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.
Oh, how pathetic is this? So I suppose this is an example of your cherished "rational thought?" But at least you're (hopefully) not going to start your own opus.
The following response #55 from someone going by Leatherneck_MT is copied verbatim. I have highlighted the thread in bold.
But at a time when emotions are running high, Mr. DeLay needs to make clear that he is not advocating violence against anyone.”
Except when Judges are handing out edicts from on high to deprive the helpless of their Lives!
THAT is acceptable violence is it Teddy?
Resistance by force is also Acceptable!
55 posted on 04/01/2005 2:54:33 PM PST by Leatherneck_MT (3-7-77 (No that's not a Date))
Glad to see a death cultist like yourself go. I had already given up reading any of your posts. Thanks! You made my weekend a happy time. Personally, anyone and that includes you, who actively supported the starving of a handicapped person to death is beyond the pale. There are no excuses. I hope more of your death cult friends leave also.
Happy April Fool's Day!
Don't forget "intolerant," "right wing," "whacko," etc.
Same here. I figure it's because somebody's jealous that I don't have to lift my leg to pee.
Opra always happen in 3's.
Red
The error is obvious to me, jumping to the conclusion that DBR's comment about being a Christian was the same as endorsing the tenets of Cristian Identity.
It says more about PoohBah that he didn't make an effort to clear this up, instead choosing to draw a conclusion in the worst light without confronting DBR and obtaining a clarifying conversation. And then of all things, publishing the leap to conclusion as a (one of several) reason to opus. Jeez, Louise.
FR is addictive. This is part of a "re-handling" process where certain handles leave, but the person comes back under a new ID. Most people come back.
Ya mean he was sober sometimes????? (A+Bert)
Nam Vet
See, I'm a lover, not a fighter. I get a bad rap around here. :)
Hey, I hadn't heard. Which people of faith are no longer allowed to post in the religion forum?
Part of the point is when you do fight you don't call your spouse a Nazi and accuse them of being evil.
It also helps to stay grounded on terra firma and not take extreme flights of fancy untethered from reality and insist that's just as good as documented fact.
This isn't about his "ego". This is about someone who doesn't want to be associated with this forum anymore, and someone who wants his (very valid, imo) reasons made known.
I respect him. He will be missed.
Well, you certainly are right..I was trying to be nice...but, agreed, that what you said, is closer to the truth...thanks for saying that for me...
I saw that quote "Terri died for our sins" and saw some fairly significant theological problems with this little winner. I said nothing, and moved on. I'm not going to let this, sahll we say, flawed "esoterical" theological construct drive me from FR, however.
That was really a corker, however. Wow.
I seem to recall his making sense.....once.....
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