It's not complicated. Just follow a few simple rules and soon you'll be the toast of the Internet. Or toast on FreeRepublic. First, you need to decide what clique you belong to.
If you believe Sarah Palin is perfect and we should appoint her Empress immediately you are a 'Palinista'. To be a Palinista you need to post pictures of her on every thread whether it is about her or not. To be one of the upper echelon Palinista you need to make your own Palin 'swag' pictures, like her in gladiator gear with a sword or her as a divine savior descending from the clouds, preferably in running shorts. If you don't want to be a Palinista you are an unAmerican troll. Don't worry, they have their own clique.
You can join the Catholic or anti-Catholic cliques (not both) but this will require an in depth knowledge of 14th century religious texts, and a willingness to argue their meaning endlessly. You will need to be able to pull out quotes from every Pope, including those from the great schism.
Or you could join the Mormon or anti-Mormon cliques, this apparently requires lots of name calling and abuse button mashing. And you must respond to pings from your 'posse' within 15 seconds 24 hours a day. If you are going to join the Mormon clic you have to figure out how to support Mitt Romney without actually saying on any thread here that you support Mitt Romney.
If that's not your style then maybe you could join the clique that thinks third parties are the reason John McCain lost. These are called 'broken glass republicans', also known as 'party hacks' or 'mindless bots'. Those who think John McCain lost because he's John McCain are called sane. Unless they are Paulbots, then they are called 'those who really, really need a shower.' These don't last long, usually because the heavy drug use prevents them from remembering their screen name, or where the computer is.
There is the clique that thinks Glenn Beck is a prophet and post threads singing his praises and repeating his lessons in the form of psalms. Another group thinks he's a crackpot and posts threads telling everyone why their favorite radio host is sooo much smarter than Beck is.
There are the 'Birthers', who are almost exactly like truthers but somehow completely different, just ask them. There are the 'anti-birthers' who are all communist trolls paid by George Soros to silence questions about the Great Master's past. In fact, Soros is spending millions of dollars a month to send these paid trolls just to infiltrate Free Republic. It's a good gig if you can get it.
So to answer your question, sure, you can have an opinion, you just can't have a unique opinion. You don't have to join a clique, but much like prison it's best to keep a low profile unless you have gang to back you up. Running afoul of any of the aforementioned cliques may lead to your being outed as an American hating communist DU plant and cause your untimely retirement from FR. Anyway, I hope this helps.
Pan_Yan: Robomatik?
Robomatik: Yes, Pan?
Pan_Yan: Have you ever seen a Commie drink a glass of water?
Robomatik: Well, I can’t say I have.
Pan_Yan: Vodka, that’s what they drink, isn’t it? Never water?
Robomatik: Well, I-I believe that’s what they drink, Pan, yes.
Pan: On no account will a Commie ever drink water, and not without good reason.
Robo: Oh, eh, yes. I, hmm, can’t quite see what you’re getting at, Pan.
Pan: Water, that’s what I’m getting at, water. Robo, water is the source of all life. Seven-tenths of this earth’s surface is water. Why, do you realize that seventy percent of you is water?
Robo: Uh, uh, Good Lord!
Pan: And as human beings, you and I need fresh, pure water to replenish our precious bodily fluids.
Robo: Yes. (He begins to chuckle nervously)
Pan: Are you beginning to understand?
Robo: Yes. (More laughter)
Pan: Robo. Robo, have you never wondered why I drink only distilled water, or rainwater, and only pure-grain alcohol?
Robo: Well, it did occur to me, Pan, yes.
Pan: Have you ever heard of a thing called fluoridation. Fluoridation of water?
Robo: Uh? Yes, II have heard of that, Pan, yes. Yes.
Pan: Well, do you know what it is?
Robo: No, no I don’t know what it is, no.
Pan: Do you realize that fluoridation is the most monstrously conceived and dangerous Communist plot we have ever had to face?
Pan: Robo, do you realize that in addition to fluoridating water, why, there are studies underway to fluoridate salt, flour, fruit juices, soup, sugar, milk... ice cream. Ice cream, Robo, children’s ice cream.
Robo: Lord, Pan.
Pan: You know when fluoridation first began?
Robo: I— no, no. I don’t, Pan.
Pan: Nineteen hundred and forty-six. Nineteen forty-six, Robo. How does that coincide with your post-war Commie conspiracy, huh? It’s incredibly obvious, isn’t it? A foreign substance is introduced into our precious bodily fluids without the knowledge of the individual. Certainly without any choice. That’s the way your hard-core Commie works.
Robo: Uh, Pan, Pan, listen, tell me, tell me, Pan. When did you first... become... well, develop this theory?
Pan: Well, I, uh... I... I... first became aware of it, Robo, during the physical act of love.
Robo: Hmm.
Pan: Yes, a uh, a profound sense of fatigue... a feeling of emptiness followed. Luckily I... I was able to interpret these feelings correctly. Loss of essence.
Robo: Hmm.
Pan: I can assure you it has not recurred, Robo. Women uh... women sense my power and they seek the life essence. I, uh... I do not avoid women, Robo.
Robo: No.
Pan: But I... I do deny them my essence.
“You don’t have to join a clique, but much like prison it’s best to keep a low profile unless you have gang to back you up. “
I don’ think this is quite what robomatic was asking about, but your post was pretty good and detailed and your advice helpful and wise. :)
LMAO! What a sharp wit.
I think you about covered it.