Just imagine if you could somehow send posts back in time to Freerepublic in 97 describing what is going on now.
Everyone would have thought you were a kook!
25yrs ago there is no way I would believe what is going on now... I would have said “That’s Alex Jones nonsense”
I signed up in 98 but was lurking afore that...
I think your date is as far back as anyone - there are a number of Freepers with your date, JR included. So, maybe you're among a group that inaugurated this version of the website "Free Republic" but were actually having online conversations on another version before then.