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.

[Mrs.Nooseman]

I find it offensive when people attack others personally and using insults and such.
Thank you Jim for putting a stop to it.

[Czar]

Really? I rather like it...

[jwalsh07]

I'm opposed to illegal immigration and amnesty and I have been since I've been here.

I'm still here but my wife is a bit more compassionate than I am about illegals and she kicked me out of the living room the other night when we were discussing it.

Maybe this guy should write a tome about how my wife has no right to kick me out of the lliving room, it would make as much sense.

[Cold Heat]

I received my invitation to join their party today.

I am afraid I pooped in the punchbowl:-)

[RadioAstronomer]

Thanks from me as well!

Best regards,

RA

[Txsleuth]

I agree with you, Cowboy, and you and I have been in some heated discussions re: immigration. I get frustrated with some of the posters, sure, but I know they get frustrated with me---

The best part is, on FR all of the threads tend to be thought provoking and I enjoy them--

I visited DU one time, and when I saw all of the profanity and racism, name-calling, etc., I knew that I had found the absolute best website.

I don't think any of us FR want less debate, debate is fun and informative, but the Freepers that respect other opinions are the ones I want to be on threads with.

Thank you, Jim for "keeping it clean".

[Donna Lee Nardo]

Rude is ok. Profanity gets us banned!

[Donna Lee Nardo]

...smiling

[Howlin]

So somebody is using Freepmail to solicit members at another web site?

[hchutch]

Wow...

[Ditto]

You're the guy who brough up the Koreans in South Central.

As to the border farmers, yes, they have the right to protect their property just like the Koreans did. And yes, the Feds should be protecting the borders and I have no problem with efforts to make them do so. But I say no to vigilantes and their cousins the Klan, the Arian Nations and the Skin Heads. They don't have the right to form their own Night Rider outfits and dispense justice as they see fit.

[cyborg]

I explained that to Mr.Gheen in a freepmail too. It's a private foru. Unregulated forums become havens for perverts and skinheads.

[Cold Heat]

Yes...........

You want the name?

[spectre]

Back at ya :~)

sw

[Mo1]

Nice to see the low opinion of FR, the owner and Freepers that you apparently have

[westmichman]

I think you will get hammered on this one Jim. There are too many jokesters on this blog to let you ride off easy.
But, I appreciate your politcal leanings.
WMM

[KiloLima]

Even if we should call our brother "stupid" or "imbecile" we will be held in judgment, as said by Jesus. We conservatives will have to turn up the decency level if we are to maintain a moral high ground.

Amen! Let's turn up the decency level! I'm glad to hear (or see?) you say that, brother!

[subterfuge]

"How is advocating a wall on the southern border "make conservatives look bad?"

Hey, a reply from sauropod! Excellent. Yeah, I though about that after I posted.

That's really a bad example on my part sauropod. It wouldn't be a bad idea if it could actually be done. A better example, I guess, would be the wacky posters who advocate shooting people that try to cross the border, which I have seen people post.

[Howlin]

Can you run the vacuum? It seems we should be expecting company:

TBP
Newbie



Joined: Feb 11, 2005
Posts: 4

Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2005 3:45 pm    Post subject:
I'm tempted to create a second ID called something like OpenToIllegals and go agree with everything Howlin and the other Bushbots (i.e. Republibots) say. It would drive them crazy. Do we have a list anywhere of the banned?

[RushCrush]

Mo1.

I don't think you are getting my point. I'm sorry about that but I'm not going to keep on trying.

I give money to Jim Robinson/FR during the fund drives.

You want me to prove it???