Stolen Bunny bangs his head because of you.
Posted on 03/29/2005 8:58:34 AM PST by Long Cut
We, the Witness Protection Program For Freepers, aka the Wild Turkeys, aka the Coalition of the Sane, have through mutual discussion and rigourous thought, determined that:
1. The discussion threads regarding Terri Schiavo (hereafter referred to as "TS") have become too full of innuendo, rumormongering, hyperbole, hysteria, namecalling, paranoia, and general poor behavior to warrant participation.
2. Said threads have degenerated into "echo chambers", wherein the same, common thoughts are continually posted again and again, and the same old disreputable, unconfirmed and/or false urban myths are propagated.
3. Anyone who joins in said theads with alternative viewpoints to the most extreme posts are routinely driven away with slander, accusations, and vile namecalling.
4. No data or evidence contrary to the "prevailing opinions" are accepted, considered, or discussed; and in fact are rejected outright in most instances.
5. That the continued calls for armed insurrection, military or paramilitary involvement, impeachements of politicians and judges, and death threats are embarassing, stupid, shortsighted, doomed to failure, and contrary to most if not all conservative thought prior to this case, as well as damaging in the extreme to FR and the conservative movement as a whole.
6. That such emotional, hyperbolic, and propaganda-driven hysteria is in fact contrary to all conservatives USED to stand for.
7. That the holding up of swastika and other Nazi imagery towards the police and the Bushes, the use of children as political props, and the disruption of the peace at the Woodside Hospice can only reflect badly on conservatives in general, and should be discouraged.
8. That the pursuit of this issue to the exclusion of all others by the GOP has damaged, perhaps beyond repair, the pursuit of other important issues as well as the reputation of the GOP, FR, and conservatism.
The WPPFF is NOT of one mind as to the case of TS or its correct outcome. In fact, wide disagreement exists within our little group. However, we are united in our wish that reason and sanity be respected in the discussion, as well as the rights of all parties involved or participating. We wish to discuss this as adults and intellectuals, as conservatives and as FRiends, not as children screaming past each other on some playground of hysteria. We wish for facts and evidence to be provided, discussed reasonably, and considered fairly.
We reject all accusations of Naziism, "death cultism", or other slander as methods of debate. We reject the practice of "spamming" multiple threads, of posting unending vanities, and the posting of propaganda and calls for violence. We reject, in fact, all unseemly and childish behavior which has come to characterize this case on FR.
We DO invite others to come and reasonably discuss the issue. We have no problem with FReepers who wish to debate in a rational and fair manner, and with due respect for their fellow FReepers. We have NO problem with those whose views are formed by religion; however we reject "preaching" or "being beaten with a Bible" as legitemite debate tactics. Not all of us are Believers, and such tactics only cheapen the source.
If a FReeper finds this an acceptable meansd to discuss this and other issues, they are welcome to join in and participate. Those who find pleasure in attacks, flame-baiting, slander, stalking, and personal atacks will be ignored, and their egos will go unfed.
We assume this thread to be a zone of sanity in an overheated atmosphere. Thus, a general amnesty is in effect. If posters conduct themselves within the guidlines above, we will be happy to discuss and debate with you. If a poster wishes to apologize for past slips of the tongue, or for possible "over-the-top" statements to another, it will be graciously accepted, and your company welcome.
Please bring a sense of humor; we feel that too many have been taking themselves too seriously lately.
Let the discussion begin!
Signed,
The WPPFF, aka The Wild Turkeys, aka the Coalition of the Sane.
I know you can post without flaming, this is an excellent comment. And remember, we are supposed to be a civilized forum, a refection upon conservative values.
The use of "nazi" is not valid with regard to this issue in any way, shape, or form. It's a cop-out, plain and simple, in order to completely ignore teh rational arguments of others... Period.
Why is it that anyone who does not think that armed goons running to Florida or calling up the National Guard is a good idea is labelled at a member of the kill-Terri crowd?
Okay, so now I'm a "sophist", yet another name.
Any interest at all in the merits of the issue? Or is calling me names enough to satisfy you that there is no parallel between this euthanasia and the euthanasia program in Germany under the Nazis?
I just finished listening to Dennis's first segment myself. I'm pretty much in the same camp as he is. I opposed the removal of the feeding tube but I also oppose oversimplification of the issue.
One of his points that interested me: If the Schindlers had gone along with Michael about removing the feeding tube, would it still be murder?
Stolen Bunny bangs his head because of you.
Pssst... us 'injuns' don't torture people anymore... the dang feds made us stop... ;0
LOL. That works too.
It is rather uncharitable to characterize those who desire rational discussion of the facts as being "The Death-to-Terri crowd". This is exactly the sort of useless name-calling which has dragged down the discussion on the main forum.
A bump-worthy comment.
Are you going to Washington DC on the 7th?
I didn't call you a a name. Nice try, though. Now, why don't you go back out on teh Schiavo threads, and join with the rest of your pack and call people Nazi's out there?
Have a nice day, Thoughtomater.
You know what my concern is about all this? That the pro life movement, which is a just movement, was making wonderful strides among moderates and even some democrats. I could see positions softening with the few democrats I know.
They are getting older, their daughters are having children and they are seeing the ultrasounds, etc. and the new technology that permitted these previous pro choice women to see the unborn in a way they never did before.
We have all read articles about how the those little babies put their hands over their ears when a loud noise is made. I've forgotten what week that happens in but I think the studies have said as early as 12 weeks.
When pro life movements call me for money, they are the nicest people and I've told them that I've thought they should play up the technology and studies that I just mentioned; that it's having an impact and they've agreed.
But the face of Randall Terry and the others outside a Hospice, where people are dying, and yelling into that bullhorn and spouting his hate filled rhetoric and stirring up the crowd...that is not the face of compassionate conservatism, pro life or Christianity that we want out there.
Regardless of how people feel about the Terri situation, there are other people to consider here. Like those people who are spending their last days on earth listening to bullhorns and people screaming the worst sort of things at our policemen. They are calling our policemen Nazis!
And the unborn will be affected too because I think this has set the movement back 20 years. And so how many babies won't have a chance at life because Randall Terri exploited the Schindlers and this entire situation for his own quest for power.
I have been so grieved that the other considerations have been taken into account and I'd personally like to tear his eyelashes out one by one.
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Amen. There is no discussion on the TS threads.
Over here!
There is a legitimate debate to be had over what is the proper recourse to address the injustice in this case.
There is also another debate entirely, and that is whether or not we are watching a murder transpire, by indirect authority of we the people.
And there is a third debate, as to whether putting Terri Schiavo to death is the proper course. It is in this third debate that characterizing those who do think she should be put to death as the "kill Terri" crowd is an accurate shorthand for their position.
You make Stolen Bunny bang his head.
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