Today is My 13th Anniversary on FreeRepublic

self ^ | December 30,2011 | exit82

[exit82]

FRiends, another new year is about to dawn. As 2011 fades into the sunset, I celebrate the completion of one more year on FreeRepublic. Thirteen years have gone by since I signed up. I had been lurking here since the summer of 1998, and answered the call to attend the March for Justice on October 30, 1998 in Washington, DC. I came there on my own all the way from NJ, not knowing how many people might be there, and not really caring if I was the only one who showed up. What mattered was that a President was breaking the law and he had to be held accountable, and there was a man, Jim Robinson, and a website, FreeRepublic, that intended to do just that.

When the history of the impeachment of William Blythe Jefferson Clinton is written, the activities of FreeRepublic will stand out. In the very first Internet call to arms, over 4,000 Freepers came to DC to protest President Clinton and to call on the House to do its job and to impeach the President. The power of the Internet to act as a “Paul Revere” was demonstrated convincingly. What a sight it was to walk from the Metro station to the Washington Monument and to see as I came over a rise, the flags of all 50 states and thousands of patriots of all ages, sizes and shapes—all good hearted folks who were not afraid to wear their love of America on their sleeves! What an inspiration!

By December 18th, the House had impeached Clinton. A treacherous Trent Lott torpedoed the deserved removal of a law breaking President, along with RINO Senators, on February 12, 1999, many of whom still infect the institution of the Senate today.

Since then we slogged through the aftermath of the 2000 campaign, with Freepers staking out the VP’s home and telling Gore “to get out of Cheney’s house!”, and the infamous “Sore-Loserman 2000” bumper sticker by Freeper Registered.Florida Freepers helped to ensure that compromised ballots were counted in the open.

Freepers were right there on Sept. 11, 2001, when the tragedies in New York City, Washington, and Shanksville, PA unfolded before our shocked and unbelieving eyes, with up to the moment reporting and pictures unequaled in any newsroom around the country that day.

The 2004 Presidential campaign brought our support of the SwiftBoat Vets against the traitor John Horseface Kerry, even though President Bush and Tokyo Rove called them “vigilantes”. But it was Freeper Buckhead who unmasked the nefarious plotting of CBS News’ Mary Mapes and Dan Rather in a scheme involving a faked letter from the Air National Guard casting aspersions on the record of President Buash.

Then we watched in utter dismay as President Bush threw away his political capital from 2005 onward, in a four year declining spiral, with Harry Reid calling the Iraq War lost, the Dems winning the 2006 mid term elections, the 2007 war on Amnesty with McCain-Kennedy, the abomination known as McCain-Feingold, the rise of Barack Obama. The 2008 Presidential campaign gave us a glimmer of hope after the absurdity of John McCain being the Presidential nominee occurred, with the selection of Sarah Palin as his VP running mate.

Once again we saw our hopes dashed as McCain and the GOP ran a horrid, tepid campaign, unwilling to take on the biggest threat to the Republic since the end of the Cold War. Coupled with the financial collapse of September, 2008 and TARP and the GM bailout ,then the coronation of Obama as President, it did not seem as if the fortunes of America-loving conservatives could sink any lower. The beginning of 2009 was spent in a morose state of shock as we could see where America was headed, but felt powerless to correct the course of the ship of state. Then came Rick Santelli’s rant on CNBC and the rise of the Tea Party, resulting in a historic reversal of Democrat fortunes and the re-taking of the House of Representatives in the 2010 elections. For that we can thank the tireless efforts of citizen leaders and one Sarah Palin, who rallied the people from coast to coast to vote for candidates who believed in the promise of a free America.

The year 2011 has been marked by a confusing situation regarding the political future of the GOP and conservatives. A bruising run-up to the primary season saw conservative candidates such as Sarah Palin and Herman Cain removed from the competition, and the rise of Willard Romney, Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich. Conservative candidates such as Michelle Bachmann and Rick Santorum and Rick Perry held their own in the many debates, and the first few upcoming primaries will decide their political fate.

