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.
Perhaps, but posting a farewell opus to an internet forum must rank pretty high up in the list of "Quick and Easy Ways to Lose Peoples' Respect".
You joined FR only 6 days ago, how would you know?
But I do hope your tender feelings heal within the next 4 or 5 years. Poor baby.
Whenever this place gets to be too much, I just shut 'er down for a few weeks or months. I have thus "fasted" FR a dozen times.
After these past few weeks,it may be time for another such break for a month or more.
He's a he. :)
I just think the Bush brothers were "reached" when it came to the Schiavo matter because they were both poised to act then suddenly shut up, sat down, feet on the floor, hands folded neatly in their laps.
Frankly, I'd rather see people like you leave than him.
my signup date is cooler than your's newbie ; )
That isn't going to affect my settings and stuff is it?
It better not, or I will be sad.
fofl!
Now there's a guy who needed just a wee more thorzine 
Shouldn't this be entitled, "Poohbah's Coda". "Opus" means a work, usually musical. A coda is a concluding passage either of a musical work (opus) or of a speech or statement.
My point is that if you are going to misuse the language then by all means go away. : )
As a neutral observer, non-Californian, I thought I saw more people that were in the pro-Arnold camp flaming the living bejezus out of the McClintock fans than the other way around ... but, cest la vie ...
This place has lost a lot of good posters, some that I agree with and some that I don't. But every loss hurts, especially among the veterans, and may or may not be filled with a newbie that is of equal caliber.
I hope you will reconsider after a time off. Don't get your name and posts nuked ... just go away and breath the air for a while ... you may want to come back some day.
Either way, Semper Fi.
That is exactly right ... I have noticed that a lot of newbies have been stirring the pot ... perhaps there is an agenda ... either way I've never known Poohbah to be a quitter ... though he and I have had a couple of words, I still very much respect him and ...
Poohbah I would reconsider this opus ... now is the time that we need the old-time posters to help keep our heads straight
Nam Vet
You've been here for 5 days and feel compelled to tell us that?
Owk thought us....the plural of opus is opra.
Poohbah, when long-time participants like you are driven from the site, FR has a very serious problem. I've been around at least as long as you, and have to agree with much of your "opus."
.38sw, I also agree with your comments. The level of discourse -- if it can even be characterized as discourse -- lately on FR regarding the Schiavo case has been extremely ugly. I don't even know what to call them -- hard right, far right, religious zealots, trolls, whatever -- but the incredible intolerance, vicious invective, dangerous incitement to violence, etc., on display from people who claim to be acting in the name of Jesus profoundly disgusts me.
Our nation has spent the last 3 1/2 years fighting Muslim religious extremism. Thousands of our citizens and troops have been killed. We've witnessed beheadings, car bombings, and other vicious acts in the name of Allah. In my opinion, what we have witnessed on FR recently is but precursor behavior -- a few small steps away from the behavior of radical Islamists.
Even someone such as myself, raised a Roman Catholic and, as a consequence, in sympathy with concerns over the husband's conflict of interest, whether or not removal of nourishment and liquid in this and comparable cases is appropriate, and so on, found myself being vilified simply because I have tried to raise questions and challenge intellect rather than to join with those I'll call the Schiavo extremists.
I won't leave the forum. However, I also think that a line has been crossed here and we can never go back. The very thing that scares most centrist Americans about the religious right of the Republican Party was on full display here. This time, it has not only repulsed the vast middle of the country, but many Republicans and conservatives as well.
You have been one of the very few voices of reason on this board since the three ring circus erupted in Florida.
I for one will be sorry to see you go.
Take care...
My point is, this is an opinion forum on the internet. If one's self-worth and/or ego is tied up in that, well.....that's obsessive.....and sad.....
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.