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.
Rush Limbaugh is an INSANE CULTIST??
If she was PVS with no cognitive ability as claimed by MS, Felos, and your side, HOW ON EARTH COULD SHE BE SUFFERING BY LAYING THERE?
"It was hilarious... some Freepers missed the first thread, and when they saw the "Jim Robinson Go To Heaven" thread title they thought JR died!"
Oh I bet that was funny--guess posts like that aren't saved in the archives-- are they?
The Republican Party has had a pro-life platform for, what, almost 25 years, and you just noticed it now?
Naw, you can't say that. The worst opus I ever saw was by somebody that had joined up the day before and nobody even knew who he was.
Let's explore this and see if there is a kinder way to put it.
Abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide, mercy killing.....
hmmmmm....nope. Sorry. Culture of death seems to fit, perfectly. IMO
You completely sidestepped and ignored the main point I was making. Once again, you claimed evil pro-lifers wanted her to lay there and suffer for 10,20,30 years. If she was PVS with no cognitive ability as claimed by MS, Felos, and your side, HOW ON EARTH COULD SHE BE SUFFERING BY LAYING THERE?What's the point? To make you feel good? Is her life to continue in suspended animation for the benefit of others? I'm sorry, but I find it sickening. And even worse if there was any part of her mind left that could have reminded her of what life was like before she was imprisoned in that shell. I think it's bizarre any religious person would feel it compassionate to keep her here and away from heaven as long as they possibly can. And that's why I think pro-life has become a religion unto itself.
Why don't you just come clean and explain your pathological hatred towards 'religious' people? We're you an former alter boy and had a bad experience?
Let's explore this and see if there is a kinder way to put it. Abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide, mercy killing..... hmmmmm....nope. Sorry. Culture of death seems to fit, perfectly. IMOProving my point, life trumps suffering everytime for the pro-life cultist. And I've never said a word about abortion.
Well, if you ever decide to post an opus, ping me and I'll bump your thread a few dozen times. It's the least I could do for a freeper that signed up within a month of me. I mean, civility isn't completely dead!
:o)
The Republican Party has had a pro-life platform for, what, almost 25 years, and you just noticed it now?I always considered it had to do with abortion not to open up living wills for dispute. If you haven't noticed, all the arguments brought up by the pro-lifers on the Terri Shiavo case could be made against any living will.
Who's suffering? Terri? Was she?
Never mind....I promised myself not to get involved in this again. It's a religious thing for me, and I don't want to offend.
Have a nice day....and life
Not true...
lol - thanks! Hopefully my opus is a long way off, God willing :)
id·i·ot·ic pronunciationadj. 1. Showing foolishness or stupidity. 2. Exhibiting idiocy.Am I an idiot? No. You are free to disagree with me but you don't have to call me an idiot.
rant
Was I loud? no. no caps.
Vehement? Let's see.
ve·he·ment
- intensely emotional; impassioned; heated.
- extremely forceful, vigorous, or energetic; very strong.Nope, not vehement.
Also, I wasn't "enthusiastically" defending anyone and I don't have "groupie pals". I don't think I've ever conversed with nopardons before. I was simply stating an observation. I even used a generic term, "The poster", to describe that observation. Perhaps if I had used a winky face, ;), when I addressed you, you would have had a different interpretation of my post. Take care.
Not true...
Which is not true...that pro-life was always intended to be about abortion and living wills? Or that the arguments raised against Michael Shiavo can't be used against a living will? For instance, a surrogate designated by a living will, who happens to be the husband, can be disputed if an affair takes place after the patient became mentally and physically incapacitated? Or that artificial feeding isn't really artificial? Or a persistent vegetative state may not be a persistent vegetative state? I think it's true either way.
Show where she had a living will.
Give links.
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