Poohbah's Opus

Vanity of vanities, all is vanity, sayeth Qohotoleth... | 01 April 2005 | Poohbah

[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:

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To: Old Professer

Is being a christian identity sympathizer, a white supremicist, a neo-nazi, a racist or an anti-semite illegal activities in themselves?

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.

212 posted on 03/17/2005 11:05:13 AM PST by malakhi

[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 211 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]

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To: malakhi

There is absolutely nothing wrong with Terri's fight being associated with Christianity. That is unless someone is a radical leftist.

229 posted on 03/17/2005 12:02:29 PM PST by Diva Betsy Ross

[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 212 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]

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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.

[malakhi]

Is being a christian identity sympathizer, a white supremicist, a neo-nazi, a racist or an anti-semite illegal activities in themselves?

[Diva Betsy Ross]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with Terri's fight being associated with Christianity. That is unless someone is a radical leftist.

[thoughtomator]

Hmm... well, you're not wordy enough to have been Arator or OWK... not derisive enough to be either Mojo or Navigator... not stodgy enough to be DonMorgan... not annoying enough to be Ash...

You're not "The Dreaded..."???

[Types_with_Fist]

This is the MOTHER OF ALL OPUSES! did i spell that right?

As per our tradition... there has been much disagreement on this...:-)

[Darksheare]

JohnGalt?

[jla]

Pretty interesting comments posted here from a supposed adult who leads a vendetta against an 18 yr old girl. Are you still messaging folks here and welcoming them to the "[name deleted by me] IS A FRAUD AND A MORON CLUB"*?

* CAPS used in the Freepmail I rec'd.

[expatguy]

I suppose the bright side is that we are all in agreement that we disagree?

[xJones]

And I still don't know what "pinging" really is or how it is done.

It's a miracle! Arthur, you're still a virgin.:)

[68 grunt]

As far as I am concerned you are the whole problem.

I disagree! Sinkspur has been around a long time and he and I are often on opposite sides in opinion. His debate is civil and attempts to employ calm rationale. Yours, on the other hand, are shrill and you protest way too much. I question your bonafides.

[thoughtomator]

ping

[68 grunt]

Hildy, Hildy, Hildy ~ they seek to alienate, to distort, to divide.

[thoughtomator]

As per our tradition... there has been much disagreement on this...:-)

Including the perennial disagreement as to whether the proper plural form of "opus" is opuses, opii, or opera...

[Types_with_Fist]

I thought "opra" was a choice as well...

[thoughtomator]

Well, we'll just have to disagree on that.



=)

[Figment]

Take your ball and go home crybaby

[68 grunt]

Awww, I was just mentioning your calm responses and all ... :)

This jerk is simply an example of a devil's advocate, being as ugly and vicious as the worst stereotype.

[expatguy]

"The Passion of the Opus" - 2 hours of a FReeper being crucified on his own self-pitying thread"

LMFAO

[expatguy]

Ahhh yes, sinkspur - that name is familar.

[sinkspur]

The poster in question was a hit-and-run poster, if you'll look at his history. He didn't post a thing on the TS threads, but just slithered in to take a shot at Poohbah.

[DCPatriot]

I was around before you and sinkspur, dummy. Guess who I was.

Uhhhh...Lucifer?

[FBD]

The first sign of an impending nervous breakdown is taking oneself or one's own opinions/views too seriously.
Good luck finding a political/philosophical discussion forum, where everyone agrees with your POV.

Until you find that magical and wondrous place...:

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"One evening as the sun went down and the jungle fire was burning
Down the track came a hobo hiking and he said boys I'm not turning
I'm headin for a land that's far away beside the crystal fountains
So come with me we'll go and see the Big Rock Candy Mountains

In the Big Rock Candy Mountains there's a land that's fair and bright
Where the handouts grow on bushes and you sleep out every night
Where the boxcars are all empty and the sun shines every day
On the birds and the bees and the cigarette trees
Where the lemonade springs where the bluebird sings
In the Big Rock Candy Mountains

In the Big Rock Candy Mountains all the cops have wooden legs
And the bulldogs all have rubber teeth and the hens lay soft boiled eggs
The farmer's trees are full of fruit and the barns are full of hay
Oh, I'm bound to go where there ain't no snow
Where the rain don't fall and the wind don't blow
In the Big Rock Candy Mountains

In the Big Rock Candy Mountains you never change your socks
And the little streams of alcohol come a-trickling down the rocks
The brakemen have to tip their hats and the railroad bulls are blind
There's a lake of stew and of whiskey too
You can paddle all around 'em in a big canoe
In the Big Rock Candy Mountains

In the Big Rock Candy Mountains the jails are made of tin
And you can walk right out again as soon as you are in
There ain't no short handled shovels, no axes saws or picks
I'm a goin to stay where you sleep all day
Where they hung the jerk that invented work
In the Big Rock Candy Mountains

I'll see you all this coming fall in the Big Rock Candy Mountains"

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.You'll be back.

[68 grunt]

... I'm not much on conspiracy/paranoia stuff, but I think it happens more than we might realize.

Subtlety in a plant is directly proportional to their success. I have long questioned your bonafides.