I have been here since 1998 and have seen the forum age. Fr saved me during a hard time. Unlike some of the people here, although a daily regular I have never been a off forum friend of anyone. I have had dealings with folks but just never a sustained connection.
I have met plenty of Freepers offline, down in the Washington DC area, and I went to a Free Republic convention one year.
I was not disappointed. I found them all to be stand up, passionate people, even the quirky ones who might have found me quirkier!