Our Republic and Our Free Republic

9-6-02 | Joe Phillips

[BADJOE]

History teaches some very good lessons. They are hard to learn but our forefathers did a great job.

From the beginning of time man has overthrown one form of centralized government only to re-establish another one in its place. Our forefathers understood this far better than anyone ever had. They said governments are the eternal enemy of free men. They said that in order for man to remain free it would take a bloody revolution every other generation, unless you bound down (bastard) government with the chains of the constitution.

On another site this week a poster asked if anyone else hated government as much as he did. I replied to him

"Hell !! I thought you were not a good American if you didn't love our country and hate our government.

At least that is how I have always felt about it"

I think our forefathers had the same attitude that I have now. And I think it is inherent in the average Americans attitude to distrust and have disdain for any government, including ours. One of the hardest conclusions I had to arrive at as a young man, after having been a product of the public school system, was that our government was not on our side. As James Forrestahl, former secretary of the Navy, who suffered a mysterious death, once said about our State Department's foreign policy, " Stupidity is never a mark of consistancy. If they were merely stupid, they would occasionally make a mistake in our favor".

Newt Gringrich put it in a humourous manner when talking about the attitude of Europeans. He related the following story. If you go to Europe and drive on the Autobahn, you feel pretty good cruising down the highway at 100 mph when some some German passes you doing 140 mph. Now he said if the Bundestag passed the 55mph speed limit law, every German would dutifully obey that law, untill the next election. They would vote the 55 mph crowd out of office and the no speed limit crowd in. In America Newt said "A speed limit sign is a benchmark of opportunity.

It is obvious that Yankees and Euros have entirely different attitudes about government's edicts. There are darn few Americans who do not break the speed limit laws everyday.

Now we come to the Free Republic. Once a free wheeling, joyful site for news and discussion of politics, economics, philosophy, ethics and morals. I could not understand the transformation that has taken place in the last six months. Camaraderie, the sense of family, and cooperation seems to have disappeared. Are the Freepers exhibiting the same disdain for the new FR as Americans have for our government?

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

LOL - well, see, usually I'm fighting off brick bats. It's a novelty to be able to relax around here, and you know, I'm not as mean as they say. (I hope that doesn't diminish my chances for the number 10 spot. I'm thinking OPH is gonna beat me anyway; he's got everything going for him.)

[justshe]

Good post!

[Willie Green]

Are we all happy? I'm happy!

Don't Worry, Be Happy

Here's a little song I wrote
You might want to sing it note for note
Don't Worry - Be Happy

In every life we have some trouble
But when you worry you make it Double
Don't Worry - Be Happy

Ain't got no place to lay your head,
somebody came and took your bed
Don't Worry, Be Happy

The landlord say your rent is late,
he may have to litigate
Don't Worry - Be Happy

Ain't got not cash, ain't got no style,
ain't got no gal to make you smile
Don't Worry - Be Happy

Cause when you worry your face will frown
and that will bring everybody down
Don't Worry - Be Happy

[justshe]

You have the inside edge...being a WO-man and all that!

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Well, you can probably make it up in the talent competition. But I'm thinking I might have the edge there, in light of my line of work...unless talent (in this case) is defined as taking people apart and putting them back together faster than they can say "Harry Browne". Then, you win.

[TontoKowalski]

OK, I took Howlin's advice and skipped back to post 1000, and now I'm back.

MM, your summary of what I missed was excellent. I'm afraid I'm out of the running on the Top 10 List Contest. I'm just not that clever. MM, your list was excellent, and I suspect you'll win.

Now as to the matter of the *sswipe List. I have one thing to say:

Any list of *sswipes that does not include me lacks any credibility whatsoever.

And, yes, I will have a martini, thank you.

[MJY1288]

Arne, I have never had a bad experience with BadJoe, I salute him and the others here, who make this place what it is. Every time I donate to FR, He always sends me a thank you note and I know what it's like to organize a gathering on the net. I used to run an internet racing league (Nascar4) with 40 or so members and it was a complete nightmare dealing with perpetual whiners and snivelers. I can't imagine dealing with 70,000 of them :-). So I feel for everyone who chips in and helps to make this place what it is, and especially JimRobinson.

