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.
You demanded I produce my example of where you disparaged people so I did.
Yes, I plead guilty to publishing freepmail.
Speaking of guilty pleas, I am now going to post an article in the main forum about Sandy Berger pleading guilty today. Sentencing will be in July.
Now THAT's an interesting development.
But there IS a down side to that...you can get suspended. ;^)
It certainly is and vindicates me, for yelling at the yahoos here, who claimed that Sandy would NEVER be "punished" at all. :-)
Sandy Burglar is pleading guilty to what - a misdemeanor? He might get off with community service, probably be sentenced to volunteering for a document shredding service or something like that.
Nope, $10,000 fine and nore, thus far.
Pssst... don't look now, but your post up above is gone... How many times has this happened now? One would figure that eventually you'd get the point, but I guess not.
Never been suspended yet.
What does that mean?
The only article I've found so far that details the court appearance today is Bloomberg and after I got it all set I was informed they can't be posted on FR.
I'll go see if there's another outlet that I can at least excerpt, but .38, Berger is cooperating.
I find that VERY interesting.
That is really interesting.
In the event of individual or mass suspensions/bannings, feel free to check in there.
If I hit the abuse button on myself can I switch from Wild Turkey to Dewar's? Wait a minute, belay that. It's not 5:00 yet.
:o)
There really HAS been other news, BIG news,these past few weeks, but you'd NEVER know that,reading FR. :-(
"Why yes, I would. However, I have really done it now. I have stayed away from posting on that thread in the smoky backroom, however, I thought I was privately freepmailing someone on that thread, but I posted it for all to see!!! Now they are harassing me.....I hope I am not the only one that has done that. What a mistake."
Only if you are in the Smoky Back Room. Self-abuse is not permitted on the main forum. ;o)
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