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Not so ‘Free Republic’: The Shot Heard Around the Net
The Conservative Voice ^ | Feb 11, 2005 | by William Gheen, President, Americans for Legal Immigration PAC

Posted on 02/11/2005 10:55:36 AM PST by Jim Robinson

The shot heard around the Internet has been fired on FreeRepublic.com The owner Jim Robinson and his moderators have launched a sniper style purge against members that disagree with the President’s ‘guest worker’ amnesty or support more control of illegal immigration. Free Republic is an amazing tool for those looking for a good debate and news from around the country.

The problem for the administration of the site is that their creation is allowing the participants to learn that the Bush immigration record and plans are shockingly out of line with the views of most conservatives. The management’s answer to this conflict between the majority of conservatives and the influence of the White House on their Web site has become electronic executions and censorship.

Members and readers of Free Republic would be surprised to know that many members of their community have fallen silent on the discussions about illegal immigration lately because free speech is an illusion on FR.com. They are silent because they have been banned from the Web site without warning, cause, or explanation in most cases. For weeks the moderators have been suspending and banning new members that chimed in quickly on the immigration debates.

Now this trend has broadened as the first groups of long-term users were suspended or banned this past week. Although Robinson and his staff removed many members of the Free Republic community in the first few days of the purge, those that religiously support President Bush’s immigration plan, open borders and approve of public benefits for illegal aliens remain on the forum. Those that were banned were the members that wanted more done to control illegal immigration and a strict observance to the President’s Oath of Office.


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: 1912election; aliens; alipac; amnesty; blc; callthewaaaambulance; crybaby; desperatedemocrats; dreamact; fr; freerepublic; howtogetbanned; illegals; immigration; immigrationplan; liars; lovejimfr; minuteman; minutemen; openborders; purge; respectjimshouse; tawbbos; whatahornetsnest; whiners; williamgheen
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To: Jim Robinson
William Gheen, President, Americans for Legal Immigration PAC

Willie Green?

261 posted on 02/11/2005 12:07:58 PM PST by CharlieOK1 (Pray every day for a ROE reversal!)
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To: Jim Robinson

You're doing a fine job, and we have all kinds of disagreements on the forums all the time. I sure as heck don't see anyone trying to stop discussion over the securing of the borders. Frankly, at this point I basically just dismiss the "no free speech on FR" kind of articles and rants. It's silly, and further it is not correct. You have to have some standards, though, because otherwise all you'd ever have is flame wars, which actually are far worse in the long term for the well-being of the forums.

This article smacks of sour grapes to me.


262 posted on 02/11/2005 12:08:16 PM PST by AZ_Cowboy ("Be ever vigilant, for you know not when the master is coming")
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To: RushCrush

You're comparing FR to NPR?


263 posted on 02/11/2005 12:08:33 PM PST by Mo1 (Question to Liberals .. When did supporting and defending Freedom become a bad thing??)
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To: Donna Lee Nardo
The issue at hand is how we tactfully voice our views of such on Free Republic.

Here's how I do it - I type out a reply, look at it in preview, and ask myself, "If I were face to face with that person, would I be so bold as to say such a thing to his (or her) face?" If the answer is no, then I tone it down. It is often too easy to abuse and obnoxious behind the anonymity of a computer monitor. Of course, the above doesn't hold true for trolls. I feel free to indulge in rude behavior, which includes name-calling. :)

264 posted on 02/11/2005 12:08:52 PM PST by .38sw
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To: george wythe
Our immigration laws need revamping, our border security is broken. I hope that we can come up with a way to address this issue without the usual flame wars and Bush bashing from the unappeasable posters.

There is nothing uglier then interideological warfare.

265 posted on 02/11/2005 12:09:02 PM PST by Smogger
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To: Jim Robinson

It's no secret that I am also vehemently against illegal immigration and I'm still here.

Sounds like William Gheen has his head up his a$$.


266 posted on 02/11/2005 12:09:10 PM PST by philetus (What goes around comes around)
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To: Jim Robinson

Freedom of the press means the freedom of the individual owning the press to print -- or not print -- as he sees fit.

