Replies

Good post.

If Spore-gasm decided to leave the board of his/her own accord, so be it. I have exchanged a few freepmails with Spore-gasm, and I recall s/he said a while back s/he was leaving the board. However, s/he did not leave the board permanently at that time. I know when I heard s/he was contemplating it, I begged him/her to stay.

I hope s/he decides to come back; as I have told Spore-gasm before, I would hope and expect that with the intelligence s/he has shown, s/he can easily roll with the punches. Spore-gasm seems to be highly suspicious of the Smarts. This is a valid viewpoint, although it is an equally valid viewpoint, IMO, to think that the Smarts are innocent. We just don't know enough to judge definitively.

I don't think anyone here should feel in the least responsible for Spore-gasm's decision to leave--if that is really what happened. Spore-gasm has enough sense to make that decision on his/her own.

As for "naming names," it strikes me that the owner of this site probably has little time for such schoolyard bickering. Spore-gasm would understand that, and has sense enough to realize that freerepublic is a big place. There is plenty of room here for some variation of viewpoints within the framework of the conservatism which presumably we all share.

As for "intimidation" on this thread, come on, Varina. This is the internet! It's a bunch of opinions being posted anonymously by people in cyberspace. The only thing people should worry about is, if they repeatedly defame some person who is living, who is not a public figure--and if they are reckless in making unfounded accusations even against a public figure, they should worry about that too. We can always unplug our computers or go to some other site, if our feelings are hurt by what people say to us. And you and I disagree about things constantly, don't we, Varina, but believe it or not, I think I'd miss seeing your posts if they were to disappear. OTOH, I am also gratified to see the posts of those whose opinions seem to agree with mine, too.

The reason I made the above comments about defamation is not b/c of anything said on this thread. It is b/c I got the feeling, some time ago (on a Chandra Levy thread not on freerepublic) that one of Condit's aides was actually having people monitor internet forums for possibly defamatory remarks about him. I don't know whether I assessed that situation accurately, or whether it was a figment of my imagination.