Am I to Understand?

Joe Phillips | 7-28-02 | Joe Phillips

[BADJOE]

Free Republic and Liberty Post.org

To all:

I would hope your appearances and posting on these pages states your desire to undo years of liberal policies in this land I hope we all dearly love. I would hope that a hundred successful LibertyPost.org and FreeRepublics would advance the cause we all hold near and dear.

From what I have read here it seems many are more interested in fighting each other than they are in advancing the cause of individual liberty and limited constitution government as envisioned by our forefathers.

If my second paragraph is the truth, shame on you.

Let us stop the petty bickering about crap that doesn't amount to a hill of blue beans and get on with the job at hand.

[Ragin1]

From the initial post:

"From what I have read here it seems many are more interested in fighting each other than they are in advancing the cause of individual liberty and limited constitution government as envisioned by our forefathers."

This is the reason I have stopped my monthly. I don't see tinfoil when I read a discussion with liberties as the topic. I respectfully dissagree that topic is tinfoil territory.

[dighton]

Maybe if I showered, before I log on?

Hard to say. Is that site pro- or anti-møøse?

[tpaine]

Sounds like yet another little splinter group of malcontent libertarians sqawking that their "liberty" has somehow been infringed upon

---

Here's another 'libertarian' splinter group, right here at FR.

You gonna be 'squawking' about them too, willie?

REPUBLICAN LIBERTY CAUCUS POSITION STATEMENT
Address:http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/rlc/721810/posts

[TLBSHOW]

That place is garbage!

[diotima]

You must have a very low opinion of the average freeper because you are implying that they are unable to properly discern garbage from substance. Clearly there is no need for hate speech, advocating over throwing the government via violence and discussions of whether we are controlled by aliens from outer space.

However, any one who posts Nazi propaganda here, racists/ "kill all the ____" stuff, or "Bush knew about 911 and gave the go ahead to blow up US citizens" is going to get their butt kicked and ripped apart.

In fact I might assert that promoting the GOP party line on everything is its own faction and ideology, the result of which would make this website very boring and generally ineffective since it would be come very clear, very quickly to anyone (politicians/media) that FR just vomits up GOP talking points and is in the GOP's back pockets. Bought and paid for.

[dirtboy]

But isn't that part of the problem? If one sets up a site for any ideology to come and speak, then there is the risk that the site will be hijacked by those wanting to advance their ideology, be it Nazism, be it communism, be it anarchism, be it Anti-freeperism

In the end, since this is a constitutional site, it is JimRob's perogative to decided what he wants here. For all the folks who say Bush can't be criticized here, that is bunk. I have been quite critical of some of the recent actions of the Bush Administration, and have never felt concern about being banned. Things do change a bit in wartime - I have found that JimRob, for the most part, makes some very wise pragmatic decisions as political events change.

That probably infuriates the purists - at one point back in 1999, JimRob was getting broadsides from the Bush camp, and now he's getting it from the other side. Which means he must be doing something right, if he's getting both sides mad. After 9/11, he made a pragmatic decision that he was not going to allow FR to be used as a site to negatively impact how this country defends itself. Now carrying out that decision is often easier said than done - in wartime, striking a balance between dissent and subversion becomes more difficult than when times are easy - but JimRob also has shown a tendency to correct excesses at FR. So I think things will settle out, until JimRob once again has to make a decision about the direction of FR that in turn will make some folks mad. So be it.

[elbucko]

..but we get sidetracked by petty differences, and are therefore unable to reach our goals. However, I don't have a solution....(Carolyn)

Ma'am, you wrote a book full. Since '64 Conservatives have chewed their toes off and then wondered why the left beats 'em in a foot race.

[strela]

I don't think this thread should become a running commentary on the foul manners and filthy dispositions of a pathetic group of losers (and former FReepers) who use the guise of "truth seeking" to make disgusting personal attacks, sexually explicit innuendo and display what would conventionally be seen as a fetishizing of FR and its participants.

I absolutely agree with you. After all, the only thing that wrestling with a pig gets you is muddy and a reputation amongst casual observers that you and the pig are at least temporarily on the same level. Still, I'm a big fan of hoisting one on one's own petard.

[Jim Robinson]

And my comment to you was in regards to your "converting the choir" reply to Dale's:

"All ideological pursuasions, from Communists to Anarchists and statists to revolutionaries are encouraged to browse and post articles and comments. [source]"

Etc., etc.

If you are saying we should allow these folks to post here, then I disagree with you. I'd rather not have their propaganda nor the disruption they bring. Thanks

[dirtboy]

Still, I'm a big fan of hoisting one on one's own petard.

The problem is, with both liberals and AFers you're fighting the Black Knight...

[2Trievers]

Last I looked Diot ... this was the United States of America. Does it BOTHER you that some post at other sites under different names? Does it bother you that you may not exactly know who they are so it's difficult to compare notes? Geesh! You know in 100 years NO ONE is going to say YOU single-handedly saved the Republic. Why is that YOUR business?

And who is going to penalize them? The AMs? You? BobJ? JimRob? From what I have seen lately, there have been more than a FEW FReepers who have been banned in an UNEVENHANDED manner.

To me, that is a BIG issue here, for many longtime, loyal subscribers. Those who leave for whatever reason, will be taking their money with them. That's when you will see it hurt. During the FReepathon.

JimRob, have you considered letting FReepers KNOW who the AMs are? This cloak and daggar stuff is so anti-1A. But we're all CONSERVATIVES here, right?

[Jim Robinson]

Diotima, the choice is mine. I do not want Free Republic to look like LibertyForum. Those who like that sort of stuff are free to go post there. I do not care. I just do not want it here.
Thanks

[Retiredforever]

Good for you, Badjoe!

I agree with you 100% -- we all need to post our opinions on topics in a polite, adult manner, without referring to others in impolite terms. We are all grownups (we are, aren't we?), and we all should have learned good manners when we were little kids.

Insulting others not only hinders discussion, but it also holds us up as a very bad example for those who surf Free Republic.

We all need to show a little restraint, consideration of the opinions of others and tolerance for those who may disagree with us.

[tpaine]

So I think things will settle out, until JimRob once again has to make a decision about the direction of FR that in turn will make some folks mad. So be it.

---

I think he just did make a big decision on 'direction'. [see #63]
- And the silence from some quarters is telling.

[J. L. Chamberlain]

It appears that the liberals stick together

I respectfully disagree. Nothing I've ever seen here (or on any other conservative forum) approaches the venom and all out hatred between Democrats and the super lefty Greens. The amount of vitriol and divisiveness between the two groups is quite shocking, given their common goals. But the Greens are intent on punishing the Democrats and they don't mind getting Republicans elected to do it. It is a sight to behold!

J

[Jhoffa_]

The problem is, with both liberals and AFers you're fighting the Black Knight...

LOL!

I don't know how many people will catch that.. hopefully allot, because it fits perfectly.

[Thumper1960]

"Penalized"????

For exercising the First Amendment?

Since when??

[Jim Robinson]

I don't carfe where you post.

And, no, we are not goung to reveal the names of the moderators.

Thanks

[Jim Robinson]

er, care.