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.
Are you kidding! That is crazy. I would really like to see you guys back out on the threads. Maybe in a few days....
Exactly. There has been no illegality here. People may disagree about the ethics, but it was done legally, with a lot of review, and more strings were pulled to make sure that was done than I think in any case I can remember.
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These bad people kept me off OUR thread with their nasty name-calling.
In a few days, I might not be here any more. It seems to be getting MORE crazy. This thread was kind of my last-ditch effort to see if it could be saved from all the nuttiness.
Sad to see you go....but I understand that.
Yep. Even when the judges in question have impeccable conservative credentials. You should have seen the way they were trashing Judge Birch of the 11th Federal Circuit the other day. This is about the most socially conservative judge you are going to find. But he's part of the "Evil Death Cult" because he didn't give them the answer they wanted to hear.
Some of these people aren't conservatives. They just want Big Government to do their bidding.
Get outta town! The Mods have you locked to this thread!?
Not much point venturing on them right now. I'm going to wait until the hysteria diminishes.
I'm scared of posting.
You see I agree with the posters who see this as a horrible miscarriage of justice. But if you don't agree 100%, you are beyond the pale.
And I agree with others who think those saying this is the Bush's fault is just nuts. I don't think or expect that the Bushs could have done anything within the law to stop this.
I think MS has been demonized beyond truthfulness but at the same time I am convinced he is not a good man, is cruel and should not have been making decisions for her.
And the Schindlers have my profound pity but they were used by forces greater than themselves to their detriment.
This is a horrible thing but there is no corner for those who won't take a side and fight with others. There is no room for reflection and considering other's opinions.
To maintain the pretense of due process.
You hit the nail on the head.
I am so disgusted with the "Christians" who have been out there wailing and keening about TS, yet having complete disregard for the other patients in the hospice as they disturb their final days or hours.
Well, you had to figure that the hysteria would increase upon her death. It will settle down.
martyrdom posts are springing up like wild flowers....
I'm no spokesperson for the conservative movement.
A lot of good, intelligent, thinking people have left FR recently, temporarily or permanently, because of the hysteria and hatefulness exhibited on the Terri Schiavo threads. I can't say I blame them.
You know, maybe it's because I'm sort of a Newbie. But alot of this didn't surprise me. If people can get as crazy as they do on the illegal immigration threads or even when discussing Walmart, I think we shouldn't be surprised when they get this extreme over a much more emotional issue. Some just let their emotions hang out for all to see. Others let their emotions take complete control. When they feel frustrated that they can't do anything about it, they lash out.
That has concerned me as well...............she was not the only patient at that hospice.
Yes. The ability to realize that this was all legal has apparently given us a heart of stone to the other threads.
Yesterday (during the day Hawaii time) things looked to be getting saner. I actually saw a few trivial threads, the fun stuff we used to see. I think once people realize they're just repeating themselves ad infinitum they'll eventually tire of it. Give it a week or two and we'll be back to the normalcy of Michael Jackson threads with only the occasional single-minded zealots popping up.
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