There are the conservatives—who may or may not be for freedom, depending on whether they ever figure out what it is.
There is an extremely successful conservative forum, Free Republic which is very active and has over 100,000 signed members. They say in their welcoming page, "Free Republic is an online gathering place for independent, grass-roots conservatism on the web. We're working to roll back decades of governmental largesse, to root out political fraud and corruption, and to champion causes which further conservatism in America."
So far so good.
In a personal statement of the founder it says, "In our continuing fight for freedom, for America and our constitution and against totalitarianism, socialism, tyranny, terrorism, etc., Free Republic stands firmly on the side of right, i.e., the conservative side."
If that is what "conservatism" is, we applaud it. The problem is, most "political conservatives" are not for freedom at all. In most cases, they defend "economic" freedom, but otherwise have an agenda which includes some set of moral behavioral standards they believe ought to imposed on everyone by force of law. What they mean by, "conservative," is "Republican," and actively defend anything a Republican administration does, however outrageous, oppressive, or tyrannical.
Some percentage (probably not large) of posters to Free Republic really do want freedom and know what it is. The rest think freedom means freedom from temptation, or risk, or worry, or responsibility—which is how most Americans today think of freedom.
Short list. Anyone ever wonder why it's a short list?
Thanks for the ping; I'll come back later to read it again - gotta get to work for a while.
I'd say the writer came here, said some blatantly liberal garbage, got banned, and is bitter about it.
<< Some percentage (probably not large) of posters to Free Republic really do want freedom and know what it is. >>
America is a Constitutional Republic whose power descends via its People FRom Almighty God.
Stand for that -- or fall for anything.
FReedom requires that I ACT American and that requires not only that I know there is no FRee lunch but that I am seen by my actions to know there is no FRee lunch.
And Good luck flogging that idea as a Tenet by which to live.
Even around here.
Increasingly our elected 'officials' of whatever party -- and who were once, Constitutionally, called 'representitives' -- discuss nothing more involved than how and where to squander the conficated wealth of America's [And therefore of the world's] most creative, innovative, productive, industrious -- and enslaved -- and never how to ensure that our nation's wealth remains in the possession of those who created it -- and who own it!
And no Moral Man can call himself so who, by way of the coercive hand of government, accepts the confiscated wealth of others.
Except, say, we farmers -- AKA: America's New Welfare Rich -- who have it coming.
Or we motor-vehicle manufacturers whose shareholders depend for our corporate profits and their dividends upon the average $5,000.00 per car tariff-tax subsidies stolen from those "FRee" Americans who buy from our foreign competitors.
And don't forget us mobbed-up-unionized dinosaur "airlines." We're, relatively speaking, "moral."
As are us geezers who demand as a "right" that the young are enslaved and taxed and robbed to ensure our doctor and hospital and chemist bills and Ponzi-scam "pensions" are not our responsibility.
Bloody hypocrites.
Blessings -- Brian
"What is ominous is the ease with which some people go from saying that they don't like something to saying that the government should forbid it. When you go down that road, don't expect freedom to survive very long."
Some folks aren't looking for freedom - that would mean others are doing things they don't like. They just want a tyranny to their liking.