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.

[k2blader]

You make a good point. It is about what was done to Terri.

[sinkspur]

What I noticed about many of the posters who supported the starvation death was that they went ballistic when the "process" was compared to Nazism.

Nobody here supported "the starvation death." You're Exhibit B, part of the problem.

[Coop]

No, go back and try again.

[Bob J]

"So when has it ever gone uphill?"

Heheh, good one. I do, however, have to respond with "constantly".

[MrDem]

If we can get through Elian, we can get through Terri.

Huh? Was there a 75/25 split over whether he should be murdered? Did I miss that?

[Happygal]

He's a good and decent man.

I think he's pretty wise to, and allows us our transgressions.

[visualops]

I don't post on alot of the DUFU threads, usually bad timing, the a.m. edition I'm at work, and I often don't have time to do more than skim through the juicy parts. I love them though.
The ZOT threads I used to post ALOT. In fact I created some good pics especially for them. Everyone seems to like the "one ping" pic. It got a little out of hand lol. You may know me better as the producer of the embroidered Viking Kitty patches.
I spent way more time on FR leading up to the election. Since then I've really had to cut back- I just have too much to do offline.

[lilmsdangrus]

go back and check all their posts.. its the same pattern over and over, and then they whine cuz they get called on it! amazing.

[PhiKapMom]

ROFLOL!!! You forgot about Arator!

[rwfromkansas]

I won't miss pooh, but I will miss hchutch. Good poster there.

[eddie willers]

Thank God you have not become a pod person, PKM.

But to be honest, very few of the freepers I have known for 6 years have.

Most of the radicals / agents provocateurs have a sign on date no earlier than 2004 or have climbed out of the religion forums where I never entered.

[sitetest]

Dear St. Johann Tetzel,

As I recall, sinkspur has been suspended more than once.

Yet, I've seen posters who attacked sinkspur with impunity. On the Religion Forum, he's taken plenty of abuse, and only rarely do the attackers get any time off.

I guess Teflon just isn't what it used to be.


sitetest

[DCPatriot]

Look MrDem.

I'm not mocking Jim Robinson in any way. Why would I do that?

No sir... I'm mocking you. You're motivations are clear as glass.

Get lost.

[FreeReign]

We've been fighting for radical religious people for 3-1/2 years. They'll cut your head off in a New York Minute.

Do religious people on average tend to cut off heads more often when they disagree than non-religious people?

[nopardons]

This is different!

[bjs1779]

Both of you are awfully brazen and cocky and full of yourselves. You openly mock the founder of the site for what he posts! And then mock again, as if you can't be touched?

He is a very patient person.

[Types_with_Fist]

Nobody here supported "the starvation death." You're Exhibit B, part of the problem.

I just disagree with you. I don't believe there were three ways to look at it.

[lilmsdangrus]

nah, he just calls it as he sees it, and the ones he's calling on don't like that.

[NeoCaveman]

He's a good and decent man. I think he's pretty wise to, and allows us our transgressions.

That's our Jim.

I'm also amazed that DU and LP haven't really picked up this thread yet. Of course CP has....

[PhiKapMom]

Very well stated!