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.
“We would be all better off if we would ask the other party what he or she thinks instead of telling them. It's almost always a mischaracterization, and it brings more heat than light.”
Similarly worded...
"Those that do not know their opponents arguments do not truely know their own."
Yeah, I guess I made some people uncomfortable when I posted links to the statements they denied existed. It would have been so much more pleasant around here if I had just let the masquerade continue.
That was a very good use of a Hitler picture. The article was saying how Greer was church goer, Republican, (something else?), and last but not least, a dog lover. So me posting the picture of Hitler sitting there with his dog, was a way to mock the reporter for the stupid implied point "Gee, he's a dog lover, he must be a good person". Next time I'll post a picture of Joe Stalin petting a dog intead, so you don't get excited.
I see you dropped on in Sept of 2001 and did not reappear til April 1st, 2005..Hmmmm, Mr. Dem
dropped in on
If only Kerry were President.
No, try June 2001
Thank you for all your efforts, hard work and well reasoned posts.
Long vacation..Mr Dem
If the federal (or state for that matter) government is going to make some law about this it had better be a damn good law, and frankly I don't trust our government to make some "one-size-fits-all" law that will protect individual freedom (not just the freedom to live, but the decision to live your life as you see fit). If there is a law passed, as many here have proposed, that says the state must always err on the side of life the result would be that any conflict that reaches the state level would be decided only one way. That means you better have a great way to decide what reaches the state, because that will really be the determining factor. I don't have a great way to decide that, and I don't think you do either.
Now people will jump in and say that Terri's case was clear-cut, blah,blah,blah, Michael's a terrible husband, etc. But I am not talking about Terri, I'm talking about where do we go from here? Terri's dead, but we're still here, so what do we do now? Do we want to change the laws and if so then how?
As bad as the present system is I have yet to hear of a better one. I think I am like most Americans in that I don't want my decisions made for me by the government if I am disabled. And I don't want the government telling me "well you should have had a living will, tough luck, buddy". It's none of their freaking business, they're plenty intrusive enough already.
I like to lurk... :)
That law already exists, it's called the fifth and fourteenth amendments of the Constitution.
There is no good use of a Hitler picture other than in a history book.
Sure you do,Mr Dem.
I want to tell you how much many of us have appreciated all your posts and the information you took the trouble to gather. I know I certainly do. I wanted to think that most of the more malicious posters were people who only wanted to disrupt and divide. After the last day or so I'm not so sure. I think allowing it to run its course was a bad idea, but that's just my opinion. I'm not going to go into detail, but I just have a bad feeling about where all this is headed. I hope I'm wrong.
At any rate, I've decided not to spend any more time on it also. I've discussed it with family, friends, coworkers, etc. These are the opinions that truly count. So go hug your family. They're the ones who matter. I get to see the little munchkin again on Thursday and life goes on. It always does. Thanks again. It's been really nice to get to know you too.
God bless you and the rest of the WPPFF! Trinity, thank you VERY much for all your hard work in bringing facts to bear in this case. We can disagree on lots of things, but we really need the facts to base our opinions on unless we want to sink into DU-style "feelings."
I'm done as well, Trinity. Thanks for all your hard work, I appreciated all of the links.
Be well.
Tremendous post.
Not hardly.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.