Posted on 04/01/2005 4:26:00 PM PST by Poohbah
First, this is NOT an April Fool's joke.
I am leaving Free Republic.
Over the past two years, civility and thoughtful discourse has vanished from this site, replaced with demands for ideological conformity that are straight out of Stalinist Russia or China's Great Cultural Revolution, and unrelenting uncivility if said conformance is not forthcoming. This trend began with the California recall election, where certain posters were allowed to flame the living beejezus out of those who didn't wholeheartedly support Tom McClintock, or thought that he wasn't running a campaign capable of winning. It extended into the Keyes campaign last year, where any critique of Keyes' campaign strategy was shrilly flamed, despite the obviously flawed execution of his campaign.
(Aside: one person who flamed me during the Keyes mess later said that he hadn't intended to start a fight with his remarks that accused me of homosexuality, pedophilia, and other evils; I was instantly reminded of the time I had to bail one of my Marines out of the local lockup. "Honest, Sarge," this Marine told me, "I didn't mean to start a fight when I called that Army Ranger a faggot." My response was not [and still isn't] suitable for public consumption.)
Since then, the Terri Schiavo case has pushed FR over the edge. We had posts calling for people to ensure that "accidents" to befall Schiavo and Judge Greer. We had posts praying that Iran would soon develop nuclear weapons, so that they could destroy the United States. And until the FBI started making arrests, those posts were allowed to stay up, completely abnegating Free Republic's standards.
We had people on both sides of the issue point out that the Schindlers were associating with some people of extremely low character, and that our uncritical embrace of these parties would not rebound to our favor. Rather reasonable attitudes to take, actually; but the loudest of the loud were in no mood to think.
My personal favorite was the following exchange:
The issue is not legality, but public opinion. Which will not be helped in this case if the pro-Terry side becomes associated in the media with Christian Identity, white supremicists, neo-nazis, racists and/or anti-semites.
Diva Betsy Ross made a valiant attempt to...ahem...whitewash Christian Identity, but it didn't work.
To top things off, we had people embracing as some sort of conservative icon, to the extent of posting a fundraising link.
I always thought that conservatism valued thinking over feeling, careful contemplation of facts over wild-eyed repetition of every damn rumor to come down the pipe, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. For a while, Free Republic met those criteria in spades.
Those days are long gone, and I have serious doubt as to whether or not they're coming back.
I know that many of the usual suspects will cheer this on, as their longtime nemesis is leaving them the field.
Be careful what you wish for; you are in the process of getting it. You may succeed in driving the folks who disagree with you from the site; but you will end up being just another collection of shrill voices in Bedlam. When everything is an over-the-top scream, no one will be heard.
Farewell.
Can I write an OPUS for you? And what happened to all of your raging friends who were going to quit and write OPUS's?
You must have me confused with someone else.
Amen brother, alot of crazy uncles.
No need to be sorry.
Thank you for your expressed condolences.
I am touchy about pro-death types.
They do not understand the concept of a person.
Where a person was in my life, will always be a hole.
But I will cherish those years no matter how long or short my life will be.
Those who would steal years and memories from others should feel condemnation and be outcasts.
And rightfully so.
Again, thank you.
Why you are a very erudite a'hole.
Semper Fi
You're welcome. And after I read your comment, I understood why you've taken the position that you have. And I agree. Every child is precious and I know that people that have more than one child feel that they are all equally valuable. But for people like us, the parent-child relationship is especially intense because our children are our only ones.
(I'm getting ready to cry here and I'm not typically a weepy woman.)
Today especially has been bad.
No need to apologise for getting weepy.
I have my daughter's choker necklace, and keep it with me all the time.
I get a touch of sniffles when I think of her.
She's been in the forefront of my mind more often lately.
The memories are warm and fond, but bittersweet.
I'm starting to ramble.
Forgive me my rambling this evening, please.
Ramble all you want to. There's no need to apologize. I'm sure that all of this talk about Terri has been painful for you. I wish that people could have been more thoughtful and sensitive in their posts.
Yeah, I'd do anything to have my daughter back for just five minutes.
And there are people willing to throw other people's lives away over 'parameters' and 'definitions.'
Completely incomprehensible to me.
I know. I don't understand it either. I'd do anything, and I mean anything, to save my daughter's life. The Schindlers exercised tremendous restraint as far as I'm concerned. (And I'm not advocating violence against Michael. I just don't know if I could have handled things as well as the Schindlers did.)
Regarding your daughter...I believe that she's still with you.
I did not know..I am so very sorry, (((((((((Darksheare))))))))))
Hmmm.
Anyway of getting that darn churn rate reduced?
While at the same time accelerating the troll turnover?
(I'm ambivalent about the one-liners.)
Neppers.
No more delusional than a non-opus vanity or, for that matter, a comment.
Just trees falling in a forest, at different angles.
Who cares?
Anyone who wants to.
Like you. And me.
How do you distinguish between "honest" disagreement and gratuitous division-mongering?
You've discounted sign-up papers . . .
So how about dweller spelling?
I am speaking DUers that brag about what they do over here..Did you see the post I answered?
It was a link to a DU thread..I have watched a stealth troll for months before..and suddenly they reveal themselves to all..It isn't enough at first to pin them on it..and I usually catch on at their first attempts to sound "conservative,but" It's tough to catch most of the good stealth trolls.
Dweller spelling is for the real losers...too obvious and outrageous..They hit and run. Some re sign up and ask why they were banned..and one such thread turned into a 60,000 post Zot thread..the Undead Thread.
Who are the nutters?
Those who said that Jeb Bush is guilty of murder.
Those who accuse the President of desiring illegal immigrants.
Those who are convinced that the President is in collusion with Bill Clinton.
I could give more examples, but I don't want to waste the time on such a sad day.
I've only been here for about six months and I see a lot of 'tow the line lock step mentality' displayed by a number of FReepers - Many of them long time members who somehow feel that they have the right to tell others just what a good conservative should think and how they should post.
I suppose you would disapprove of me, calling me a 'Nutter' because I disagree with the Presidents stance on Immigration. Likewise, you and many long term FReepers would undoubtedly dislike my stance on the Schiavo matter as well. I could go on and on but I can tell you, from my perspective, a conservative but not Partisan Zealot who places principle over partisanship would appear likely to be flamed by many here, especially those who have staked out some kind of ownership over the thought and posting processes at FR. I've both seen it and experienced it first hand.
Talk about eating each other. At times this place puts DU to shame on that score.
A 'nutter' is signing off for awhile here. Hope you all enjoy your exclusive party.
Long see and no time, or something like that. After all, no one ever called me the craftiest troll under the bridge.:)
I'm not thinking about going to another party, just not being affiliated with the GOP :\
See how dumb I am. I can't figure out your sentence. You're not giving up partying, but it can't be with Republicans?:D
Damn, some days I miss the old days - but fortunately those days are very few.
Best regards, and don't be such a stranger!
Well as a Christian prophecy nut, I often say things that are considered extreem, but figure even though I am in a minority, the fact I am right makes it worth it. -grin-
Seriously, the voice of reason stands out best in a sea of chaos. It does not take much light to dispel the darkness, yet a room full of dark never put out a candle.
Your voice and opinion is needed most when it gets wilder, please re-consider. Jim and the gang have not changed their stripes, the country over all is. Here is where the anchor is set, stay and help hold the anchor.
Blessings!
Darksheare(((Hugs)))
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