Posted on 04/01/2005 4:26:00 PM PST by Poohbah
First, this is NOT an April Fool's joke.
I am leaving Free Republic.
Over the past two years, civility and thoughtful discourse has vanished from this site, replaced with demands for ideological conformity that are straight out of Stalinist Russia or China's Great Cultural Revolution, and unrelenting uncivility if said conformance is not forthcoming. This trend began with the California recall election, where certain posters were allowed to flame the living beejezus out of those who didn't wholeheartedly support Tom McClintock, or thought that he wasn't running a campaign capable of winning. It extended into the Keyes campaign last year, where any critique of Keyes' campaign strategy was shrilly flamed, despite the obviously flawed execution of his campaign.
(Aside: one person who flamed me during the Keyes mess later said that he hadn't intended to start a fight with his remarks that accused me of homosexuality, pedophilia, and other evils; I was instantly reminded of the time I had to bail one of my Marines out of the local lockup. "Honest, Sarge," this Marine told me, "I didn't mean to start a fight when I called that Army Ranger a faggot." My response was not [and still isn't] suitable for public consumption.)
Since then, the Terri Schiavo case has pushed FR over the edge. We had posts calling for people to ensure that "accidents" to befall Schiavo and Judge Greer. We had posts praying that Iran would soon develop nuclear weapons, so that they could destroy the United States. And until the FBI started making arrests, those posts were allowed to stay up, completely abnegating Free Republic's standards.
We had people on both sides of the issue point out that the Schindlers were associating with some people of extremely low character, and that our uncritical embrace of these parties would not rebound to our favor. Rather reasonable attitudes to take, actually; but the loudest of the loud were in no mood to think.
My personal favorite was the following exchange:
The issue is not legality, but public opinion. Which will not be helped in this case if the pro-Terry side becomes associated in the media with Christian Identity, white supremicists, neo-nazis, racists and/or anti-semites.
Diva Betsy Ross made a valiant attempt to...ahem...whitewash Christian Identity, but it didn't work.
To top things off, we had people embracing as some sort of conservative icon, to the extent of posting a fundraising link.
I always thought that conservatism valued thinking over feeling, careful contemplation of facts over wild-eyed repetition of every damn rumor to come down the pipe, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. For a while, Free Republic met those criteria in spades.
Those days are long gone, and I have serious doubt as to whether or not they're coming back.
I know that many of the usual suspects will cheer this on, as their longtime nemesis is leaving them the field.
Be careful what you wish for; you are in the process of getting it. You may succeed in driving the folks who disagree with you from the site; but you will end up being just another collection of shrill voices in Bedlam. When everything is an over-the-top scream, no one will be heard.
Farewell.
Your post is typical of what is being discussed. You lumped people in either category and that was not the case. I am pro-life all the way and think Felos was one of the creepiest people I have ever seen on TV that wasn't in a horror movie and the scumbag husband was just that.
But I also posted the lawyers for the Schindlers were incompetent in their pleadings and got slammed. All of a sudden I was no long pro-life because I dared say they were incompetent and didn't get all gushy over Jesse Jackson and his grandstanding. I asked several who had said things if Jesse got his two votes he said he had -- didn't even know the names and the answer was he didn't. But you know what the love feast with Jackson continued even when facts were known because some Freepers couldn't handle facts.
Just like the rumor that Greer's wife was on the Hospice Board -- it was debunked over and over and people kept coming right back. I asked for facts not lies and spin. If I make a mistake, I admit it when it is pointed out and have a fairly thick skin but this went over the top.
Not necessary. Hearsay is adequate.
Or so I'm told.
Thank You! This is not RinoRepublic or ModerateRepublic!
Most of the people posting OPUS's have been the ones who have opening agitating or undermining the stated philosophy of the board. Good riddance to them. Some of them think that because they've been here a long time, that 'they' can hijack the site, and mold it into their liking, rather than respecting what the founder and owner has stated above.
This is the same form of arrogant activism that we see in the judiciary.
Good question. Been wondering that myself.
Why, thank you sir. LOL!
Maybe you're just not that funny.
Just like a liberal to lie like that. Thanks.
Man, you really ARE clueless. I suppose you think a Pukin Dog is just a sick puppy? Creep.
Spot-on, rw. Absolutely right.
Hahaha!
Hahaha!
I've been a member of FR for about a year and a half. I came in here very naive, and got kicked in the butt several times. I'm still here, but somewhat dismayed in how things have been going in the last few weeks. The mean-spiritness on here by some has me wondering.
That said, it's not about "toughening up", it's about respect. Or should be.
What are you doing? We are going to need you here to help stop Hillary. Come back.
BTW, Diva, just wanted to say "THANK YOU!!!!" ;-)
It largely is.
The mods can't stop everything. What happned on FR last week was an explosion that mods could not control due to the sheer number of people being compared to Nazi's etc.
Why, you, my dear. Statement of fact? No, what you've been making are statements along the lines of you're way smarter than the rest of us. I did find and still do find your arguments weak, at best.
Enjoy your vacation. Perhaps you'll be a bit more of a challenge after your rest.
Right. Facts don't matter. We get it.
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