After posting 20 threads and over 18,100 replies, there is one thread of which I am most proud. It is this one, where in early February 2008, I gave my take on the what was happening in the GOP concerning conservatives:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1963918/posts

That reflection proved to be true. In a way, we are poised for a repeat of what happened in February, 2008, the foisting upon us of a candidate no one here believes in, Willard Romney. What is clear right now, almost four years later is that we are in a fight on two fronts: one, for the very soul of America, whether it will be a Constitutional Republic or a Socialist Entitlement Democracy run by elites, and two, whether the GOP will survive the 2012 elections as a major party. As conservatives we have been the redheaded stepchild, needed by the GOP to win, but not allowed to rule. Those days will end on November 5, 2012.

And they will end one of two ways: either the GOP will have a resounding victory in the House Senate and White House because of the work of conservatives, or the GOP will imperil the country by allowing the re-election of Obama, because conservatives will have been purposely marginalized in the fight.

Either way, the future of the GOP is in doubt. The former will result in the ascendancy of the Tea Partiers within the GOP, changing it radically and for the better. The latter will result in conservatives forming a new political party and leaving the GOP to go the way of the Whigs in 1856.

I do not know who the Republican nominee will be in 2012. Romney is two-faced weak reed, and Ron Paul is touched in the head. Gingrich and Perry have shown they have some fight in them, and that backbone is needed to take on Obama in what promises to be a brutal election season. Michelle Bachmann and Rick SAntorum, good conservatives, are letting all know thsat they are still in the fray.

Once a nominee is selected,as conservatives, we have one mission in 2012: defeat Obama and the Dems, keep the House and take back the Senate. That is the Prime Directive. We can fix the GOP and the RINOS later. Until then, let’s fight the good fight for the candidate of our choice.

Our nation’s future,and the future of our families will be defined by what occurs on November 5, 2012. We will know the winners and losers, and which direction the country will be led. We will also know by the end of June the decision on the individual mandate in Obamacare when the Supreme Court renders its decision. The year 2012 will be a watershed in American history, similar to 1776, 1812, 1860, 1917, 1941, 1985 and 2001.

As we enter into this momentous year, I wish all of you my very best wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year for you and your families. Thank you for your friendship, your insights, your humor and your political acumen over these last 13 years. There is no site like FreeRepublic in quality, nor are there any better group of people who have loved and served this great land of ours.Perhaps some here can add to this history of FreeRepublic by relating some activites that I have not mentioned.

May God bless you and may He continue to bless our beloved country, the United States of America, the last beacon of freedom and hope for all mankind.

[toros]

Giant Chilean Sea Bass to be exact

Difinitely not vanilla.

[SunkenCiv]

Happy New Year, exit82!

[exit82]

Thanks,SunkenCiv, and thanks for the GGG work, it helps make FR so special. I learn so much from your posts.

And a happy and healthy New Year to you!

[GreatOne]

I loved the debates, but they were by no means "debate with disagreement but not malice." Prior to 9/11, I remember regular flame wars with the liberals who dared venture over here to cause trouble, before Jim (a) screened for swearing; and (b) screened for general idiocy. I haven't been active here in about 8 years or so, and the site has really expanded. All 3 of your names are familiar to me, and it was easier to keep track of posters. Did have really good discussions back then (I remembered a thread I started, "Are the Clintons Evil" that was not as juvenile as it might appear to be; really good comments/exchanges about the nature of evil, and such).

Anyway, here's to 13 years, and may we all see another 13! God bless.

[GreatOne]

I loved the debates, but they were by no means "debate with disagreement but not malice." Prior to 9/11, I remember regular flame wars with the liberals who dared venture over here to cause trouble, before Jim (a) screened for swearing; and (b) screened for general idiocy. I haven't been active here in about 8 years or so, and the site has really expanded. All 3 of your names are familiar to me, and it was easier to keep track of posters. Did have really good discussions back then (I remembered a thread I started, "Are the Clintons Evil" that was not as juvenile as it might appear to be; really good comments/exchanges about the nature of evil, and such).

