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.

[monkeywrench]

Yup, the poohsters gone, for now. Bet he'll reincarnate. He'll out himself easily, though, as he just can't help himself.

[griffin]

Didn't know we were talking about me.

[MEG33]

http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3767c25f2f0f.htm
Man Arrested For Hitting Girlfriend With Fish


http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/553341/posts
How Have We Become a Nation of Dumbies?
FreedomFriend | 10/21/01 | Freedom Friend

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1006692/posts
How many freepers does it take to change a light bulb?

Then there were some of us discussing great issues last night ;)

[Scenic Sounds]

I hate to see anyone become so uncomfortable here that they feel the need to leave. The only respectable way to leave this place is to be tossed out! LOL.

Come back! All is forgiven!! No more fighting!!! ;-)

[griffin]

:) For some.....i've caught a few....alot of whining. Can figure out why anyone would not want to leave the option open to participate in a public forum....but choose to very publicly stomp out....unless, like was stated before, they take themselves and the forum WAY to seriously. Guess thats the way it is with people like phoo who post 100+ times a day throughout the year.

[Allosaurs_r_us]

"The reality is that politics (and the discussion of it) is a bare knuckled, contact sport. Those who don't understand that either need to or quit and take up knitting."

 

Well put! If you can't stand the heat get out'a the fire.........It just aint personal. After all, a keyboard removes most people's inhibitions. Most of these people would never say it to your face! At least not to mine. I would take it personal if they did, but at 6' and 235 that rarely happens. LOL (it's a joke son, (before I start getting the flames fanned for being a bully))

 

 Although it is the truth, most have a need for self preservation. After a fifth of Johnny Walker Red Label, I pretty much loose my sense of humor and I don't post on the FR. Perhaps there are those that need to take this little tidbit of advice.

[ozzymandus]

He got 1700 replies, whether you think it makes sense or not.

[Dog Gone]

There have been some awesome entertaining threads here in the past. Those are certainly three of them.

[Dog Gone]

Yes, he did, and I'm not bitching about it.

[xJones]

Conservatives and the Republican Party entertaining such arguments disturb me to no end. This is enough to make me seriously consider leaving the GOP and becoming independent.

Hang in there for the discussion. A whole lot of conservatives and Republicans, such as myself, now have living wills for such a terrible possibility. Running from the debate at this time is ridiculous. And besides, where would you go? The Democrats or some 3 party with no real voice? Stay and fight for your own life choices, if for no other reason.

[TexKat]

Thanks for the ping Meek. Hope to see you later Poohbah.

[griffin]

Yeah, when he sees that JimRob hasn't closed down the site since he made his exit, or incorporated a big 'everyone must agree and bow down to phooie's ego' rule....and that life for everyone goes on just the same (well, maybe alot better) since his departure....the incentive might be there to come back under a grand entrance ceremony to further stroke his ego and receive attention.

[Stultis]

What the hell is going on with all these people leaving.

I think in the present case, and many others, a freeper gets embroiled in debate with a certain faction, group, or even just one or a few individual freepers, and then generalizes the faction's attributes to the site as a whole, or comes to see them as intolerably tolerated, or myopically overestimates their influence.

[firequarrel]

I think Rush and most Freepers supporting Terri would have been on the side of the husband if he wasn't in an adulterous relationship

Having listened to Rush since before the first Gulf War I can say without hesitation that Rush is consistent. His view on not ending Terri Shiavo's life was strictly on his belief in the sanctity of life. He was for her picking up her cross and suffering another 10, 20, 30 years in that state all for his belief. Culture of death--that's a term Rush coined, not the Pope (AFAIK). I heard him a little over the past couple of weeks where he used the argument that she had no living will but then made snide remarks about her being starved to death--an affront to all living wills. Rush is proudly in the pro-life camp regardless of how much suffering must be endured. Like I said, I knew Rush believed this. It took Terri Shiavo to show just how far he would take it.

[Allosaurs_r_us]

"I didn't say you called anyone evil"

 

No?

 

"That doesn't make them evil"

 

This is from post 1682. It insinuates that I inferred it.

 

"Why do you care if people walk away or not? If it bothers you, YOU walk away."

 

I gotta question for ya "Ace". Why do you think this thread is raising the passion for so many? I think we can agree most here are just friggin tired of it. Some of the threads you are referring to look more like DU than FR. We are proud of the fact we don not act like that. Is it too terribly difficult for you to realize where this is heading? Of course it is!

 

 "I just don't see what the big deal is that people disagree, vehemently, and seemingly forever without "resolving it""

 

This says it all doesn't it..........Aside from just wasting bandwidth what purpose does this provide? If you haven't noticed we are in a drive for money to perpetuate the site. All of this rambling does nothing but cost Jim money. Or I suppose that little fact never crossed your mind. Is it insane to think about something other than one's self serving interests?

[MrDem]

and that life for everyone goes on just the same (well, maybe alot better) since his departure..

That's not making the OPUS writer feeling very significant. Maybe this will...

Why are the Patsies feeling happy all of a sudden? Because now, there's someone below them in the 'percentile pecking order'. LOL!

Patsie - .05% club
Opus writers - 0.000005% club (1 or 2 out of 200,000 members)

[MrDem]

myopically overestimates their influence

That's the best summary in a nutshell that's been posted.

[Allosaurs_r_us]

"Enough already with all of these 'ACTIVIST FREEPERS'! This is not RinoRepublic or ModerateRepublic or O'ReillyRepublic or AtheistRepublic!"

 

It appears not many are taking your advice, much to the dismay of many!

[expatpat]

some people like to debate

The problem is not those who debate -- it is those who like to 'argue' with invective, instead of logic. Face it, some people like to pick fights -- they should have their own separate forum, somewhere else than FR.

[Allosaurs_r_us]

"I think in the present case, and many others, a freeper gets embroiled in debate with a certain faction, group, or even just one or a few individual freepers, and then generalizes the faction's attributes to the site as a whole, or comes to see them as intolerably tolerated, or myopically overestimates their influence."

"Self appointed important" This is a phrase I have used over the years to describe of few of my employees who have decided they know better than the whole. Seems you have exactly the same interpretation I do. LOL