Why not consider this? And then, carry on. Thanks, FReeples.
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 got a nursing assistant certificate. I need money to finance my many interests :-) If I get over my dislike of institutions of 'higher' learning, maybe I'll go back to college. My mom sure would be happy.
I'm a travel addict - I think you have the same bug. :)
As soon as the tester said I passed, I was already going down the Zambezi River in a raft :o)
I was an N.A. when I went to nursing school. I haven't worked in several years, but I can tell you that I miss the N.A. work the most. You can do so much for people by just doing the simple things for them, and touching them and listening and being there as an advocate for them. It used to be that R.N.s did most of what a N.A. does now.
LOL thanks... nice to know someone's looking out for a freeper ;-)
That's what I think, also. This forum survived the Buchanan War and the Keyes War, not to mention DITHF. It survived the Senate trial in the impeachment proceedings and the Ahnuld and McClintock feud.
The only thing that concerns me is this forum is growing rapidly and I think we might be attracting more crazies than thinkers. This week probably wasn't a good time to judge. A lot of the thinkers just decided to lay low.
oh...
I was going to jump in --- but I guess I don't fit in with that last word.... :(
My mom has M.D. in her eyes but I have neither the strengeth nor desire to be a physician. I really like nursing and the opportunities to help people in a way that I wouldn't be able to otherwise. When I did my externship, I helped people in worse shape than Terri Schiavo was. I was surprised that the smell didn't bother me which I took to be a sign of a good thing :-)
I'm late to the party, but congratulations! It must be a relief to have the study and work prepping for such an exam over! You need to celebrate!
I'm in bed watching Fox News and some mindless fluff in between commercials. I didn't sleep last night so I'm going to post till I fall down sideways :D
I think I may have to change my preferences too from ALL to specifically the News forum.
We'll weather this. One of the things we need now is some decent articles posted to pull people out into the forum. I think the moderators were just so totally swamped they couldn't keep up with things. We also have a lot of people who definitely are NOT republicans. You can tell by their screen names, they signed up specifically to sway opinion.
We old timers have a tendency to just scroll past the garbage, but I think we may have to become more active in helping the mods. I think I've hit the abuse button 3 times in all my years here. I don't like to do that because I'd rather argue it out myself, but maybe we're going to have to get a group together and decide what we should do going forward. Maybe invite the mods too.
I'm really sorry you're leaving. You won't be the last, I'm afraid, and I do understand. Completely. This isn't the same place. All civility has left.
And an unintended consequence of this entire matter is it's moved a lot of staunch conservatives to the middle.
Good luck to you; I enjoyed talking with you, Rush!
Well, ever since people figured out that research was just too darned much work, the site figured they'd just go tabloid and have more fun :-)
I see that Poohbah just opused. Two long time freepers with good takes on a lot of issues.
Yeah, I just posted to him. He has too good a mind to be gone long. Everyone is just emotionally exhausted.
Giggle. That's funny.
My mom shocked me by actually coming home. I've retreated from her firebreathing about house cleaning and am now laying peacefully in my own bed (as opposed to hers) :-)
Why not consider this? And then, carry on. Thanks, FReeples.
Thanks for the bump.
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