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.
The owner's a bigger man than you.
I'm making that my hobby.
LOSER
That's Jim's call. We're all guests here, ultimately.
I think Rush and most Freepers supporting Terri would have been on the side of the husband if he wasn't in an adulterous relationship, there being witnesses who said Terri said "when there is life, there is hope" etc. and not the wish Michael said she said....7 years into the ordeal (after saying for the past 7 years that she would have wanted to live).
If these things were not there....if we had reason to believe the husband, I am sure Rush and most Freepers on the side of the parent's would have switched sides to the husband.
I know I would have.
I missed it. And I miss his posts, he was one of the best freepers ever.
Are you the former A+Bert?
Very well said -- that was my problem -- her scumbag husband made the decision and he should not have been allowed to do that under the circumstances. When he wanted to date, he should have gotten a divorce.
True.
Well, sheesh, now I am curious..
Huh?What the heck is going on here? :(
You know, that's just sad and pitiful. For every shout of "Nazi" I saw on a Terri Shiavo thread, I saw an equal number of posts just like that one.
Leave? No way!
If it ain't here, it ain't important. there is no better source for information that I have seen. I have not had a TV in my house since 1999. All of my information comes from FR. Guess who all my friends and relatives go to for news? Me. I live in Panama and my relatives from the US ALWAYS call me to see what is happening in the world.
Information IS power- that is a fact. If you can't sit down and have an opinion on current events that matter, keep your mouth shut.
NOTHING is gray. EVERYTHING is black and white!
I may change my mind, but I won't tell anyone. I will defend my position to the end.
If someone asks me for my opinion, I assume they want it so I give it to them.
They killed her! That is not a gray area. No will- no way!
NEVER say never!
I leaned one thing from Clinton. If you make a mistake- tell everyone.
I did not change my mind but Jesus Christ changed my life in 1997.
I participated in the "March for Justice." That too changed my life.
This site, its owner and the unwavering opinions of its participants have changed the world.
It may not look like it but we are winning. Stand by.
I have never posted anything. I have only replied about 15 times. This is my first rant.
You WILL be back. Just ask Bert.
Hasta luego.
THE CHINESE DO NOT RUN THE CANAL. TRUST ME, GEORGE WASHINGTON RUNS THE CANAL!
We'll see. This opus to me is like deja vu, having seen those other groups go.
Most republicans and freepers met them more than halfway.
I was here on FR before A+Bert , but way later on earth.
I wasn't here for Elian. That case was bad, but not nearly as bad as condoning the murder of a disabled woman.
Hey! I signed up after September 11, and have been wondering where the conservatives have gone since!
You bet we can! Elian is still a slave and Terri is dead.
Who/what are these "fringers" of whom you speak?
And, are we not all "soul brothers" in Christ?
And, who are you planning to drive out of News/activism next? Pray tell.
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