If I have time I intend to call in and use these Westerfield threads as my basis. I have never seen such horrible treatment of other long time members and activists of this great forum.
Then you don't get out much. I have been on countless other threads, and seen NEWBIES torn to shreds and been denied simple courtesy. I have seen personal attacks over and over and over til it was sickening. The OLDEST/BIGGEST/BEST of the posters calling each other names and grouping together to attack others.
BUT, no one presses the ABUSE BUTTON on those threads.
I also believe this is why your threads have been put into chat.
The threads have been put into CHAT (or General Interest) because these threads go over 1000 posts EVERY DAY and COMPLETELY DOMINATE the BREAKING NEWS SECTION. No on can find the real breaking news, and the DW threads SHOULD NOT EVEN BE IN THE BREAKING NEWS SECTION. That is why.
Whenever someone new comes along and gives their opinion they are branded.
Not true. Newbies(and anyone) are treated with the respect that they show.
If a new poster gets on and says, "I know nothing about this", they are offered tons of links and offers to help inform them.
If a poster gets on and says, "I think DW did it because of ........", then they are responded to with debate about why that may/may not be correct. (This is the whole point of the threads anyway)
When a poster gets on and says "I'm not sure guilty/not guilty" or just about anything, they will get debate/help/links/info.
I can go back and point to many times that Posters like FresnoDa have provided NEWBIES with LINKS to everything about the case, all in one post.
NOW, we come to the last category. If it smells like a duck, looks like a duck, walks like a duck, it is probably A DUCK.
That is the posters that get on and (1) Tell everyone what they think.
(2)Insist that because they 'think' it , that it is the truth
(3)Refuse to back it up
(4)Call other posters names, (personal attacks)
(5)Try to start flame wars to get the thread pulled
(6)Spew and then run and hide.
I have seen it happen so many times, that it becomes easy to identify that type of poster.
In this case Billy Bob exhibited the signs of one of these types. I don't think BB is alone. I think that many posters on FR are duped by the media. Unless you get on these threads, or just go read all the transcripts from start to begining, then you are at the mercy of the MEDIA. And it is obvious that FAIRNESS IN REPORTING/ UNBIASED REPORTING are 2 classes that no longer are required for a job in the media.
I do think, however, that the good Congressman, Billy Bob, of whom I have long admired, gave an opinion about this case that was in direct opposition to mine...He made a couple of posts, and left...that's OK.
What is not OK, is for a flame-war to take place when others think the man can't defend himself, at least that is what it looks like, and that in and of itself is laughable!
The man can defend himself, no question about it!
So, everyone...I lost the "jury pool" today...Next!
sw
In complete honesty and a good 5 years of FR I really can honestly say that some on these threads have exhibited the worst of FR.
I have much more respect for BB then to sum him up on his gut feelings about this case even though they are completely opposite of mine.
Judy
thanks for your reply as well, I agree some have disrupted your threads on this case just as you stated and that is indeed sad. However, when a long time freeper like myself or BB or numerous others comes along who naturally has not went over this case with a fine tooth comb comes along they have been bashed.
I decided to continue to post to make sure my gut feeling was correct. I really can not recall a one of you who has asked me why I believe DW is innocent. Instead I have been called inane, ect...( I also have some freepmails from back in June from one of your regulars because I mistated something.)
In all honesty I can say I have never seen such hatred upon other freepers as seen in these threads.