Opus de Darth Sidious

Well, it was a fun ride and I made a LOT of great friends on Free Republic... including one who came to my wedding. But nothing lasts forever, and maybe in a way it's a *good* thing, 'cuz there's no convincing some people that no increase in power makes that power any more pure.

JimRob has drummed me out of Free Republic. Here's the reason he put on the screen that popped up on my end:

Now, I'm not a Democrat. Haven't been one since 1994 when I changed to Republican, and haven't changed that (yet).

If JimRob is now banning people because he believes they are Democrats, he's obliterated any credibility that Free Republic has as a *conservative* forum. Conservatism espouses a free marketplace of ideas. A dissenting idea isn't something a conservative tries to muzzle: a conservative will articulate why it that idea is wrong, make his point as convincing as possible, and let the chips fall where they may. It's LIBERALS who shut off people they disagree with from entering into debate.

I've been accused of being a Democrat, an agitator, a disruptor... any number of things. I've done my damndest to promote this site in what meager ways I've been left with these past few years. Hell, I stood for four hours - for the most part alone except for an hour with another fellow Freeper - on a summer day when the mercury hit 102, to protest an UN-Constitutional practice by a nearby city. On my sign was "FreeRepublic.com". My own money, my own principles, and no one ever asked me to do it. I'll wager that that as small a thing that was, it's a helluva lot more than what most people have done in their time on Free Republic.

Today, I presented an idea - one that wasn't Republican or Democrat, or any other party's notion - that is apparently unwelcome on this forum. My belief is this: that we cannot trust a political party - ANY political party - with any great amount of power, because political parties are about nothing but power. Given enough power, the Republicans would become as corrupt and evil as the Democrats. Maybe it was my comparing the Bush-bots to the Clintonistas. Maybe it was my stating that Free Republic is fast becoming as wildly extremist as Democratic Underground. Or maybe it was my admission that, yes, I *will* vote for Erskine Bowles for U.S. Senator from North Carolina. Between the two major contenders, Bowles is the only one who is a real resident of this state... and my sentiments for North Carolina far outweigh the "needs" of any political party.

For whatever reason it was, JimRob banned me... but if it was for the crime of *once* being a Democrat, that demonstrates how shallow Free Republic is becoming. I've no love or loyalty for the Democratic party and the Republicans have given me no reason why my trust should be placed with them.

I suppose there's no room at Free Republic anymore for those of us who see America's freedom as a gift from God's grace rather than man's pride.

To: Jim Robinson

Well, unfortunately, it's a two party system. Winner takes all.

Disagree: it's a one party system, masquerading as two parties. And this party has a monopoly on the money, the media affluence, etc.

If you're serious about restoring Constitutional rule of law to this country, you can't do so by being part of this monopoly. You've no choice but to compete against it, whether it's in the guise of Democrat or Republican.

At this very instant, voting all Republican is crucial.

Crucial for "Republican control", but I've no reason to believe that's any better than Democratic control. If the reason is to empower Bush, then I can see why more Democrats would be a GOOD thing: Bush is a statist enough as it is.

My vote is going for Erskine Bowles. Between he and Liddy Dole, he's the only one resident enough of North Carolina to represent her in the Senate. Dole is an outsider who was "anointed" by the GOP bigwigs. I owe them no special loyalty, because the GOP has earned as much of my trust as the Democrats have.

That doesn't mean I'm going to like voting for Bowles, but hey if it's strictly a two-party system I'm still gonna vote for the best qualified of the two.

We must re-take the Senate and we must strengthen the majority in the House and we must take as many State Houses as possible.

Who's "we"? And how can you trust that in place of one group of idiots you're not helping to usher in another?

We have a rare opportunity to break the backs of the Democrat Party and we must take advantage of it.

Without the Democrats the Republicans will become just as arrogant.

605 posted on 9/23/02 10:12 AM Eastern by Darth Sidious
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To: captnorb

Bowles the best qualified? Surely you jest.

He's the only real North Carolinian between the two major contenders.

Have a problem with that? Blame Bush and the rest of the GOP powermongers.

621 posted on 9/23/02 2:56 PM Eastern by Darth Sidious
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To: jimmccleod

Jim has just done a disservice to the word evil, by trivializing it's meaning. And ends up hurting the Conservative movement in the process.

Free Republic is becoming as much an extremist fringe group as is Democratic Underground, courtesy of the Hyper-Republicans on board.

And we're becoming worse than the Clintonistas ever were!! Those idiots worshipped Clinton as if he were God on earth. How the hell can we say we're any different than they when the Bush-bots fawn and swoon at the feet of King Dubya? We poked so much fun at the Clintonites, and less than two years later we've become just like them.

Restore freedom in America: vote out the Republi-Crats!!!

624 posted on 9/23/02 3:05 PM Eastern by Darth Sidious
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To: Darth Sidious

Restore freedom in America: vote out the DEMOCRAT RATS!!!

626 posted on 9/23/02 3:28 PM Eastern by TLBSHOW
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