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.
LOL
I miss having little ones around.
There's a blast from the past.
I always liked sneakypete's posts, and we had some good discussions. Whether I agreed or disagreed with what he wrote, he always just calls them as he sees them, and I respect that.
Is that a metal or plastic bucket?
That's uncalled for...under any circumstances.
Me too for the most part. Is tpaine still around?
=== on sonogram sight than men.
You are never going to believe this ... I found articles from a Harvard database, looks like, that says they can select for sex by the FOURTH or EIGHTH CELL!!!
Is that not fascinating? I mean, when we live in a world where lesbians can purposefully select deaf girls to better match their two deaf Mommies, I should have known!
But maybe I've just been a little confused somehow by all the "Scientific" pro-aborts who discount personhood (for the first trimester, certainly) because, brain waves aside, the sex organs aren't even developed yet.
Appearances ... appearances.
All been a Big Lie, it seems. I'm sure the Scientific sorts were hip to the truth the whole time as opposed to lunkheads like me who argue the case on principle and Enduring Truth as opposed to minutia, abstract concepts and feelings.
I hread that soooo much when I was a newbie here that I did! You can find it here
poo feel free to use it.
I am called a dirtbag and I respond. How are I wrong?
Guess our party is winding down...Enjoyed it!
I sorta miss him although I've had some late night flames wars with him.
Night, Petronski
Aside from the obvious grammatical errors, it's best to ignore insults. Talking about a "list" and someone else being on it is dialing the hostility level way up.
poo, was pretty good at dishing it out, by the way.
Nam Vet
Aren't we all? :-)
Not too many of us don't give as good as we get.
Loved it. ;)
Their political reactions are not going to work out for the good. And where actually believed indicate a sentimentality that is difficult to comprehend.
It is commonly claimed that he tried to kill her to begin this if you don't believe that good.
However these other matters are irrelevent to the major points of corruption by the judge, the lawyer, Michael, the hospice, the doctors which are claimed as well as the false claim that the courts were acting inappropriately.
He didn't remove any family members but would not allow the brother to be there for which I can't blame him. Why allow people who call you a murderer to use the moment as another chance to vilify him and endanger his life through intemperate remarks?
Your opinion of the actual legal evidence is far too dependent upon the claims of those without any real knowledge. Some of whom are laughingstocks.
Nor do you understand the action of Congress and its limits.
The courts responded properly regarding it. You need to examine the meaning of de novo.
Here is a little fact of life in counties where judges are elected- they receive campaign contributions from lawyers. It would not surprise me to learn that this lawyer contributed to Greer's opponent's campaign as well. But even if not such a contribution does not buy the judge's opinion in a matter like this no one seriously believes he could have ruled any differently without just making law up as he went along. Felos was enriched by the incessant suing of the Schindlers. Schiavo would have been much happier not to have to defend himself from their assaults and use the money for other things.
Who really believes Terri would have said "Oh, MIke if I ever become brain dead please keep me alive as long as there is a flicker of life no matter the cost no matter if I will ever be me again." This was a beautiful young lady when this happened and having buried another beautiful young lady of my own know just how much looks mean to them.
And being what they were.
PB you are 100% right. It is too bad.
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