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.
Poohwho? Get over yourself.
I couldn't quit laughing on that thread -- think half of the Freepers pinged him.
Ping me if you ever start making sense.
I won a case of beer on that trial by predicting the outcome.
I'm quite certain OJ killed them both, but I KNEW they hadn't proved it to the jury.
Really?? I think he was murdered, also......
Is that ever apropos!
How would you have had the Republicans handle the Terri Shiavo case?
I never really thought I would live to see an example of it.
Do you remember "How Have We Become a Nation of Dumbies?"
The author was so ernest in his desire to discuss problems in education, but it quickly became a 500 post thread on the ironically bad spelling of "Dumbies" (dummies). The original poster became quite desperate: "stop it! this is serious!"
Hysterical!
Nam Vet
I must admit I pinged him.....may God have mercy on my soul.
JimRob's been more than fair with me. On the other hand, I've been banned twice from DU......within minutes.
You going third party?
:o)
I've been banned from DU, too!
WHO WAS LOOKING FOR A NAME FOR A RECORD COMPANY. I HAVE THE PERFECT NAME!
I pulled a muscle I laughed so hard at that thread.
Ah...the site with the name of a weak white boy rap group from the suburbs of Detroit....while claiming the city.
EDDIE!!!!
How you been, babeee!
I refuse to "get in the spirit" of a Poobah opus because I fully expect the bastard back by (checking watch ...) 11:37 Saturday evening ...
OR ELSE.
I have had my disagreements with Poohbah but he's impressed me more than once with his patience and civility when -- initially at loggerheads -- he drove home a point or two to me, even, and schooled me on some stuff I didn't know as a bonus.
NO ONE offers to continue checking their FReepmail without asking for an itch they're going to have to scratch eventually.
All I ask is that he return as "Poohbah" (or "Grand Poohbah") because I really don't understand folks who stealth-change their names for no good reason and sorta mistrust them ever after.
The Congress and Bush should not become involved.
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