Posted on 05/27/2011 10:36:25 AM PDT by Dr. Zzyzx
Freeper Friends,
I was saddened by JimRob's imperious pronouncement yesterday, and the ensuing comments & zots. Here's why. One of this site's primary pillars is the Bill of Rights which calls for Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, Right to a trial by jury. We believe in those things. We believe in them to the point of being willing to sacrifice our lives for them. And yet on this site, when a JimRob cuts people off for what they say or believe Freepers cheer him like Baghdad Bob would cheer Saddam Hussein! That's not America folks!
"He owns the site!" you say. Tell that to Steven Jobs who got dumped a few years ago from the company he started because he created an IPO to get financial support from others. Once JimRob started taking YOUR money, it became YOUR site. YOU provide the content, YOU provide the financing. Without YOU, Jim would be a lonely guy staring at a monitor in his den.
How can we say we want freedoms out one side of our mouths, and stand by and cheer as Jim zots dissenters in a way that would make medieval Europe's most dictatorial tyrants proud?
John Stuart Mill had the right approach--let all the ideas fight it out in the arena. If they're foolish ideas, they will eventually be seen as such. We don't have anything to fear from hearing someone else's point of view.
Now. In case you're wondering:
My membership date is actually one and a half years earlier than the November 1999 date shown. (Had to re-enlist because of computer and email trouble)
I was raised in Arizona but live in Utah. I fly the Arizona flag on my profile because I'm proud of their stance on immigration.
I’ve told anyone that will listen that I think Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman are shifty weasels.
I served on the city council and as the mayor of my community.
I played a part in the grassroots effort to throw Bob Bennett out of office, and hope soon to do the same to Orrin Hatch.
I waged a pitched battle in the newspapers and amongst my fellow teachers against the president, officers, and organization of the Utah Education Association, an arm of the NEA.
I became disenchanted with the Republican party after some of the things George Bush (though I admire his courage and determination) did that I felt were harmful to the financial well-being of America.
In other words, I'm not a newbie troll. I just have a genuine concern with how members are treated here, and you should too.
To save you the electrons of posting replies, I'll post them for you:
Jim owns the site, he can do what he wants.
ZOT!
Put on your asbestos suit.
Put on your tin foil hat.
Viking Kitties!
Don't let the door hit ya where the Good Lord split ya!
A cheese-eating moose bit my sister.
The folks with a “1” starting the year are the REAL ol’ timeers!
It has nothing to do with FR, the whole world has become more dumbed down! Texting, twittering, bookfacing, etc, have made it easier for people to have stupid, meaningless, ungrammatical communications.
That intellectual prowess is still here on FR. A lot of us are just too lazy to engage it fully.
Thats another thing come to think of it. So many younger people need bifocals these days, due in my opinion to all the little screens burning out our eyes!
That was my first point dip — that the owner of any enterprise had the right to run it the way they wanted to. The other was just speculative theory.
“To: Dr. Zzyzx
Well said!”
For years, I was a lurker also, but never brain dead! HAW
JC
“To: Dr. Zzyzx
I was a bit put off by Jim’s post as well”
I have an analogy: In the case of being pi$$ed, it’s better to be pi$$ed OFF than to be pi$$ed ON! Think about it, eh?
JC
“... I have learned to live with it.”
Well, apparently NOT, since you’re still whining!
JC
“Jim is leading an Inquisition. I wish him and his site well. I will continue my monthly contributions, but I’m logging off as I think that this purge is doing nothing but helping Obama which I know is the last thing in the world that Jim would like to see. Its been fun.”
Horsepucky! You can’t stay away past tomorrow!
JC
Laz tried to make a point about why Free Speech is limited on Free Republic. He made his point. It was way, way over the line in several directions. Hopefully he is only suspended and will be allowed to come back after a few days when he calms down.
Hope so too. Does anyone know?
Again, speculation on my part, but long time FReepers generally get a pretty long leash and at least a warning before a zot.
Laz is a fixture here and has had more than one time out - some of which were for a pretty long time. I expect the Boss has his own ides as to when, if ever, Laz is freed. And that's his business.
Those of us who enjoy his twistedness (usually) can at least sport a tag like mine. See what happens.
But the Viking Kitties manning the security posts kept eating the delivery guys.
So, we had Frito pie instead. And it was cold and soggy by then.
And we all saw how well that turned out.
Further the shame I'm supposed to be a logistics / freight forwarding guy.
I blame the overzealous security at the Free Republic compound.
That was a pizza guy?
And that was supposed to be pizza?
Be glad it was overwhelmed by the attack deer.
In other good news, the attack deer population is now less due to bad pizza poisoning.
Me, too!
But It's been awhile back.
I've modified my behavior, but I do not know if a certain mod had it in for me or not.
Yes; I did deserve the 'timeout'.
The wife liked it too, as I finally was off this chair and doing things around the house!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTzbYJ-jiHE&feature=related
Moose relative - someone’s sister - hugh problem
PREFECT ©
My family had a rooster like that for a brief while. Attacked anyone who came into HIS yard. Even after he was kicked a few times (sorry PETA), he kept coming back with his spurs in the air. He didn't last long as a member of the family. He was tough, too. Did I mention tough, as in stew tough?
You might have had cold, soggy Frito pie but we got nada. Seriously thought about breaking out the chopped liver but going hungry won the vote.
It's not too late. The crazed deer have run off somewhere.
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