There ought to be a Freeper forum for book reviews. You aren't really making a vanity post. If you click on the picture, it will take you to Amazon.com's website to the webpage for this book.
Posted on 08/23/2004 5:02:30 PM PDT by Jim Robinson
Received my copy of Bob Barr's new book, The Meaning of IS today. Kristinn forwarded it to me after meeting with Bob Barr and getting it autographed for me. Thank you Kristinn!Bob signed the book as follows:
"For Jim Robinson
Thank you Bob Barr!!
Thank you for your leadership that made the impeachment possible.
- Bob Barr"Thought I'd better share this with the FReepers, because I didn't make this happen. YOU did!!
Thank you all very much!!
I haven't read the entire book yet, but I skimmed through it immediately after removing it from the package and found the following beginning on page 144:
One of the most unusual groups to coalesce during the impeachment called themselves "Freepers." This self-created name traces its etymology to the name of the website from whence they came, named FreeRepublic.com. I say they came from this website because they did. It became an online community for people in America who believed deeply in the Constitution. In an increasingly relativistic society, such patriots naturally wanted to meet others who shared their sense that something was deeply amiss in the Clinton White House. So they set up their website, where they started off posting information on Clinton scandals as they broke and then posted follow-up comments. Soon, however, the site morphed into a clearing house for online activism.
Most established Republicans sneered at what the Freepers were doing, but I welcomed them with open arms; they were my kind of Americans--unpretentious, informed, unafraid and committed. I soon discovered that alerting their network could trigger a rapid-fire barrage of phone calls to any target that needed a little softening up. On more than one occasion, a member who seemed unsure of where to break on impeachment was deluged with calls, e-mails, faxes and mail from people who lived in his home district and wanted action.
It was also an excellent vehicle with which to deluge offices of Republican leadership in Congress with calls to support the impeachment effort. In fact, this proved so effective, our leaders began to complain to me that their offices were getting tied up with grassroots petitions, faxes, emails, and calls. While outwardly I commiserated with them, in fact this was great news, since I knew that if a matter reached the point at which our leaders could no longer ignore the problem, we definitely stood a chance of having it addressed.
In another case, my staff used such an online campaign to tie up the phone lines of Harvard professor Alan Dershowitz for a significant amount of time after he leveled personal attacks at me. It was a guilty pleasure for them, and I probably would have tried to talk them out of it at the time, but I must admit to chuckling under my breath when I heard the story later.
The greatest achievement of the Freepers was putting on a massive rally at the foot of the Washington Monument on Halloween Day (a Saturday) in 1998. This was a critical time for impeachment because we knew the election in a few days could change everything. We wanted to ensure the Republican Party was as strongly bolstered as it could be going into the election, so that no matter the outcome, impeachment would move forward. One way to do this was to vote with our feet, coming to Washington and showing Republican power players that there really was a constituency for impeachment in real America.
As you might imagine, putting on a massive rally on the mall of the nation's capital is no easy task. There are numerous government permits to secure, and those permits have specific requirements. For example, the National Park Service requires a certain number of portable toilets at the event, and so on and so forth. If the media also decides to cover the event, it also has its own list of demands, ranging from elevated platforms to reliable electric supplies to phone lines. Out-of-town visitors need help with parking, transportation and lodging. Most groups who put on such events have large staffs of trained professionals who deal with these kinds of details. The Freepers, very much a group of grassroots citizens of modest means, had only volunteers, many of whom had never met in person before, and all of them had other responsibilities in life besides setting up a "March for Justice."
Somehow or another, they managed to pull off the event. The list of speakers included yours truly, Larry Klayman, Gary Aldrich, Matt Drudge, Alan Keyes, and Lucianne Goldberg. We all had interesting things to say, I'm sure, but the real point was to show the world that people in America actually gave a damn about these issues and were willing to put their money where their mouths were. The total crowd in attendance on a beautiful October day ranged well into the thousands and I'm sure their shouts were heard loud and clear at the White House located just across the mall and down the street. The Freepers also did other things, including putting together one of the most effective printed political ads I have ever seen, which featured George Washington shedding a single tear over the state of affairs in the nation that he fought to build. I still proudly display a framed version of that ad in my office. The group would later play a prominent role in other chapters of American history, making significant contributions to such battles as the Florida recount following the 2000 election.
Congratulations Freepers! Great Job!!
Thank you and God Bless, Bob Barr! You are the man!!
ping
We did it, Pal.
FRegards,
Jim
Wow!
Fantastic!
Ain't in nice to have been a part of history and to have taken part in all the events Bob describes?
I think so!
I've got my copy of this (not autographed) but just haven't had the time yet to read it
There ought to be a Freeper forum for book reviews. You aren't really making a vanity post. If you click on the picture, it will take you to Amazon.com's website to the webpage for this book.
It's your baby Jim.....You've watch it take it's first steps go through growth spurts; weather the problems of youth. As it matures and takes it's place in history, you must be very proud of FreeRepublics's accomplishments. Congratulations!
Congratulations, Jim!! Onward and upwards!
I'd love to see a copy of the GW ad he refers to.
Congrats JR!
Thought you guys might get a kick outta this.
You deserve every bit of recognition for your vision in creating Free Republic and your perserverence during the difficult times. You truly are one of my heroes.
You can bet your bippy that the Swiftboatvets are thankful you created FR!
God bless!
JD
Ping!
Kinda makes it all worthwhile.
Thank you for FR.
But, but, as much as my next door neighbor deserved to be convicted by the Senate, and the GOP senators took a pass..it was for the best, because had Clinton been forced to resign, Gore would have been elected easily in 2000, and the dems would have retaken the Senate as well..which only goes to prove..
1. There IS a God
2. HE really loves this country..
3. HE has a "wicked" sense of humor..
Regards, and bless you..
JimRob, as if you didn't have enough of a legacy already! What a fabulous, keeper inscription!!
LET US NEVER FORGET HOW KERRY AND EDWARDS VOTED ON THIS HISTORICAL DEFINEING ISSUE.
FreeRepublic IS THE BEST!
Thank you for creating it, maintaining it and letting us all share it.
Msschief
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