I'll hold off speculating on what the internal struggle is here, and I can only salute all those who makes this wonderful site possible for all of us, and they can count on my support and donations. I think everyone here at FR does a great job. I have never seen any unfair treatment by the Mods, I know some of these pouting pitchforker’s around here with the 18th century screen names can make us feel like we are dealing with a spoiled child who didn't get their way, but that's a minor irritation compared to all the great Freepers who contribute their thoughts here.

Free Republic is still the best damn website their is for we conservatives, I understand some of us don't muster with some of the so-called "True Conservatives" around here, But Hey, I don't think they muster with the voters, I want to further the cause of taking away the grip liberalism has on this country not further it by voting for some joker like Harry Browne or Alan Keyes, Sure they're good conservatives and I appreciate some of their views, Burt they should stick to OpEds and forget politics, THEY SUCK AT IT

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

I'd post my picture, but someone might draw on it and call me a "harpie". LOL

[Miss Marple]

They would know if I were a moderator.

My title would be "SHE WHO MUST BE OBEYED."

(Credit to H. Ryder Haggard.)

[sweetliberty]

"A alien invasion from the dark universe?"

I hear that that will be the next major government pronouncement. Seriously. There was something on about it yesterday.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

I'd post my picture, but someone might draw on it and call me a "harpie".

Yep, and didn't you tell me you were allergic to darts?

[Miss Marple]

Hey, welcome back! Now you understand why we are here.

Here, have some gin. I am on my third, and am quite mellow.

[Issaquahking]

I agree that are a lot of "little factions" but the core has shifted. I see this as a good thing though.... nothing remains in neutral. this is THE BEST SITE ON THE WEB for anything worthy! Maybe if it bothers you, take a break for a while.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

This brings me to my favorite all-time post, which went something like this:

"Well, I suppose if you can't argue your way out of a paper bag, you can always draw on it."

I am thinking of submitting that for consideration of the Top Ten judges. What do you think?

[tpaine]

I can find some positive virtue in most everyone I've ever met in my life. I've tried with this poster, but I've wrote the old ghoul off. There's nothing intelligent, thought provoking, humorous, charming or engaging about that guy. He's flotsam. Ugh.
1276
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"Ugh" indeed fufkin. Look, we're ALL playing a silly game called the 'dozens', arnie.

-- If you want to escalate this into a real ugly thing, just keep up the cowardly asides, like the above 'flotsam'.

Otherwise, take it to the backroom or freepmail me. -- Your choice asshole.

[niki]

Do you have any idea how childish this post makes you look?

A comment like that coming from you? Little Miss Catty with the childish white fonts.

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To: justshe

*snicker*

I don't know if the FBI did it or not, but it looks pretty darn accurate. I bet "the princess bride" came mail-order, too.

Sheesh.

1653 posted on 9/1/02 2:30 PM Pacific by Amelia
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1652 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]

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Yea, you and your little clique are so mature and offer so much to this site, NOT.

[Howlin]

Hasn't that already been done?

[ArneFufkin]

Can you imagine, anywhere else on the Web, where our usual suspects can start a thread like "Was Abe Lincoln a Fascist?" The immigration threads here are a nonstarter everywhere else. They would never play on Lucianne.com, Doug Thompson's forum (that's a good forum, there's some smarties there), Yahoo, CNN etc much less the lefty forums like DU and SmirkingChimp. Fuhgettaboutit. I like the people on those sites better than some of the John Birchers/libertarians around here. We've got Freepers who list their location as "The Confederate States of America". On DU and Bartcop: they're smart and funny, corrupted and clueless, but smart and funny. We're the land of misfit toys, God bless America, but these cyclop dolls better show a little gratitude and grace to the owner's prerogatives along the way.

These guys get vaporized, and sneak back in under new handles. How dependent are they?