Posted on 07/13/2026 12:16:43 PM PDT by JoeVortex
I clicked on my bookmark for Free Republic.
The splash page came up.
And then in dawned on me:
Free Republic is 30 years old this year!
In one week, I will have been a Freeper for 28 years! The best forum on the internet--by far!
The most intelligent, benevolent, healthy, and ascendant people on the internet are Freepers!
I’m 39.
Ping!
I’m here because a friend kept sending me links via email. So I lurked, then joined, then went to this “freep” thing I heard about on Rush or Hannity, at Walter Reed, near where I grew up. Met a whole bunch of “freepers” there, who were “freeping” Code Pink! There’s a big long story that follows, many adventures and hundreds of people over the years, but wow, what a great beginning!
Met so many freepers at DC freeps and online through our After-Action Reports, including many of our brave soldiers, hundreds of folks from FR and many patriot groups who came to DC to Walter Reed or to counter the leftist anti-war marches during Afghanistan and Iraq, and the entire Robinson clan at one point. Good times!
Also Rush Limbaugh, who returned his talent back to G-d, who loaned it to him. His equal has not been found. Yet.
Also No Pardons, a great lady.
I found it on a link within the FR site a few years ago, but I can’t find it now.
All the Forums for a start.
Browse by Forum
Bloggers & Personal
General/Chat
GOP Club
News/Activism
Religion
RLC Liberty Caucus
Smoky Backroom
VetsCoR
Everything
Most are useless. Does anyone even know what a VetsCoR is??
Good memories...
Like MANY who are here, I first found the site via the link on the Drudge Report in March of 1998. The Monica Lewinsky story was great on many levels:
- It allowed us to debate with our wives about whether a B-J counted as “sex”? (any chance to discuss B-J’s with the wife tends to have good long-term benefits!) and
- It led many people to Free Republic, one of the all-time greatest places for news and comment.
Free Republic was/IS what X /(Twitter) aspire to be; a national counter-top for discussion of current topics. The level of discourse when it first started was incredible. Over the years, it’s ebbed and flowed, but in my opinion, has remained high.
I still find it easier here than anywhere to find a wide range of CURRENT news. And eventually... insightful comment from people with better sources, or different viewpoints. A place where I can easily ask questions and debate points of issue. What more could anyone ask for? Anything that’s not here? I’m probably not that interested in it.
I loved FR from the start, but I came to truly appreciate it when 9/11 happened. As someone stated earlier, FR was just about the ONLY internet site that remained able to provide news for those of us stuck in an office. EVERYTHING else was frozen.
My favorite times here were the real-time commentary we used to have when watching the TV show “24”. It was freaking hilarious. I’ve also always enjoyed the hurricane following threads. Now, I’m actually live back in storm country... eek!
There was a time when I was a routine monthly donor, but I must admit... I stopped it when things got a little crazy here, and when I started working for an ultra-woke European company. I truly felt like I might be fired, just for being a member. I’ve made a few one-time donations since and will continue.
I hope the site is able to outlast me! To this day, it’s one of, if not THE, first site I go to in the morning for news. What a blessing JimRob was able to bring us all with his vision. MANY THANKS to all who are working to keep it going.
“Whitewater File” was the name of the link on Drudge.
I joined FR in 2004! I have been blessed to have many awesome Freeper friends; some who now walk with God that I miss so much. I remember the days of Rush Limbaugh, David Horowitz, Tony Snow, Mark Levin, & many others who were on FR.
Happy Birthday FreeRepublic and Happy Birthday to all those who have been here for so many years. And my gratitude to JimRob for giving us a forum where we could and can meet many like minded patriots.
I have for over twenty years bitched to the Robinsons about charging a lousy ten buck per month if you want to post and if FR is so important as all of the people that are clapping their hands today, then $81 K should be a walk in the park.
I am so tired of the self back slapping for free, when kicking in a few bucks is like pulling teeth.
Pay up or take a walk, if you cannot pay $10 a month, sell your computer and sit in the park watching the animals.
I’ve been around a couple of years longer than you have. This subject comes up from time to time. My guess is they have done all the legal work to keep to keep FR working. Charging directly to view and post to fair use content is probably a no-no.
It’s hard to believe that I’ve been on this forum for 26 years, now.
I used an image store for a long time (forgot it’s name) until they held my images hostage.
How old is Charlie McCarthy now?
ask ai
copilot helped me earlier today
i don’t!
I don't post much anymore, but I do check the feed several times a day. When any news breaks my first go-to is FR for the real info.
I didn't say view, but to post is a privilege, not a right.
They may have to change somethings, but you've got to admit, there are too many free loaders here.
It should not be like pulling teeth to collect a lousy $81 K from a supposed hundreds of thousands FReepers.
Even is the number of FReepers is only 10,000 that is only Three Dollars a month to beat the number.
There are too many Free Loaders on Free Republic, and I've said this for years.
Pay up or go watch the animals in the park.
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