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?

[Mudboy Slim]

That's very good, my FRiend...but, APPARENTLY, you must ping FreeTheHostages to be an official registrant...SHEEEEESH, rules, rules rules!!

FReegards...MUD

[FreeTheHostages]

Wow, I'd even think this was breaking news except, sigh, I think it would be unfair if not rude to actually direct people to this thread. Hee hee. (Although, like I say, it's been pretty funny since the 500 level.)

[FreeTheHostages]

yup, I got him at 724. All right, if you're adding to the kitty, I'll let them ping you too.

I wasn't sure you were serious. I thought one had to be DRUNK to part with a signed copy of an Ann Coulter book!

[justshe]

I kind of like him, tpaine.

He...at least on this thread...doesn't act like a colostomy bag towards those with whom he disagrees.

Others...now.....feel the need to have a mental bowel movement at the end of EVERY POST in order to attack others.

You know who you are.

[2Trievers]

Hey Babe ... dontchano .. this is THE place to be for ad hominem attacks. It's all so PRODUCTIVE.

Someone I admire greatly recently said, "People who are smart go to FreeRepublic. People who are really smart look around and leave." &;-)

[Mudboy Slim]

":::blowing on Mudboy to see if he falls over:::"

I'm assumin' yer gonna apologize fer that comment later on down the thread, so I shan't exert the Power of Rant!!

MUD

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

It's been kinda fun recently.

I hadn't had the opportunity to read that far. Maybe I should start at #500. : )

[Mudboy Slim]

"I'd even think this was breaking news..."

Not even close...MUD

[FreeTheHostages]

CONTEST, CONTEST!!! WITH ACTUAL REAL WORLD PRIZE!!

I am sponsoring a contest in this thread. Person who wins gets me to mail to them Lynne Cheney's new book, "America: A Patriotic Primer." And Mudboy Slim is adding to the kitty a SIGNED COPY OF ANN COULTER'S NEW BOOK. Gasp. Here's the contest: Come up with your own top ten list (and be sure to ping me with it) of

TOP TEN REASONS WHY (and here you have an option of themes)
(1) I'm Still Posting in This Thread
(2) I'm Still A Happy Freeper
(3) This Thread Scares Me

Contest closes at 5 p.m. EST Saturday, winner to be announced by 10 p.m. FreetheHostages and Mudboy Slim are the judges. FreetheHostages has final say if we don't agree. But we will.

Remember, this is a top ten list contest. Humor counts.

The judges remind participants that we will accept bribes gladly. However, they will not affect our judging. Yes, credit cards are acceptable.

So far, we have as entrants posts nos. 738, 736, 724, 680, and 667. FREEP ON!

[deport]

Some of us had to work today.

LOL..... well some have been working hard here also. You know bringing peace to the forum, to hell with the mea cupas of a couple of weeks ago. Yep, prolly reminds you of the school yard.....

[FreeTheHostages]

CONTEST, CONTEST!!! WITH ACTUAL REAL WORLD PRIZE!!

I am sponsoring a contest in this thread. Person who wins gets me to mail to them Lynne Cheney's new book, "America: A Patriotic Primer." And Mudboy Slim is adding to the kitty a SIGNED COPY OF ANN COULTER'S NEW BOOK. Gasp. Here's the contest: Come up with your own top ten list (and be sure to ping me with it) of
R TOP TEN REASONS WHY (and here you have an option of themes)
(1) I'm Still Posting in This Thread
(2) I'm Still A Happy Freeper
(3) This Thread Scares Me

Contest closes at 5 p.m. EST Saturday, winner to be announced by 10 p.m. FreetheHostages and Mudboy Slim are the judges. FreetheHostages has final say if we don't agree. But we will.

Remember, this is a top ten list contest. Humor counts.

The judges remind participants that we will accept bribes gladly. However, bribes will not affect our judging. Yes, credit cards are acceptable. So far, we have as entrants posts nos. 738, 736, 724, 680, and 667. FREEP ON!

[paulklenk]

TOP TEN REASONS WHY

I'm Still Posting in This Thread

10. I love yelling "RAT S**T!" on the Internet.
9. Although it's less exciting than picking my nose, there's still nothing else to do while I'm waiting for more boogers to accumulate.
8. If someone is desperate enough to post to this thread, they may actually read this list.
7. I can't leave work but am too tired to get anything else done.
6. It gives me a chance to spread rumors about BADJOE's flaming homosexual lifestyle.
5. I'm bored looking at pictures from last year's NYC Village Halloween Parade.
4. It's an opportunity to make one more enemy at Free Republic.
3. The GOP is paying me to do it (they will deny this, by the way).
2. If it entertains JimRob, my day hasn't been wasted.
1. Gives me an excuse to post my poem, "Plastic Pie":

Plastic pie, plastic pie,
Shot a spastic in the eye.
Jesus heal'd that spastic's eye!
Pretty, pretty plastic pie.

Still being,

[FreeTheHostages]

Not even close.

ROFL. ;) Ok, ok.

[tpaine]

-- colostomy bag -- mental bowel movement --
________________________________


Yep, -- you who are obssessed with crap, you know who you are.

[paulklenk]

I had connection problems for a moment; please accept my post (above) into the contest. Thank you very much.

Paul

[Mo1]

I got cab money.

OK then ..

How's that for starters???

[FreeTheHostages]

ROFL. Ok, we said humorous, not scarey! Acknowleding receipt of entry. Hee hee, things are heating up ever since Mudboy dropped Ann Coulter into the soup!

[MJY1288]

It's his calling card, I have never seen tpaine on a thread where he isn't hurling insults at people before he decides he's had enough and moves onto the next thread to repeat the same garbage day after day

[uglybiker]

You really are a disrupter. I get the impression that you live to see the end of this site.

I likes yew. Yer funny! nyuck, nyuck!