Posted on 04/01/2005 4:26:00 PM PST by Poohbah
First, this is NOT an April Fool's joke.
I am leaving Free Republic.
Over the past two years, civility and thoughtful discourse has vanished from this site, replaced with demands for ideological conformity that are straight out of Stalinist Russia or China's Great Cultural Revolution, and unrelenting uncivility if said conformance is not forthcoming. This trend began with the California recall election, where certain posters were allowed to flame the living beejezus out of those who didn't wholeheartedly support Tom McClintock, or thought that he wasn't running a campaign capable of winning. It extended into the Keyes campaign last year, where any critique of Keyes' campaign strategy was shrilly flamed, despite the obviously flawed execution of his campaign.
(Aside: one person who flamed me during the Keyes mess later said that he hadn't intended to start a fight with his remarks that accused me of homosexuality, pedophilia, and other evils; I was instantly reminded of the time I had to bail one of my Marines out of the local lockup. "Honest, Sarge," this Marine told me, "I didn't mean to start a fight when I called that Army Ranger a faggot." My response was not [and still isn't] suitable for public consumption.)
Since then, the Terri Schiavo case has pushed FR over the edge. We had posts calling for people to ensure that "accidents" to befall Schiavo and Judge Greer. We had posts praying that Iran would soon develop nuclear weapons, so that they could destroy the United States. And until the FBI started making arrests, those posts were allowed to stay up, completely abnegating Free Republic's standards.
We had people on both sides of the issue point out that the Schindlers were associating with some people of extremely low character, and that our uncritical embrace of these parties would not rebound to our favor. Rather reasonable attitudes to take, actually; but the loudest of the loud were in no mood to think.
My personal favorite was the following exchange:
The issue is not legality, but public opinion. Which will not be helped in this case if the pro-Terry side becomes associated in the media with Christian Identity, white supremicists, neo-nazis, racists and/or anti-semites.
Diva Betsy Ross made a valiant attempt to...ahem...whitewash Christian Identity, but it didn't work.
To top things off, we had people embracing as some sort of conservative icon, to the extent of posting a fundraising link.
I always thought that conservatism valued thinking over feeling, careful contemplation of facts over wild-eyed repetition of every damn rumor to come down the pipe, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. For a while, Free Republic met those criteria in spades.
Those days are long gone, and I have serious doubt as to whether or not they're coming back.
I know that many of the usual suspects will cheer this on, as their longtime nemesis is leaving them the field.
Be careful what you wish for; you are in the process of getting it. You may succeed in driving the folks who disagree with you from the site; but you will end up being just another collection of shrill voices in Bedlam. When everything is an over-the-top scream, no one will be heard.
Farewell.
When the absurd namecalling starts the chance of discussion has gone. You were so upset because you believed the ridiculous lies the Schindler camp was spreading. The widespread inability to see through them caused enormous emotional reactions across the board here. But when there is a conviction that MS tried to kill Terri initially then the realm of reality has been left behind.
You allowed your emotions to convince you that this case was unique when it is a commonplace and thousands of patients like this are being removed from the various life supports every day.
Glug!
I miss Jethro Tull, he was cool.
I just saw somebody talking about Jethro the other day.......but I can't remember where. Bert came back here for a bit with a nick with "snake" in it I think.......I don't think he lasted very long.
I miss A+
Did.
Our paper actually had an article how this could cost us on Social Security -- was less than happy when I read it and got disgusted all over again.
I think the speed at which FR has devolved has actually made me rethink participating in forums at all.
At least offline if someone really ticks you off you can just never speak to them again.
On FR one is faced with words of the same vexing vermin repeatedly. And a virtual slap isn't as cathartic as a real one.
Kinda like a bad t.v. program you can never turn off.
I've come to know some very cool people on here, sadly that doesn't outweigh the ferocity of the more farout freepers.
When you do be sure to use an internet condom.
Good Lord....don't tempt us! :o)
yea, I post my real name Jim Shirreffs, very now and then just to remind myself that NO ONE is really anonymous on the net.
You can already see the propaganda campaign starting though the Pope's death is slowing it.
It is a real tragedy but also another reminder that the biggest threat to a victorious party is over reaching which provokes the mass of the public to turn on it.
"What the Gods would destroy they first make mad."
And all this time I thought he was set up....
Seriously I was obsessed with that trial and it was huge awakening to me
Exactly. The conservatives never, ever fail to snatch "defeat" from the jaws of victory.
Too late!
True -- but most people are anonymous in real life.
Do you remember that thread, eddie?
"Please do not ping Arthur McGowan" or something like that. It was so sad, like "How Have We Become a Nation of Dumbies?"
I posted the article when I was elected Vice Chairman of the Cleveland County GOP with my name just recently -- several times on here when I have written a vanity, I will post my own name.
Sorry, that one I don't remember!
I have deleted many of my own posts after previewing. ;)
Dont forget other great posters like CGEB!
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