For all the good we do there is always someone ready to give us a bad name and it has happened before.
Here are some of your comments on this serious matter: when the REAL proof turns up they claim "just another fake, like last time".
People need to be more responsible. It's one thing if the photo is obviously a joke but this one looked authentic. Apparently, it fooled a lot of folks. This will not earn the conservative cause any points...
Flooding the internet with fake photos would be a great way to discredit the real one. I hope that people can restrain themselves
We don't need a bunch of fakes muddying the waters and confusing the issue. The Kerry campaign would latch onto it in a heartbeat to discredit the legitimate stuff.
Otherwise Free Republic is going to get a reputation of posting nothing but fake pictures and we will lose much of our credibility
If we want to maintain a level of respect by the media, we need to self-police things like this, and save the other catty stuff for less important threads
We've hurt ourselves more than helped over the years, with over the top allegations, wishful thinking, and let's face it, made up crap on the Clinton's. They've brilliantly used our own exhuberance against us, made us unbelievable, and even, at times, a laughingstock.
A good reputation is priceless in this town; sometimes it takes a lot of work to keep that rep spotless. Thank goodness that Doctor Raoul and Kristinn were on-the-ball with this, and were able to mitigate the damage that could have been done. Madstrider's absolutely correct, we did come within and eyelash of causing a huge embarrassment - in a lot of places.
I don't know why anyone would use a fake purposely and hurt Free Republic's reputation.
Now, if someone is planting disinformation in the form of photos, is it possible that 'they' are also planting faked stories (RE. The Drudge affair story).
Let's remain smarter than the average donkey.
(and now a comment from me) And as for you Billhilly, if you don't understand how easily FR can be discredit at this critical time I don't know what to tell you. A lot of us have worked long and hard to make FR credible and the leftist media is constantly looking for a way to discredit us. Surely you know this with your 40 years of experience. Jim: I really think you need to address this matter.