Posted on 05/04/2025 12:41:47 PM PDT by big bad easter bunny
Dear Mr. Musk,
As a self-proclaimed champion of free speech and a transformative figure in technology and culture, you have reshaped platforms like X to prioritize open discourse and challenge censorship. Your actions—from acquiring X to amplify diverse voices to defending the First Amendment through initiatives like America PAC—demonstrate a commitment to preserving the “digital town square” as a space for unfettered expression. Today, I urge you to consider a significant donation to FreeRepublic.com, a pioneering website that has stood as a bastion of free speech since 1996, longer than any other platform in history. Here’s why your support could amplify its legacy and align with your mission to protect open discourse.
FreeRepublic.com, founded by Jim Robinson, emerged in an era when the internet was young and centralized media dominated public narratives. For nearly three decades, it has provided a forum where conservatives, libertarians, and independent thinkers can debate, share news, and challenge establishment narratives without fear of censorship. Unlike many modern platforms, Free Republic has never wavered in its commitment to free expression, even under pressure from shifting cultural tides or financial constraints. Its longevity—predating giants like Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit—makes it a historical cornerstone of online free speech, operating as a grassroots, user-driven community long before “social media” became a term. This track record is unmatched, as no other website has consistently upheld free speech principles for as long. Your stated vision for X as a “platform for discussion that was open to a fuller range of viewpoints” resonates deeply with Free Republic’s ethos. The site’s minimalist, text-based interface fosters raw, unfiltered exchanges—akin to the early internet’s spirit of open inquiry. It has weathered countless storms, including legal battles, server costs, and cultural shifts, all while remaining independent and funded primarily by small user donations. A massive donation from you could secure its future, upgrade its infrastructure, and expand its reach, ensuring that its model of uncensored discourse endures in an age of increasing digital consolidation and moderation.
Critics might argue that Free Republic’s conservative leanings make it less “neutral” than X or other platforms you’ve supported. However, free speech isn’t about neutrality—it’s about allowing all voices, especially those marginalized by mainstream gatekeepers, to be heard. Free Republic has never banned users for their political views, unlike pre-2022 Twitter, which suppressed accounts for ideological reasons. Your own critiques of such censorship align with Free Republic’s refusal to bow to external pressures. Supporting it would signal that you value platforms with proven resilience, not just those with the largest user base or flashiest tech.
Moreover, a donation to Free Republic would be a strategic investment in diversifying the free speech ecosystem. While X is a global powerhouse, smaller platforms like Free Republic serve niche communities that anchor broader movements. Your $75 million contribution to America PAC shows your willingness to fund causes that amplify constitutional values, like free speech and the right to bear arms. A fraction of that—say, $10 million—could transform Free Republic into a modernized hub, integrating features like real-time posting or mobile apps while preserving its independent spirit. This would complement X’s mission by ensuring multiple venues for free expression, reducing reliance on any single platform.
Skeptics might question why you should fund a site when you already own X. But competition and redundancy strengthen free speech. If X faces regulatory or financial challenges—as Twitter did before your acquisition—alternative platforms must exist to carry the torch. Free Republic’s 29-year history proves it can survive adversity, making it a worthy ally. Additionally, your philanthropy, like the $7 billion donated to the Musk Foundation, often supports innovative or personal causes. Backing Free Republic would be a bold, public statement: a nod to the internet’s free speech pioneers and a challenge to Big Tech’s moderation monopolies.
In contrast, some might argue you should focus on global initiatives or larger platforms. But Free Republic’s impact lies in its David-versus-Goliath story: a small site that outlasted countless rivals by staying true to its principles. Its influence—shaping conservative discourse and breaking stories ignored by mainstream media—far exceeds its modest budget. A donation would amplify this impact without diluting your broader goals. Mr. Musk, you’ve said, “Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy.” Free Republic has lived that truth longer than any website in history. By donating generously, you can cement its legacy, diversify the free speech landscape, and honor the grassroots spirit that fueled the internet’s early promise. I respectfully ask you to consider a transformative gift to FreeRepublic.com, ensuring that the oldest sentinel of online free speech stands strong for decades to come.
Sincerely, John Guinivere Advocate for Free Expression
I don't think this is true.
I seem to remember a purge back in 2016 for those people who did not support Trump at the time.
I don’t think you should make these claims and solicitation without clearing it all with Jim Robinson and his family.
I wish we could post things from American Renaissance, it’s a good site with a lot of good articles. I don’t see why you can’t post things and let people make up their own minds. We are big boys and girls. But Freerepublic has a lot of positives so I cut it slack. I can post things that are taboo anywheee else. Good site.
No next generation. FR will die off with its denizens.
No.
Almost pure text.
Please leave it alone.
Yes, leave it alone, we like it just the way it is and always has been.
Sadly, this.
Web traffic sites paint the grim picture. Something like 70% of FR's users are greater than 55 years old (most of these are 65+) and only 2% are 18-24. Web rankings are falling. Depending on which traffic site you use, FR is ranked somewhere between 4,500-7,300 most popular website in the U.S.
It's not iPhone friendly. Posting links and images is a cumbersome process enough on a desktop. On a smart phone or a tablet, it becomes even more difficult. Young people have no need to learn the HTML coding required to really make posting here work.
It is what it us. Web sites don't last forever. We're still doing better than DU is so there's that.
Exactly right. I love FR, but it is stuck in the nineties. Kids today, and some of us 60s people, like the modern conveniences.
Sure a mobile friendly website would be good, as long as the main site was left as is.
Today this site will probably work with any browser on any platform.
I bet I could dig out my 386 with windows 3.1 dial up to the internet and use netscape without issues.
I like this place for what it is. The HTML prompts have become second nature. I don't think there's any reason to modernize it and I think such an effort would ultimately be unpopular with FR's legion of loyal users (even if this legion is slowly dwindling).
But the clock is ticking. I don't post here as much as I used to, only because I'm also over at X.
But there's something about X that I find deeply worrisome in the way the algorithm feeds my dopamine receptors. It is very addictive, to the point where I think my life would be better if I pulled the trigger and nuked my X account completely.
I come here when I need to take a break from X, which I really should be doing more often. X is not healthy.
I wish we could cut and paste things. I can’t remember all the html stuff.
LOL! I have no doubt!
Many years ago I would surf FR from my work computer while on deployment at sea in the Navy (I no longer look at any personal websites at work, especially anything to do with politics).
FR would often be the ONLY site that opened quickly with everything else lagging horribly or not functioning at all.
Lean and mean, it's always been. And if it ain't broke, don't fix it (and I don't know if there's a way to make it mobile friendly without "fixing" it).
I’m used to the somewhat antiquated flow on the platform which I have no real complaints to voice. I do however believe that the platform needs to modernize in order to attract more young conservatives into the mix. We old timers aren’t going to be around forever and the new generation doesn’t have the attention span like we do. Just my two cents.
Bookmark!
None of the social media platforms are healthy, but that is the fault of algorithms and AI, rather that the platforms construction.
FR, is a great place, but Im starting to wonder about its longevity. The signs are there: reduced traffic, fewer new members. Constantly behind target freepathons....
I also think this style of BBS type posting/chatting is passe’
The only feature I wish we had would be the ability to delete posts.
Of course, not having this feature kinda forces us to think twice before hitting the post button (which I've failed to do on several occasions, especially on Friday and Saturday nights when I might've enjoyed a few libations).
I’d like a block button for the usual jerks
Every other platform on the net provides you with the block feature. It should be provided here at FR.
Once a poster is blocked, you'll read it as "comment removed".
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.