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.
It's changed that much to you in four days?
Dang, he was good. So was A+Bert....especially when he was drunk....
For what it's worth- I would rather see people like you leave since you don't know what you are talking about.
Don't do that...where am I going to get my daily dose of tongue in cheek posts?
Now that was entertainment. Unlike this, which is at best moderately amusing.
I haven't noticed you with twisted knickers or anything since you've been around. Just a great attitude! :)
See your #198?
Yes, worth a repeat.
- - - -
To: .38sw; Poohbah; hchutch; Jim Robinson
I've seen more Nazi references in the past couple of weeks than I can count. It's beyond disgraceful.
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.
198 posted on 04/01/2005 4:59:25 PM PST by Wolfstar (If you can lead, do it. If you can't, follow. If you can't do either, become a Democrat.)
The problem is that the zealots here did nothing but call us nazis.
You should have seen some of the crap I got because I believed the Guardian Ad Litem's report rather than the Schindler propaganda.
I know I've disagreed with you and hchutch on some things in the past but I've found myself agreeing with more of your posts, especially as it pertains to Keyes and especially this debacle in Florida. I have found myself labeled more than a few things over this deal and it is disgusting what has been allowed to stand as debate, especially the veiled threats against those like Greer and Schiavo. I hope this is just a break for you both but if not it's been good speaking with you and I appreciate your responses in the past
Mob hysteria, extremism and general stupidity have always been transient qualities of FR.
IMHO Jim lets them run their course but not get established.
There were plenty of thoughtful posts in favor of Terri.
Take a break like I did and come back looking for something beside idiots and you'll find them.
Not that dificult, I've been thru as many wars as Poo, and I am usually on the side getting there butt kicked, it really simple, do not persoally attack anyone, respond to content not style, and don't let trolls bait you into a flame war. Do that and we will not be reading your opus. I like poo, but he was very big on putting others and thier views down in a personal way. Poor style IMHO. Oh one other thing, HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR! And admit mistakes. Jeeez.
Welcome to FR.
I missed it all.
I'm glad I gave up FR for lent.
Sorry to see you leave.
You weren't looking very hard then...
It's not 'hung.' It's 'hanged.' No, Coop, I'll be moving along shortly. But I haven't decided exactly when.
Darnit, you can't see the posts of someone who has been banned... I wanted to dig one of OWK's old opii out of the archives for a good laugh.
'Cause I love you,
yes I love you,
oh, how I love you.
Gazing at people
some hand in hand
just what I'm going though
they can't understand.
Some try to tell me
thoughts they cannot defend
just what you want to be
you'll be in the end.
And I love you,
yes I love you,
oh, how I love you.
Nights in white satin
never reaching the end.
Letters I've written
never meaning to send.
Beauty I'd always missed
with these eyes before.
Just what the truth is
I can't say anymore
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