Posted on 03/29/2005 8:58:34 AM PST by Long Cut
We, the Witness Protection Program For Freepers, aka the Wild Turkeys, aka the Coalition of the Sane, have through mutual discussion and rigourous thought, determined that:
1. The discussion threads regarding Terri Schiavo (hereafter referred to as "TS") have become too full of innuendo, rumormongering, hyperbole, hysteria, namecalling, paranoia, and general poor behavior to warrant participation.
2. Said threads have degenerated into "echo chambers", wherein the same, common thoughts are continually posted again and again, and the same old disreputable, unconfirmed and/or false urban myths are propagated.
3. Anyone who joins in said theads with alternative viewpoints to the most extreme posts are routinely driven away with slander, accusations, and vile namecalling.
4. No data or evidence contrary to the "prevailing opinions" are accepted, considered, or discussed; and in fact are rejected outright in most instances.
5. That the continued calls for armed insurrection, military or paramilitary involvement, impeachements of politicians and judges, and death threats are embarassing, stupid, shortsighted, doomed to failure, and contrary to most if not all conservative thought prior to this case, as well as damaging in the extreme to FR and the conservative movement as a whole.
6. That such emotional, hyperbolic, and propaganda-driven hysteria is in fact contrary to all conservatives USED to stand for.
7. That the holding up of swastika and other Nazi imagery towards the police and the Bushes, the use of children as political props, and the disruption of the peace at the Woodside Hospice can only reflect badly on conservatives in general, and should be discouraged.
8. That the pursuit of this issue to the exclusion of all others by the GOP has damaged, perhaps beyond repair, the pursuit of other important issues as well as the reputation of the GOP, FR, and conservatism.
The WPPFF is NOT of one mind as to the case of TS or its correct outcome. In fact, wide disagreement exists within our little group. However, we are united in our wish that reason and sanity be respected in the discussion, as well as the rights of all parties involved or participating. We wish to discuss this as adults and intellectuals, as conservatives and as FRiends, not as children screaming past each other on some playground of hysteria. We wish for facts and evidence to be provided, discussed reasonably, and considered fairly.
We reject all accusations of Naziism, "death cultism", or other slander as methods of debate. We reject the practice of "spamming" multiple threads, of posting unending vanities, and the posting of propaganda and calls for violence. We reject, in fact, all unseemly and childish behavior which has come to characterize this case on FR.
We DO invite others to come and reasonably discuss the issue. We have no problem with FReepers who wish to debate in a rational and fair manner, and with due respect for their fellow FReepers. We have NO problem with those whose views are formed by religion; however we reject "preaching" or "being beaten with a Bible" as legitemite debate tactics. Not all of us are Believers, and such tactics only cheapen the source.
If a FReeper finds this an acceptable meansd to discuss this and other issues, they are welcome to join in and participate. Those who find pleasure in attacks, flame-baiting, slander, stalking, and personal atacks will be ignored, and their egos will go unfed.
We assume this thread to be a zone of sanity in an overheated atmosphere. Thus, a general amnesty is in effect. If posters conduct themselves within the guidlines above, we will be happy to discuss and debate with you. If a poster wishes to apologize for past slips of the tongue, or for possible "over-the-top" statements to another, it will be graciously accepted, and your company welcome.
Please bring a sense of humor; we feel that too many have been taking themselves too seriously lately.
Let the discussion begin!
Signed,
The WPPFF, aka The Wild Turkeys, aka the Coalition of the Sane.
Agreed .. there have been many things flying around FR as a fact .. when they are not
Oh, I see the difference. And as I noted a few posts down from that which you didn't conveniently post, I was posting what Dan Abrams on MSNBC was reporting.
That IS still what we do on Free Republic, is it not?
And if the reporting is bad, it's pretty quickly discovered and mentioned. Which it was.
And, btw, it does not take away from the central fact that the Schindlers are selling videos of their daughter as she lies in a hospital bed. Which I find repugnant.
Thank you, Anny.
A few hours? Has she worsened?
***Well, I'm not getting in bed with Keyes, Klayman, or Terry, period.***
THANKS for the mental image.....NOT! :-)
That's funny because I believe her affidavit says that she IS licensed in the State of Florida.
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him Forever in the next.
Amen. --Reinhold Niebuh
sw
movement be damned. this isn't about a movement for most people and certainly not most freepers. it is about a deeply held conviction that LIFE is paramount. period. i am sick to death of hearing about randall terry et al. i don't give a damn about them. i am sick to my SOUL about the devaluation of human life that i have seen from freepers and from Americans in general. it makes me want to vomit.
You are very welcome, Peach.
If they want to crucify the folks who gave the Schindlers false hope, we can start a list. Hammesfahr. Terry. DeLay. Webber. Bush...
Beautiful. Thank you.
It is about life; it's about my ability to choose how I will die if I have that choice.
Doesn't matter how long the video is
The question still remains .. was she or was she not following the balloon?
Call me crazy .. but it sure looked to me as though she was
Thanks, but I don't think it did any good...:~(
But who really pays attention to fanatics?
I know you and others are worried. I hope you're wrong. I've looked at it totally opposite, I guess. To me, it was a pro life issue.
I don't need a Christian Taliban, thank you.
It's better than "Serenity now!"
True .. and it's also about not be ordered by the courts to die
If the balloon was floating around her head for 15 minutes, and her eyes appear to track the balloon for a few seconds of that time, it may not be tracking at all - it may be an inevitable coincidence.
But if you only see the part where she appears to be following it - well, then it appears she is following it.
Who here is devaluing human life?
Because someone asks a question or makes an observation about the law, he's automatically a murderer?
Do you not see how outrageous this kind of thinking is?
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