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]

Irrational religious zeal trumps reason and the products of thought. Wittness the twin towers, same phenomena different zealots.

You win the prize for most ridiculous post of the thread! Congrats! Yes! Defending a woman's right to life is the same as flying passenger airplanes into cities!

*boggle*

[FreedomSurge]

"You are not worth it."

Why would anyone care what you think? You are obviously a panty waist who can neither engage in reasoned discourse nor rough and tumble.

Given the number of wimps that are polluting FR, I going to buy Kleenex stock.

Boo Hoo. What a puss.

[Fester Chugabrew]

. . . and try to insinuate you are a racist all at the same time.

I bet you called Jeb Bush a murderer, too.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

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

[PoorMuttly]

Don't run....BITE !

It works for me.

[ex-snook]

"#2. Have you seen the posts about Nazis and murderers? Those posts would not have stood on FR a month ago. '

Nah. For years posters were referring to Buchanan as a Nazi and nothing happened to them. In fact it still appears just about everytime a Buchanan article is posted.

[Mo1]

Btw, gotten any better at that cake bakin' thang ?

Yep ... I go to the bakery

Gotta keep the economy going ya know :0)

[Bald Eagle777]

Whoa thre.... I missed the pro-Iranian posts and some of the other material. Did pro-Iranian elements really post items that contemplated nuclear attack on the US???

Say it's not so

[DCPatriot]

Bump to your #121, Gunrunner2.

[anniegetyourgun]

I calls 'em as I sees 'em! Seriously, I'd rather the handful of vipers would opus out than folks like Poohbah.

[Torie]

Thanks. Diplomacy helps a lot too. Use that, and you will rarely get flamed, no matter what your views (within reason). The point is to offer up ideas and facts and analysis for others to consider, not to win debates. Do that, and you will have a long and enjoyable half life on FR, in my opinion. The other road can lead to hurt feelings, frustration, and anomie, culminating in well, an "opus."

[Hildy]

I have tied to have civil debates here and I usually use humor, but it always ends up with someone calling me a Nazi.

[FreeReign]

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.

I think you're on to something. There was a whole bunch of reachin' going on out dar.

The Bush brothers were "reached". The subsequent feet on the floor with neatly folded hands in laps was a dead give away.

Poobah | Opus | Snipet: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

[arasina]

Dag nab it anyway, Poohbah. Don't leave forever; just take a break for awhile. FR is surely not going to continue the way it has been for the past several weeks. Except if good people like you leave, it'll feel too much like DU around here.

[sinkspur]

Well, obviously I will miss you, since you're my soul brother.

But, I'm staying. The fringers have been driven out of the religion forum.

News/activism is next.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

Not one time. Nice try tho.

[Hildy]

That will be the day when liberals will corrupt Jim.

I don't even understand what that means.

[Texas_Jarhead]

"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 ..."

That is exactly my recollection as well. McClintock supporters were typically gang pummeled. If memory serves that tactic was rather effective.

[bjs1779]

: )

[DCPatriot]

And remember, "facts" don't matter, or so we've been told.

;^)