Anyway, here's to 13 years, and may we all see another 13! God bless.

[SunkenCiv]

My pleasure, and thanks for the kind remarks!

[GreatOne]

I loved the debates, but they were by no means "debate with disagreement but not malice." Prior to 9/11, I remember regular flame wars with the liberals who dared venture over here to cause trouble, before Jim (a) screened for swearing; and (b) screened for general idiocy. I haven't been active here in about 8 years or so, and the site has really expanded. All 3 of your names are familiar to me, and it was easier to keep track of posters. Did have really good discussions back then (I remembered a thread I started, "Are the Clintons Evil" that was not as juvenile as it might appear to be; really good comments/exchanges about the nature of evil, and such).

Anyway, here's to 13 years, and may we all see another 13! God bless.

[Graewoulf]

Thank you for this thread.

I have it bookmarked for the lurkers who might be curious as to why some of the “Silent Majority” became the majority that has stayed in revolt against the Federal Politician Elite Class that have detached the US Federal Government from the American Citizens, their businesses, and core values.

All of us owe a great depth of gratitude to you, and others like you, - - - Americans to the core.

[exit82]

Yes, there were flame wars. I guess I was thinking more of the 1998-1999 time period, when this was all very new and there seemed to be more “netiquette” than we see today.

As I recall, there seemed to be a more marked trend starting in 2000—like you said pre-9/11/01-—toward the flaming,as I suspect the first intentional disruptors came on the board in the Gore Bush campaign and aftermath.

I remember your screename, and I am glad you are back.In 2012, we are going to need all the good folks we can get!

Happy New Year to you, and in two months you’ll be celebrating your 14th!

[wittyone]

You are just a noobie ibtz

A noob calling a noob a noob... how pathetic. :)

[exit82]

Look who’s talking!!! another noob!!!

Happy New Year to a soon to be 14 year member!

[bigheadfred]

OMG I’VE BEEN FREEPING FOR NEARLY 20 YEARS!!!!!

Screaming out your window counts.

Happy Gnu Year! (Anything but the year of the 'Rat)

[exit82]

Bonus points for obscure “Network (1975)” reference!!

Happy New Year to you, bigheadfred!

[exit82]

Correction to original post-—Election Day is November 6, 2012, not November 5th.

[exit82]

Correction to original post-—Election Day is November 6, 2012, not November 5th.

[exit82]

Thank you for the kind remarks,Graewoulf.

So many have done so much more, but without FreeRepublic there was no way to organize, be informed and to participate in a meaningful way with others of like mind.

Congrats on your 11th anniversary here, and I wish you and yours a happy and healthy New Year!

[KC Burke]

I guess I excluded the replies to the Ash-holes and the like in my characterizations. Even back then I liked to say that internet sites had all the manners, courtesy, decorum, maturity and civility of a Junior High School bus stop.

I also think the issue is demonstrated by the fact that I and many others that debated opposite the Libertarian crowd like OWK and others now don’t even bother to post much about the issues with Ron Paul.

I, for one, learned to have a certain amount of respect for the libertarian position, not from agreeing with it, and not from Paul and libertarians like him, but instead, from my fellow forum members that were libertarians who I respected in the fight for small government.

Now we see the general non-democrat doing the selection, debate and research we did a decade ago and it does little good for us to endlessly bash each other here — the battlefield is the electorate.

[JoeProBono]

I’m in the class of 2008 and 1998.

[onyx]

Congratulations and your thread is fabulous, dearest exit82!

I am honored to be your friend, n00b, that I am!!!!

HAPPY, HEALTHY NEW YEAR!!!!!!

[McGruff]

I never heard of Free Republic until one day while browsing The Drudge Report getting more information about that Washington intern linked to the president I came across the link to here. Hesitated for a while before signing up. Couldn’t believe some of the stuff I read about that slimeball Clinton posted here. Like the Clinton Body Count. Glad to see so many others have joined this little bulletin board.