Free Republic and the New Media
Self | 09/12/2004 | Chris Davis
Posted on 09/12/2004 4:54:35 PM PDT by writer33
It all started in 1988. President Ronald Reagan’s second term was ending, Americans were ready to launch the presidency of George H.W. Bush, and in Sacramento, California, a “loveable little fuzzball” stepped behind a microphone, replacing Morton Downey, Jr, and giving us his brand of conservative truth. It was astonishing. It was exhilarating. And it was unheard at the time. Before 1988, Americans had been treated with the nightly news from the “Big Media.”
The “Big Media” owned the airwaves of our televisions. Every morning, noon, and night we were fed stories, pictures, and commentary from a leftist press. A media content in spreading the truth that served its purpose, giving us little tidbits of salacious information, but not reporting the full story. Facts had been withheld to give the unaware their view of the world and how it should be. Their mission: Save the world by keeping people ignorant of the truth. And just like the song, “Along Came Mary,” along came Limbaugh.
Limbaugh perforated our eardrums with common sense and startling commentary. His sharp wit and sarcastic humor brought a smile on our faces. His love of country and support of our troops spurred a belief that was held in the majority of Americans’ minds. America loved it. They loved Limbaugh. They loved the truth. In fact, America loved the truth so much they gave him his own television show in 1992. This opened the door to audiences that had never heard from Limbaugh before. A chance to spread “a disease caused by casual contact.” A chance to open American eyes to the “Big Media.” CBS, NBC, ABC, and CNN hadn’t seen the like of it. They were in shock and awe. They were furious. They were overwhelmed at the number of stations Limbaugh overtook. They didn’t know how to respond to this “loveable little fuzzball.” So they did what they always do: Manipulate the facts and distort the truth about Limbaugh. Before long, his books were on shelves, spreading more conservative views on topics of interest to Americans, topics such as National Security, Feminism, Abortion, and Liberalism. Now, even more Americans had become aware of Rush Limbaugh. Suddenly, the “Big Media” had to compete for the attention of the American people. As Rush said before, “There wasn’t any of this fifteen years ago. I know. I was there at the creation.” He was. And we are forever grateful.
Through all of this, a cable news channel was created. Fox News, a channel that reported the whole story. They were young and brash, and in 1996, they gave a young, fire-breather his debut on Hannity & Colmes. Sean Hannity began to slice and dice liberalism on a cable news network. His efforts in broadcast journalism led him to his own radio show on September 10, 2001. Not only does he reach millions on his television show, but is second only to Rush Limbaugh in talk radio with nearly 400 stations across the nation. As conservatives, we were starting to get a stranglehold on the old monopoly of the “Big Media.” We were fighting mad and it was showing.
And there would be more to follow. More talk show hosts to come. More conservative news, exposing the truth of the spin in the “Big Media.” There would be the internet, the new age of conservative news, opinions, commentary, and information throughout the globe. Soon, a gutsy, young journalist would risk it all and shake the foundations of the White House from the internet. Matt Drudge risked his entire reputation, career, and livelihood by breaking the Monica Lewinsky story. This no nonsense conservative uncovered what no “Big Media” would uncover. He would expose the corruption and debauchery under the desk in the Oval Office.
Matt Drudge was the beginning of the internet and the new media. Now, Americans of all stripes of red, white, and blue could access news. In the last year, Drudge has had nearly three billion visitors to his site, which is broadcast every Sunday from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. eastern standard time. Drudge began the wave of the conservative future. No longer did conservatives have to call in to their favorite talk radio program to express their frustration of the liberal media. No longer did they have to sit idly by their televisions throwing pillows at the television while ranting and raving at the blatant media partisanship. Now they had a new outlet. They had a forum called Free Republic.
Through the brainchild of Jim Robinson, a forum was created where Americans of all flavors could rant, rave, and could even continue the pursuit of conservatism while crushing the socialistic tyranny of the “Big Media.” In a statement on their website, Jim Robinson states, “In our continuing fight for freedom, for America and our constitution and against totalitarianism, socialism, tyranny, terrorism, etc., Free Republic stands firmly on the side of right, i.e., the conservative side.” And in that statement, sums up the mission of conservatism and Free Republic. Now we’re dangerous to the “Big Media.” Now we’re available to everyone. We’re in homes, in offices, and in laptop computers. We’ve become an infectious disease that will debilitate the Democratic Party and liberalism’s veined effort to garnish power. We’re putting a stranglehold on a defunct enterprise known as CBS, NBC, ABC, and CNN.
From Anchorage, AK to Miami, FL, we’re spread across the United States in search of one crushing blow to end the “Big Media’s” tyranny over the news, to stop the lies, and end the oppression of facts from news commentary, such as 60 Minutes. We’re here to mobilize and stop the incestuous relationship with the Democratic Party and their socialistic tendencies. In a nutshell, we are here to end liberalism’s final, desperate grip on a media that has become so partisan they’ve lost all objectivity. Free Republic, this group of “amateurs” has put their testicles in a vice and tightened ‘em down.
But the media doesn’t know the full power of Free Republic. The media doesn’t know it is made of up individuals across the globe. “Amateurs” of all walks of life, willing to make the leap in refuting liberal terrorism in the press. From housewives to airline pilots, from ministers to talk show hosts, and from architects to engineers, comprise diversity so great that the media’s group of so-called experts can’t keep up. We even have our own range of military personnel from every branch of service, willing to battle lies and distortions within the media elite. And as much as we hate to admit it, we have lawyers that lurk, lawyers that Freep, and lawyers that make sure no lawsuit is left behind.
From our makeup, we are Americans: Conservative Americans. Americans united in one common goal: We won’t stop till the mission is complete. For we are the new media. We are the new truth in America. We are the amateurs that have rocked the status quo. These merry bands of amateurs, known as Freepers, have shown their expertise at exposing the truth. This forum called Free Republic will supercede the admonishment of the liberal media and conquer all those that oppose us. After all, we are the best in the world. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: “Free Republic is made up of some of the finest minds I’ll ever know.” And for that, I am forever grateful for their expertise. I am forever grateful for this new media.
I was trying to reply to your great tribute and I got a "this thread has been pulled" message! Boy was I pist!!!
“Free Republic is made up of some of the finest minds I’ll ever know. And for that, I am forever grateful for their expertise. I am forever grateful for this new media."
I agree, I am continuously impressed by the range of knowledge and expertise exhibited by a bunch of right-wing wingnuts in their jammies. I am also very impressed by the courage of convictions held by many, many Freepers. I, too, am grateful for this site as a medium for combatting the cultural war we are now engaged in. Tonight, I believe Free Republic hit the mainstream, and it will be a force to reckon with from here on.
My thanks to Jim Robinson for having the foresight, the persistence, and the guts to give birth to and keep this baby going.
Well said! I haven't been a FReeper for very long, but I can tell you there isn't a day that goes by that I don't check in and catch up with all the latest news. I talk about Free Republic CONSTANTLY and I am now considering the possibility of going to college to study Political Science.
I love it! Beautiful!
Excellent!
THANKS TONS.
GREAT JOB!
Nice write'n Mr. writer!
Thanks for expressing in words which I could not.
Keep up the good work!
NYTexan
Writer, that was a MAGNIFICENT little piece there.
JIMROB: Sir, I'm directing your attention to a marvelous workup about the New Media, our own Writer33 being the author.
Might you see any use for such talent?
Great Job!
What is the link to your excellent oped, so I can bookmark it and use it.
ping for later read.
YYYYYeeeeeessssss!!!! Your comments have me revved up. What demoncRAT can I spit in the face or kick shins. :)