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?

[borkrules]

Fear not, IT, fear not. But I wouldn't share personal details on these threads either. Sheesh.

[Hemingway's Ghost]

No, thank you. QUALITY post.

[FreeTheHostages]

Regarding the contest I am running in this thread (see post 651), I have been asked if I will accept bribes.

Yes, I will. Gladly. However, they will not affect my judging.

[Taliesan]

But, I'm so rarely read that the threat of being called out for recycling is almost nil.

I feel your anonymity, I really do. I post things I think are sure to win the Pulitzer. Snores, crickets, hand-farts.

[Interesting Times]

Fear not, IT, fear not. But I wouldn't share personal details on these threads either. Sheesh.

I, however, operate under no such constraint.

And so, let the world know that borkrules' personal email address is...

Freepermailme@ifyouwanttochat.com !!

Oops. Never mind.

[TLBSHOW]

To: TLBSHOW

I have personally praised most of the moderators, both publicly and privately.

Ask them.


298 posted on 9/6/02 1:09 PM Eastern by BADJOE

With all the posts, I almost missed this comment of yours.
Well I will tell you I am disgusted with them right now. Do they ever admit being wrong?

When one tells me a thread is wrong because Gannett News isn't a news source, makes me wonder how they even get a job like this.

But I guess the point I am making is being rude does not make for a good moderator.

Still they serve a purpose as I pointed out last November in my thread. I think? :)

[dubyagee]

Yes, I will. Gladly. However, they will not affect my judging.

Why you low down @#$@@3$#&^! Did you learn nothing from the Clinton administration?!! ; * )

[Hemingway's Ghost]

They had some interesting and creative ideas on how to use farm equipment to further foreign marital relations.

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

Darnit.. I don't have TIME!!! I really want that book too!!

Look, I was crying for gods sake!! SNOT was running down my face.. doesn't that count for ANYTHING???? Doesn't my attempt at humor previously (*around post 500 and then 600) count for anything??? I mean, I hung around for over 100 posts!!!!

Where is the love man?? (Now I REALLY REALLY have to go work out, but this is going to make me miss the deadline to win Lynn Cheney's book..and that makes me sad).

So much for being selected as the FREEPARIAN IDOL!!! ;o)

Later all!!

[FreeTheHostages]

You have until 5 p.m. TOMORROW. Not today. There is time.

(Snivelling does not count for or against you, by the way. ;)

[borkrules]

I can hear the avalanche of vicious spam cascading down already.

[FreeTheHostages]

Ok, re contest in post 651, yes:

If you have a list that you think is "politically sensitive" you may Freepmail rather than post. But, um, why bother? What if you won? Then everyone wouldn't be able to see why? Wouldn't that be embarassing?

[Focault's Pendulum]

I'ld like to 11:10 AM pacific for # 500 Am I logged on? That's a question for our resident logging expert, FP.

If you're having problems logging in...please Click Here

[dubyagee]

I'm ashamed to say I fell for that...

[Mudboy Slim]

"Too many nutcases, polyster pant-wearing, gotnothingbettertodothanbitch posers, armchair political geniuses, closet militia "colonels", would-be revolutionaries, fat, pasty white-assed young punks with severe to fatal cases of sophomoric delusions of grandeur, crotchety old farts who make time between rants at zoning board meetings about the Magna Carta and the Natural Rights of Man to come on FR and tell us all we're really leftists if we don't support Buchanan, and stilleto pump wielding, vacant-eyed worshipers of all-things-Bush."

Wish I'd said that...MUD

[Cultural Jihad]

That's just it ... he's complaining primarily about the POSTERS who give this site its flavor...

Funny I never saw BADJOE gripe about those who call traffic stops a 'Constitutional crisis' or those who claim Arlington National Cemetery is a 'socialist enterprise' or those who make light of or applaud or excuse cop-killers.

[ST.LOUIE1]

What you said! LOL

I love to FREEP.....in a protest, via email, letters, or polls!

And how! : )

[Neets]

HA!!!! hehehe..

[borkrules]

I feel your anonymity, I really do. I post things I think are sure to win the Pulitzer. Snores, crickets, hand-farts.

Hmmm? Sorry. Did you say something?

: )

[Dianna]

What I find interesting about this whole thread is that it is so typical of message boards. The old posters ALWAYS wax poetic over the "good ole days" before the newbies came and ruined everything.

Every few weeks someone posts a "goodbye cruel world", I'm leaving forever epic. People complain about the moderators playing favorites. And every once in awhile there is an exodus to some "better" place where we can really speak our minds...

Didn't know y'all had so much in common with "Mom's Online" from AOL. This must say something about human nature but I haven't figured out what that is. But to have anything in common with the commie mommies! We ought to be ashamed.