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Poohbah's Opus
Vanity of vanities, all is vanity, sayeth Qohotoleth... | 01 April 2005 | Poohbah

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:


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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
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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
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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.


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To: All

"Mr. Holland, we are your Opus, we are you symphony..."


981 posted on 04/01/2005 8:21:50 PM PST by rbmillerjr
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To: k2blader
No doubt. The MSM have lied to the public about this case from day one and the sheeple never bother to do any of their own research.
982 posted on 04/01/2005 8:22:08 PM PST by MrDem
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To: hosepipe

Hrrmmm... okay, can't really argue with that. *LOL*!


983 posted on 04/01/2005 8:22:28 PM PST by k2blader (The state sanctioned murder of Terri Shiavo happened on the Republicans' watch.)
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To: Texas_Jarhead

You are correct in perceiving that I believe his comments represent a threat of violence.


984 posted on 04/01/2005 8:22:29 PM PST by Wolfstar (If you can lead, do it. If you can't, follow. If you can't do either, become a Democrat.)
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To: thoughtomator

That's true -- some of the opus' have been really long and then shortly afterwards they would come back.


985 posted on 04/01/2005 8:22:54 PM PST by PhiKapMom
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To: Howlin

The only difference is back then there were fewer knives and backs...the bloodletting was the same...heheh.


986 posted on 04/01/2005 8:23:23 PM PST by Bob J (RIGHTALK.com...a conservative alternative to NPR!)
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To: rwfromkansas

Not me. Starving a disabled woman to death is wrong, no matter who wants to do it. IMO


987 posted on 04/01/2005 8:23:32 PM PST by Jrabbit
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To: Coop
Forget it! I'm done with trying to write on a low enough level for you to understand. Get someone to read and explain my posts to you;someone who actually has some reading comprehension skills, that is. ;^)
988 posted on 04/01/2005 8:23:33 PM PST by nopardons
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To: Poohbah

Two in one day...Would the correct term be "Opi"?


989 posted on 04/01/2005 8:23:39 PM PST by I'm ALL Right! (Welcome to my addiction.)
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To: sitetest

I "demonized" one poster who deserved demonizing.


990 posted on 04/01/2005 8:23:56 PM PST by sinkspur (I'm in the WPPFF)
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To: rwfromkansas

My experience in the religion forum has taught me that those who get banned are the ones who get themselves banned. There are many ways to get banned, and all of them require effort.

Mutual respect and discussion (contrasted with argument) are the way to go.


991 posted on 04/01/2005 8:24:01 PM PST by Petronski (I thank God Almighty for a most remarkable blessing: John Paul the Great.)
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To: k2blader

Pandora's box has been opened.


992 posted on 04/01/2005 8:24:03 PM PST by Bob J (RIGHTALK.com...a conservative alternative to NPR!)
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To: rwfromkansas

I agree with you on hchutch -- maybe he will come back!


993 posted on 04/01/2005 8:24:05 PM PST by PhiKapMom
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To: sinkspur
If that's "in favor of starvation," then I'll let the forum decide whether you've sized up the situation fairly.

Like I said, I disagree. But I don't think I'm "part of the problem." I think that the apparatus in place that deliberately starved another American citizen to death and the ones who have any question whether this is right or wrong are parts of the problem.

994 posted on 04/01/2005 8:24:12 PM PST by Types_with_Fist (I'm on FReep so often that when I read an article at another site I scroll down for the comments.)
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To: Hildy
we're being subjected to.

I can't BELIEVE what I am reading! if it is so AWFUL just close your eyes, walk away, click on another thread, heck go shopping online, grab a cup of coffee, read a book, pet your dog, whatever!

The hyperbole about this almost trumps the hyperbole about whichever issues are driving FReepers apart! Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

995 posted on 04/01/2005 8:24:37 PM PST by RushCrush (Ideas are like children: there are none so wonderful as your own.)
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To: dubyaismypresident

You spoke too soon:

BOB J weighs in - Elian was as bad for FR as Terri is now
Post Date: 2005-04-01 23:10:39 by TLBSHOW


996 posted on 04/01/2005 8:25:01 PM PST by Howlin
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To: MrDem

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

It was closer to 60-40.


997 posted on 04/01/2005 8:25:07 PM PST by Bob J (RIGHTALK.com...a conservative alternative to NPR!)
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To: thoughtomator

Yeah, well at least SOME people get to write Opuses (or opera as I have learned tonight)


998 posted on 04/01/2005 8:25:13 PM PST by Tribune7
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To: Bob J

I try to tell myself it would have been opened eventually.. Just didn't think it'd be so soon..


999 posted on 04/01/2005 8:25:20 PM PST by k2blader (The state sanctioned murder of Terri Shiavo happened on the Republicans' watch.)
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To: MrDem
No sir...the joke is on you...and your sophomoric attempt to bring about a confrontation.

Good night.

1,000 posted on 04/01/2005 8:25:25 PM PST by DCPatriot (Im a charter member in the WPPFF and Class of 98.)
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