When I first saw this thread I kinda felt sorry for you. But it seems you burned your bridges here and I find it ironic that you are being sued for what you apparently threatened to sue Free Republic for, i.e., unauthorized posting of copyrighted pictures. Irony.
While I sympathize with your plight and I think that your copyright infringment was clearly within the "fair use" exclusion to copyright law, there's a lesson to be learned here. I could probably come up with some old proverb that would cleverly and succinctly explain that lesson, but then if I posted it, it might be copyrighted and I might get sued.
I am so sorry things turned out this way. Unpleasant things can be said in the heat of the moment.
Everyone should know that Registered’s work had a profound mark on the 2000 election.
I am just sorry there cannot be a healing.