Posted on 12/31/2012 5:55:26 AM PST by FrogMom
It was New Year's Eve and the year 1998 was drawing to a close and as usual, FrogDad and I were staying home to avoid drunken revelry. We'd been married for almost 28 years and were Conservative empty nesters. He'd retired in 1994 after 24 years in the military.
I was on the internet through dial-up on my MODEM, intending to look for a game to play while FrogDad watched TV. I already hated TV and wasn't able to sit and watch it any more. I saw predictability, filth and propaganda where most others saw entertainment and news. My entertainment was generally reading science fiction, police stories, and historical novels such as The Pillars of the Earth. I had a firm budget to use at the book store.
I had cancelled my news magazines since they tended, like TV, to crap on the Country and I refused to give them any more money. Our small newspaper had local news and announcements but I had noticed that there was usually no Conservative point of view in the editorials and, as far as I was concerned, it was on life-support. I was, without realizing it, a boycott neophyte.
Bill Clinton was President and I hated his guts. I'd disliked him the first time I saw him on television. My first thought was, "Snake oil. He is selling snake oil." I turned out to be correct and could NOT wrap my head around the publically-expressed love for the patently corrupt and debauched man nor his pack of sycophants. I'd watched his antics for four years with disgust.
The House had voted to impeach Clinton but none of the media were covering it in any detail, something that absolutely appalled me. People seemed to think he was impeached about "a personal matter", but I had gleaned that it was really about denying another their rights, suborning perjury and being a thug.
I was depressed for the United States, almost totally lacking in accurate news and information. Working for a Defense Contractor, there were limitations to what I could say at work, no one seemed to discuss the slide of entertainment, news, or the President.
Online, I had recently discovered the Drudge Report and would read some articles there every day. He seemed more honest, to me, than any other news source. I was spelunking through his list of links and, although I had avoided discussion sites or blogs because they weren't "real news", went to one called Free Republic.
As I read the posted articles, re-covering some of the articles I'd seen at Drudge, I discovered a rich vein of something more precious than gold. Something that was food to a starving person. Something that was water in an information Sahara Desert - the comments about the articles. I clicked from article to article, reading comments and after a while realized I had tears running down my cheeks. Oh thank you, God, THESE people see things the way I do! I am NOT alone!
I signed up that night.
After a while, people started asking me where I got my information because I seemed to know "stuff" before they did. In far more detail than they did. More importantly, in more accurate detail than they did. The most recent example of this is a man who asked me privately, "What does it mean to ME if we go off the fiscal cliff?" And another who asked, "What do I need to do to prepare my family for what's coming?"
We have been through Y2K, planes flying into towers, a shuttle crash, iced tea, the blue dress, missile plans shared with China, and three general elections. We have shared garden tips, cooking tips, movie reviews, Prepper tips, and the deaths of online friends.
Through Free Republic, we became sign-carrying protesters during Election Hell Month in December 2000, traveling to Phoenix one weekend and to the Federal Building in Los Angeles another weekend.
Through Free Republic, we discovered what we really are, TEA partiers! We discovered we are much more normal than we ever thought.
Free Republic changed my life, and I suspect, the lives of others around me. Thank you, Jim Robinson, please know that I thank God for you.
Happy anniversary!
Happy anniversary! I lurked for months before signing up sometime in July 1998 I think.
Hard to imagine that I would be more informed from reading FR than any other source of news. It’s to the point that I’ve moved beyond talk radio as they or their researchers get breaking news from Free Republic it seems.
True words.
And hugs to you!
One of the nicest vanities ever posted! Thanks!
Yes, we jump up and down over the birth of a new FReeper!
In 2001, I asked here for prayers for our very-premie grandson, and FReepers weighed in to help. My dear daughter-in-law cried when she read the outpouring of love and prayers for what turned out to be our little miracle.
Our now-10 year old Grandson has the soul of an angel and I still believe that this is one more way that FR changed our lives, helping us let God know how much we wanted to keep him.
“... outpouring of love and prayers”.
I truly believe that sometimes in life what we need to know is that other people care for what we are going through. I am so happy your grandson is healthy and he must be an absolute blessing to all of his family. Your DIL must just look at him each and every day with such joy!
I remember when Tax-Chick had her baby girl... I cried. Never met Tax-Chick in person but I was so happy. (of course, I tell her now that I want to steal that precious little girl! LOL!)
Much, much worse. But NOW we have company (FRiends) with whom to plan and commiserate.
Molon labe!
Thank you for the wonderful article. It brought back memories of other difficult times. We must continue to support each other and work to restore the Constitution.
Your words are inspiring.
Thanks for your kind words.
Thank YOU for all of your articles detailing the successes of the 2nd amendment! I watch closely for them.
I, too, learned about FR from clicking the “Whitewater Files” link on Drudge. My 15 years will be this April.
Timing for me was JUUUUUST right. Drudge took down the FR link not too much later and it was down, literally for years.
*shudders* what if he’d taken it down a bit earlier??!!
REAFFIRM the Constitution! - If a Conservative President had done what Bill Clinton did and was IMPEACHED for, the Conservative’s name would be a byword (as in “Richard Nixon”) forever. - If a Conservative candidate had owned the BAGGAGE that Barack Hussein Obama did; even the “news” media would have used it, or ANYTHING to destroy him (as they did to Governor Palin, who is a decent Conservative Christian woman and who is head and shoulders above these snake oil salesmen we have now).
Would you believe that the Dhimmicrats are serious about running JOE BIDEN for President in 2016? - KEYSTONE COPS! describes the whole Obama Administration.
bump to the top
Happy Anniversary, and Happy New Year!
BLESS YOU
Well said.
“CBS NBC ABC FOX AP— all no different than Pravda.”
LOL
Actually and sadly, lately Pravda has been more informative (and accurate) than all of those others.
Happy Anniversary. I have been here since about June 1996 and one of the first several hundred to join. We are definitely not the low information voters, are we? LOL Because of our education system that has dumbed down an entire generation, this great nation is so screwed.
Great vanity FrogMom. I am so glad you found Drudge and FR. So much time we’ve spent gathering together, sharing. Seems like forever and only yesterday. What times...
GET OUT OF CHENEY’S HOUSE!!!
One of my favorites!
It’ll be 5 years tomorrow since posting this. It is a good time to think about the changes in our lives!
On the personal side, I had a stroke 2 months later, took a year to be able to type (with both hands) again. As therapy, I took up quilting, a HAPPY thing!
Our eldest Grandson joined the Army, our middle Grandson joined the Marines. I am a PROUD Grandma.
Both FrogDad and I retired, me because of the stroke, him - because it was time.
We have gotten two little dogs, both mutts, both rescues, both happy idiots.
I watched in horror the damage BO did to our country. The strife he caused with his divisive, bigoted personality.
I am still waiting for these jackasses to INDICT HILLARY. Jeez Louise!!
We stood in line for HOURS to vote for Trump (sorry, Nevertrumpers!). Provided he doesn’t kill someone on the White House lawn, will vote for him again.
I have TONS to be grateful for, this is still the greatest country in the history of the world, life is good!
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