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.
It's 5:00 here, go for it. :)
I found your post #3678 to be very interesting and very informative on two fronts...both eyewitness accounts of unfolding events...
First your moms direct experience with the Nazi Regime, what she saw, experienced and felt...it was so sad, to realize that your mom played with children, that were actually taken away, and never seen again...how that must have greatly saddened your mom...thanks so much for that witness to what actually happened...most of us, never have a chance to hear that type of witness firsthand, so it is appreciate...
You know, I have worked in nursing homes for many, many years...and very few people really understand or realize that we have a wonderful storehouse of history in these nursing homes...we have old, old, people who have lived through events that we have only read about in history books...and many of those seniors, can, do, and enjoy telling us stories of their youths, of their experiences...
I have talked with a woman whose parents were missionaries in China, during the Boxer Rebellion...I have talked a woman, who crossed the plains in a covered wagon, and wound up in Washington State, where her family started the Longmire Springs resort up at Mt. Rainier(she was written up in our local paper for this)...I have talked to a man who was an engineer, ,and built bridges around the world...You get the gist...I could go on and on, about these, ordinary, everyday people, who witnessed amazing events in their lives, events which have their place in history...
I also appreciate your firsthand report of what you saw and experienced concerning the demonstrations...it adds to what we saw and heard on TV...behind every story on TV, there is more to be added by those who actually saw those events firsthand...
So thanks for your firsthand reports...
And lastly, my hubbys name is also Dominick(spelled with a 'k' at the end, as he always says)...when I talk about him with others at FR, I always refer to him, as 'BigDom"...
I suppose that's true for all of us
THANKS! I had NO idea such a thing existed.
Probably the first of many, I am afraid.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1375756/posts
OPUS from hchutch...It's starting...
I'll have a swig of cranberry juice and skip the Wild Turkey, but otherwise consider me joined up!
I musthave missed the ping to this thread, but better later than never.
I thought that was the intent of the bill: Get the case into federal court, where it would be heard from the beginning (de novo). That would (implied) put Terri's feeding tube back in while the whole lengthy process of testimony, witnesses, finding of fact, etc. began anew, giving her months if not years of reprieve. Unfortunately, while putting the sustenance supply back was strongly and blatantly implied, it was not explicitly stated. And so here we are.
Beat ya by 2 seconds! ;-)
I'm out of here, folks. I might peek in later tonight or tomorrow afternoon. Everyone have a wonderful and safe evening!
I'll have a swig of cranberry juice and skip the Wild Turkey, but otherwise consider me joined up!
I'll have yours. ;-)
Yes. ;^)
I'll have yours.
Be my guest, cheers!
In other words, what Congress did was entirely symbolic. That's a shock.
On this thread there are those who are appalled that Terris feeding tube was pulled, and there are others who disagree...
If you dont believe that, then I can only guess that you have not read the whole entire thread, or dont understand what you have read...
I have said, from the beginning, I did not want Terri Shiavos tube pulled, and if you insist in saying that I personally wanted her tube pulled, then obviously you did not understand what I wrote...
And there is certainly enough hypocrisy to go around to all the threads...
I've been getting beaten around the head and neck by the Terri fanatics for the last couple of weeks. I though all the sane people had left by now!
Ain't it funny how being a conservative has somehow morphed into calling for armed insurrection, ripping up the constitution and assaulting police officers with deadly force? If I had to read one more poster glowingly describe the courage and beauty of Reno and Clinton's Waco and the kidnapping of Elian, I would puke!
Now they tell me I'm going to hell in a hand basket cause I don't want to be kept "alive" by some infernal machine for 30 years or so...
Maybe there is hope after all! Hi sane right-wingers! :)
Hi Hair...glad to see you here...
If more people like him leave, this place will never recover.
may I offer another solution? I moderate at another forum, a Christian forum, and when thing get a little too heated for the forum and posters want an arena that is less stringent on rules of debate and decorum, I usually suggest they take it to a private forum they set up themselves.
There are lots of free ones available, though often the formats leave a lot to be desired.
That might be a remedy at this time.
This is an excellent idea, especially considering what FreeRepublic has been through recently.
Though I will say that since the Pope was able to forgive his would-be assassin, surely FReepers can put an end to the rancor and forgive each other.
I passed my practical and written test today. I'm going to check out and see what's been going on the thread today :-)
I gotta say, I'm pretty thin-skinned but I would NEVER let freaks drive me from this forum. I'm way too stubborn. Do people give up this easily in real life??
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