If you like what Free Republic has to offer and want to help keep it running smoothly, then click this link and donate a few bucks.
Click the Graphic
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
If you like what Free Republic has to offer and want to help keep it running smoothly, then click this link and donate a few bucks.
Click the Graphic
Good idea.
Yes, I am Elon......
Excellent letter, but it would have far more credibility if it didn’t come from the “big bad Easter bunny.”
Nicely done. Hope he responds!
Exactly.
If you want someone to bankroll you then they influence you.
If JimRob had just purchased some Bitcoin every quarters since 2018 he would have a nice little bag to use a sa preputual deposit for financing the website, tied to the LLC or Corp of FR as the asset the ensure solvency.
BTC can now be deposited and earn a hefty return. If it take 50k a quarter then JimRob and FR need two BTC for every quarter to cover the operations off the profits.
EFTs will pay to hold your BTC which you own, and you can live off the interest.
Or we can watch the dollar be devalued 25% over the next three years as Trump deals with the deficit and Fiat, or we can get a donation of BTC for the expressed purposes of continuity of operations into the future.
Except for the Romney Wars... the Cruz Wars...
That said, they weren't banned so much for supporting Romney or Cruz, but for their aggressiveness in attacking those who didn't, or those who were critical of Romney and Cruz.
-PJ
You, like me, have been around long enough to know of multiple purges.
If Soros were a conservative he would have given FR $1 billion already!
Hmmm...I don't think that's exactly true.
Viking Kittens and Zots abound in the FR history.
In before the Zot.
FR briefly had a "like" button around 2000 or 2001. It only lasted a few months. Most people complained about it and it vanished as quickly as it arrived.
This was a response to the era when many of the MSM sites allowed for comments and "likes" (before they were all shut off for abundant wrongthink).
Nothing lasts forever.
I like X. But the catch is that I prefer to lurk on X.
Same here. I love the old school text only site. No background videos or ads flashing slowing the site down. Sometimes it would be cool to have a like feature, but at the end of the day what does that matter? I go out of my way to hit likes on certain platforms (Facebook, X, Reddit, Truth Social), but I don't think me doing that has ever amounted to anything positive or made an impact on anyone's life..
We would be invaded with lefty trolls who would try to destroy this forum due to its association with Musk.
Then again, it could be financially supported well into the foreseeable.
It’s a trade off.
Presidential primary season was always a bitter, angry time for a lot of FReepers.
No purge will ever compare to the Great Purge of April '07 when all the Giuliani supporters were invited to post elsewhere and many did just that.
I don’t know. I think the Robinsons play sugar daddies to all the clickbait blogpimpers that make a small fortune off of Jim’s generosity. And FReepers seem content to let them keep going. I wonder if they even donate to the upkeep, or if they just take advantage of it all.
Leave this alone.
I occasionally use Lynx, a text-base web browser. No graphics.
I can pull it up on anything from my big desktop to my 20+ year old Ancient Mariner laptop. It’s quick, doesn’t bother loading the graphics; just pulls text.
FreeRepublic takes about a quarter-second to load on the desktop. The Ancient Mariner takes about a half-second to load FreeRepublic on the wifi lashup. Any kind of graphics Slows. Things. Down.
Some sites won’t load without graphics; OK by me.
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.
