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.
I'm sorry. I misunderstood you. I thought you were accusing particular freepers of devaluing life. I've seen none of that.
Of course life is being devalued by starving Terri Schiavo to death. But the time to do something about this was a year ago, or six months ago, through the legislature.
Now, we see emotion ruling the day, as normally-thinking people are calling for our Executives to break the law or send in the Marines.
Wanna bet that those Florida freepers on here calling for Jeb and GW's heads do absolutely nothing, after this is over, to help get the law changed that allowed this situation?
New hyperbole is always refreshing.
Have you seen the whole video?
I know I haven't .. so I can't comment on that part
I can only comment on what I saw .. and what I saw was her following the balloon
again, rather than pointing fingers, casting blame, casting aspersions, let's look...to our own houses...
I didn't need Dan Abrams to tell me how disgusting it is. LOL
Yes .. on a case filed with many conflicts
--Where else would such disputes be resolved? State legislatures? Congress?
I can certainly understand disagreement with the court's ultimate decision (I disagree with court decisions almost daily), but the systemic objections are odd.--
If you don't go to court, what else is left? Blood feud?
Well, I am one who has attempted to argue the law in this case; not that that's gotten me very far.
We are a nation of laws -- and just because we don't agree with their rulings is no reason to demand their heads on sticks.
-- No .. I think I basically said nerves around her are raw and many are not thinking clear--
Amen. And maybe you are guilty of understatement.
Pol Pot? I'd love to hear why.
Death threats against Greer are justified.
Death threats against Christine Schiavo are laughed at.
Schoolchildren having to be moved from their own elementary school to a new school over spring break are getting what they deserve.
Families with loved ones at Woodside Hospice should have known better than to warehouse their terminal parents.
It doesn't matter that a convicted rapist is sending his little boy to be arrested for civil disobedience, his heart is in the right place.
Jesse Jackson is sincere, let's give him money.
The article said what I did about the baby.
The mother was not able to find a hospital that would take the baby, because the mother could not afford the care.
I could not find the article cited in the Post's archives.
I tried four times.
Maybe there will be a transcript of this show on CNN's site.
It's apparent to some people who have watched the video more often than I have, and I think even a doctor on FNC mentioned this, that her parents track Terri's eye movement and move the balloon accordingly so it appears that SHE is tracking their movements.
Did I say there were justified?
I don't recall that
I haven't been called that or a Nazi....yet!
LOL!
What about the reports that she does that very same thing when nobody is in the room and there is no balloon there?
Oh, I don't believe that.
The people of Florida are to blame for this. They have allowed a law on the books that classifies sustenance and hydration as "medical treatment." It's been there for six years!
Perhaps you'd prefer that the federal government get involved in every single one of these decisions, either through the Congress or the Federal Courts. May as well; the American people seem to want to federalize everything. May as well just shut down the state legislatures and let Congress tell us what size our street signs are going to be.
Howlin!! Really...oh dear.
You just making enough sense and trying hard enough or you could be Hitler, too!
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