Don't like that? Buy your own press and start publishing.

Freedom of speech means you are free to speak. Doesn't mean you are free of the consequences of free speech, and it doesn't mean someone else has to pick up the costs of your chosen forum. You pay your own way.


267 posted on 02/11/2005 12:09:30 PM PST by Fatuncle
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To: Marine Inspector

Are you seriously trying to get Howlin and Luis Gonzalez banned? It doesn't work that way.


268 posted on 02/11/2005 12:09:49 PM PST by Dog Gone
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To: subterfuge

How is advocating a wall on the southern border "make conservatives look bad?"


269 posted on 02/11/2005 12:10:18 PM PST by sauropod (Hitlary: "We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good.")
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To: Jim Robinson
Huh?

You step out to a meeting for an hour and look what happens! I just can't keep up with this site!

This is, of course, in addition to being opposed to Illegal Immigration.

270 posted on 02/11/2005 12:10:43 PM PST by DoctorMichael (The Fourth Estate is a Fifth Column!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
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To: Jim Robinson
Recieved a FRmail urging me to join their new forum and join the group.

I do not think they appreciated my reply.

271 posted on 02/11/2005 12:10:52 PM PST by Cold Heat (What are fears but voices awry?Whispering harm where harm is not and deluding the unwary. Wordsworth)
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To: Jim Robinson

BTTT!


272 posted on 02/11/2005 12:12:12 PM PST by EdReform (Free Republic - helping to keep our country a free republic. Thank you for your financial support!)
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To: Jim Robinson

thanks for your comments - I'm with you. Plus this is your site and unlike PBS the support is proof some must like your position.


273 posted on 02/11/2005 12:12:16 PM PST by q_an_a
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To: Jim Robinson

We already have a guest worker program, and I don't get why people are so hyped up against it. My sister and her husband are farmers in Massachusetts and bring in a group of Jamaicans EVERY summer to work on their farm. At the end of the summer, the Jamaicans go back to Jamaica. What is the big deal?


274 posted on 02/11/2005 12:13:00 PM PST by Cinnamon Girl (OMGIIHIHOIIC ping list)
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To: raybbr
"Continued and steady enforcement of the existing laws would be a start"

That is not going to happen until more people enlist in the NG or become border patrol officers. A rectifyable problem. So where are they? Another problem is that all the border patrol officers we need cannot stop the problem of illegals coming to suck up the goodies handed out to them by leftist state governors. Who's fighting these governors who offer free health care, free college tuition and guaranteed driver's licenses to illegals, though native born Americans have to pay for all of the above? WHY is everyone concentrating on the fed - which is half the problem - while ignoring the other half, which is quite simply state laws?

275 posted on 02/11/2005 12:13:09 PM PST by cake_crumb (Leftist Credo: "One Wing to Rule Them all and to the Dark Side Bind Them")
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To: Mo1

yep


276 posted on 02/11/2005 12:13:10 PM PST by RushCrush (If it takes a bloodbath, let's get it over with. No more appeasement. - Reagan)
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To: Phsstpok
...a sniper style purge against members that disagree with the President’s ‘guest worker’ amnesty or support more control of illegal immigration.

Apparently, your comprehension leaves much to be desired as well. I agree with Jim, and disagree with the author's allegations that he/moderators are silencing those of us disagreeing with the program.

277 posted on 02/11/2005 12:13:18 PM PST by theDentist (Jerry Springer: PBS for White Trash)
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To: Donna Lee Nardo
"I am behind you 100 percent. Most of us do not support open borders or illegal immigrants. The issue at hand is how we tactfully voice our views of such on Free Republic."

We start out all our posts with "I love George Bush...but...."

sw

278 posted on 02/11/2005 12:13:26 PM PST by spectre (Spectre's wife)
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To: CharlieOK1

Probably.


279 posted on 02/11/2005 12:14:21 PM PST by demlosers
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To: Jim Robinson

I'm still here and I don't agree with Bush's plan.


280 posted on 02/11/2005 12:14:43 PM PST by The Ghost of FReepers Past (Legislatures are so outdated. If you want real politcal victory, take your issue to court.)
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