of office. Right now based on popular opinion and the pressures on the GOP to defeat such a plan, it is DOA as an amnesty plan.

[hchutch]

Bull crap.

I have simply called it as I saw it. It is amazing how you always go and pull the "race-baiting" card. It's like the NAACP when someone raises valid objections to racial quotas - they shout "racist" and never addresss the concerns.

Only in this case, when someone dares to raise THEIR concerns, the shout is "race-baiter" - and just as it is when people object to the injustices of racial quotas, the legitimate concerns never get addressed. As far as I am concerned VDARE and Stormfront are racist and I have no desire to be associated with it. If that makes me a "lying race-baiter" - then so be it.

[Spiff]

As far as I am concerned VDARE and Stormfront are racist and I have no desire to be associated with it. If that makes me a "lying race-baiter" - then so be it.

OK. So VDARE has had a few questionable articles and Stormfront is a whacko nazi crap site. But the issue here is if anti-illegal immigration threads should be so polluted with false accusations of racism, if those concerned about illegal immigration and Bush's mistaken policy should be purged, and if anyone or anything to do with the Minuteman Project should be prohibited. But you're still a lying race-baiter. I've been called racist and xenophobic and so have a number of my friends. How are we supposed to react to such idiotic attacks?

[GOP_1900AD]

It is my observation that White Supremicists, Nazis, as well as the whole McVeigh crowd either conciously or unconciously work to undermine the lawful and legitimate Right. Burke would have been utterly opposed the the whole lot of them.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

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.

Same here although a little earlier. That's when immigration was orderly and the process controlled, as it should be. Any talk of going back to that today though and you're apparently a racist xenophobe...

[Darksheare]

Interesting that you cut and pasted that post from this thread to here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1342689/posts?page=152

Again, your point is?

[Darksheare]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1342269/posts?page=17#17
Do you make a habit of posting the same thing into multiple threads?

[Dat Mon]

First off...once again...thanks for bringing a great political forum to life.

My first association with Free Republic goes way back to 1998, when I participated in the Freeper March for Justice in DC. Those were the good old days. I still have my Freeper jacket and cap...all reminders of those days and times.

I remember them fondly...as all Freepers were united in a common purpose...to defeat liberalism, and more urgently...the Clintons, their corrupt and treasonous administration, and everything they stood for.

The Clintons provided a perfect unifier...in the wake of the Republican revolution of 1994, and all that that movement meant...remember the Contract with America?

Well, I am still stuck in those days...in the sense that I am still looking for practical reforms that match that contracts lofty goals...most of which have not been met...but thats another issue...

But more in tune with this thread...what I also retain is a healthy distrust and cynicism of the democratic party, and their associated leftist and other special interest groups. I also retain an appreciation of the tactics that these groups have used to advance their agenda and advance their goal of ultimately undermining the sovereignty of the US..and replacing it with a type of Madeline Albright approved globalized government. This is NOT paranoia...it is REALITY.

Now fast forward, in the wake of 9-11. Make no mistake...there are now IMO even more groups actively working within this country..just as in the Clinton days...to destroy the culture, traditions, and ultimately the sovereignty of this country.

Their tactics are well known. They employ the tactics of the good cop / bad cop, or right hand / left hand.

The good cop appeals to the the ideals and compassion of the American people, and of conservatives, while the left hand puts in place policies and legal procedures which undermine and subvert the practical realization of those goals.

Its like the democrats talking about national security...then Jaime Gorelick implementing her infamous memo which effectively hamstrung the entire security apparatus.

Its like promoting cultural diversity, then using the ACLU to use the legal system to ban traditional Christian displays of Christmas.

Its like CAIR taking about how their group reflects Americans Muslims who decry terrorism, and love America, then using RACISM, and the race card..to try to subvert practical security measures implemented in the wake of 9-11.

Its like talking about immigration reform, then using a plethora of Immigration Rights organizations to effectively block implementation of ALL immigration laws, all the while looking the other way as La Raza and Mecha promote a policy of hatred and revenge against a so called oppressive white dominated America, while also actively promoting the establishment of a separate nation state only comprised of Hispanics.

Its all typical leftist and subversive group tactics.

Lets take the issue of multiculturalism, and its correspondent adjectives...diversity, and racism. These words are all part and parcel of a concept devised by the LEFT, not by conservatives, to divide America along racial and ethnic lines, so as to create internal strife, and to advance a cultural nihilism. Americans have always talked of the great melting pot...whereby immigrants merged their individual cultures and traditions...not abandoned them...by fusing into an American culture...creating a unique and special American tradition.

We are all Americans...and we have always celebrated St Patricks day...even those of us who are not Irish. And it was all done with a kind of unassuming innocence...which I long for the return of.

Now immigration is the great dividing issue. And once again...the race card is being used by the left and their sympathizers, to divide Americans...particularly conservatives. And many of us are falling for it...sad to say.

The right hand is saying that the current immigration laws are not...and cannot be enforced, so we need NEW laws...that CAN be implemented. All the while, the LEFT hand is seeing to it that ALL current laws are being effectively undermined.

The right hand is talking about COMPASSION, while the left hand is envisioning a future America that is culturally balkanized...and democratically unionized, with a welfare and entitlement system much much larger than it presently is.

Under the guise of racial compassion, or social justice...will we implement a system which effectively will give special exemptions or privileges to just ONE ethnic or racial group...at the expense of all others...just like we did in the heyday of the Great Society?

Will we talk about effective immigration law on the right hand, and on the left hand instill in a generation of immigrants a distrust of America...because their parents had to jump through legal immigration hoops...while others didn't, or conversely, that the law as it stands is a device to be played, and avoided, with no consequences?

Lets start by casting a wary eye towards ALL groups and people who try to play the race / racism card to make a point. Its not just the neo Nazi groups that conservative sites like Free Republic have to be wary of....its the multitude of 'wolfs in sheeps clothing' who are salivating at the thought of a divided conservative base...thus enabling the advancement of the ultimate liberal immigration reform fraud....

Hillary Clinton

[Marine Inspector]

Sorry Dane, but ol louis is more closely aligned with your small but vocal pack.

[Marine Inspector]

Agreed.

[Marine Inspector]

Anti-illegal organizations are making a big mistake getting involved with white supremacists.

On this we can agree.

Now, do you actually think JackalopeBreeder is a white supremacist that needed to be banned.

[inquest]

So what. That proves nothing.

OK, if you say so. I was just assuming that a Catholic would generally be in favor of Catholicism.

[Marine Inspector]

I've been labeled as one of those "typical race-baiters" you have gone after.

If you stopped calling everyone else racist, that may not happen.

[Marine Inspector]

I have simply called it as I saw it.

Yet, you wish to criticize others for calling it as they saw it.