For those of you leaving, staying, watching the show.

FR | 4-1-05 | Bob J

[Bob J]

For those of you who don’t know, Jim and the mods treat old timers a little different than newbies. They get a little more slack, a few more mulligans than those who signed up in last four years or so.

I always wondered if that was a good policy. After all, why should the crusty buggers be treated any differently than someone who signed up last week? Are they more intelligent, are their arguments more cohesive…persuasive? Do they have any more or less to contribute to this community we call the Free Republic? Not necessarily.

But they do have one thing new participants don’t and that is perspective. In a way us curmudgeons can help provide a sense of continuity and historical perspective to events that newcomers cannot. Sometimes, we are the glue the bridges Free Republic from one crisis to the next. I believe the recent Sciavo issue is one of those times so I am going to ante again and prove to Jim that his investment is worthy of it’s returns. I ask other old timers to chime in and pull their weight as well.

The Forum has a history of going through upheavels in terms of political philosophy and/or cultural standards, this is not unusual for a community such as outs. The first thing we need to understand is that the conservative movement is made up of many individuals with different motivations. For example, some are economic minded, some are culturally based, some are second amendment supporters and others view their vision on religious principles. Sometimes these differences can cause us to reevaluate our alliances. But that would be a mistake. The left is counting on us tearing ourselves apart from within for that is the very philosophy upon which their strategy is based…foment division and hatred then attack at the breach. It has worked well for them in the past and they count on it working again for them now and in the future.

My humble opinion and suggestion to all is in these times of contention and confusion, that we remind ourselves who the real enemy is and where the battles ought to be fought. On more than one occasion I have had firefights on FR with individuals who later I found myself sitting next to in a foxhole when we were fighting the real enemy…the militant left. I berated myself for some of the things I had posted and wished I could take them back. For here was my true brother or sister, sitting in the foxhole with me, taking hits with me, helping to lead the bravest charge at our direst moment. How could I have been so thoughtless in my moment of indulgence?

We may divided, on occasion, but let’s not lose sight of the fact that we are all brothers and sisters fighting the good fight against those who would enslave us and our children into bondage for generations. Argue the good argument, stand on principle, but let’s not forget we are all ultimately on the same team. The man or woman you trash today might be the brave soul who saves your behind tomorrow.

Let’s keep out eye on the ball.

[michigander]

Without reading through an entire 500 reply thread, can someone provide a few links, to an "old timer", that will give an indication of what the hell this post is in reference to?

[Sam Cree]

"frankly, the general public doesn't quite know what the party stance is."

Nor do the Republican politicians, IMO, on their basic philosophy, anyway. I like your post #75.

[JLO]

Some people leaving FR.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/search?s=opus+&ok=Search&q=quick&m=any&o=time&SX=4251abd3de0115bc214e4c610dfda20cae854364

[abner]

Smooch!

Group hug.....

Dang! I'm almost a newbie!

[hinckley buzzard]

Points well taken Bob. I stayed off the Schiavo threads because it was obvious that people on both sides were over-involved and unlikely to respond to rational discourse.
Fanaticism took over several of them, and the difference of opinion became a yawning chasm.

There was no reason for the feverish tirades we saw. I am one who believes there were a bunch of disruptors stirring the pot.

There are also and have been, a contingent of contrarians and devil's advocates here who like to create drama just for the autistic gratification of causing trouble. We've lived through this before, and will again.

Those who left, out of disgust or fatigue or whatever,
hopefully continue to read and will circle back after tempers cool. Considering the real contributions made by FR in the past, this in-house brawl was essentially much sound and fury signifying nothing.

So to those who couldn't let go, and had to treat their fellows like dogs gnawing on bones, I ask, what did you accomplish, besides nothing? All your heat made not one whit of difference in the world except to get some freepers mad at each other. Way to go.

[FierceDraka]

We may divided, on occasion, but let’s not lose sight of the fact that we are all brothers and sisters fighting the good fight against those who would enslave us and our children into bondage for generations.

Amen to that, brother.

[Former Military Chick]

PING Comment #419

As I have scanning through the various threads of those leaving staying or well both, I stumbled across this one.

I do not think I have exchanged much with the thread creator nor the person who posted at 419 but I have to tell you there were some interesting thoughts offered. So, if you have the time and are so incline take the time to read who knows perhaps you to will find something noteworthy as well.

[Osage Orange]

Very prudent post...

Nice job...

Best FRegards,

[DoctorMichael]

To 'Bob J': Thanks for the Thread.
To 'michigander': Thanks for the question.
To 'JLO': Bump #503. Thanks for the recap.

Maybe I'm a little slow these days, but I too have been wondering just what the hell happened the last week or so too.

Personally, at one point, I posted that Schindlers were a little over-the-top when they accused Jeb of torture and left it at that, here.........

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1370984/posts?page=68#68

Likewise, I also posted numerous times that I was praying for her and that her enforced homicide was morally wrong too!

I feel deep down that there was a confluence of political, religious and philosophical matters that converged on the hospice where the body of this poor woman lay that made this story compelling and worthy of our collective attention: Liberal Judges, Runaway Courts, Bad Anti-Life Judicial Rulings, The Culture of Death, etc., etc. There was certainly a lot to argue about, and much of it was deeply rooted in why we are all here banging away on our respective keyboards, sometimes late into the night.

But dropping out of FR? C'mon folks.

When you come upon an argument that is overheated sometimes its best to just walk away from the argument unless you want to take part in the heat of the moment: Buyer Beware! You should already know what you're getting into; For my part I try to stay off the Crevo Threads {*LOL*}. In resigning from FR I feel that some people may have thrown the baby out with the bath water. Come back!

[Just mythoughts]

"We may divided, on occasion, but let’s not lose sight of the fact that we are all brothers and sisters fighting the good fight against those who would enslave us and our children into bondage for generations. Argue the good argument, stand on principle, but let’s not forget we are all ultimately on the same team. The man or woman you trash today might be the brave soul who saves your behind tomorrow.

Let’s keep out eye on the ball."


Yes, we are suppose to be on the same team, which begs the question why are the moderate nobles wallowing in pure delight of anticipation that Tom Delay gets his head served upon a silver platter??????

[Salem]

"...Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men...." (II Cor 5:11)

It is the professional, the wise, and when the debate gets hot, the disciplined, who can contend effectively in the Arena of the War of Ideas, and who still stands in the end. The skill of effective persuasion and debate are not easily learned; stooping to insults and abusive ad hominem argument in attacking the individual and not the ideas, will quickly relegate one to the fringes and irrelevance. There are many at Free Republic, especially the senior people, who are near poets in their manipulation of communication and the English language, and they are the standard at Free Republic.

Although that time Alouette cussed that lowlife ZOT-bait in French was, well, a real riot. Sometimes a fool just needs to be rhetorically pounded into the pavement.

Sometimes, mind you.  

[banalblues]

I thought everyone died at the alamo?

[Conservative4Ever]

We may divided, on occasion, but let’s not lose sight of the fact that we are all brothers and sisters fighting the good fight against those who would enslave us and our children into bondage for generations. Argue the good argument, stand on principle, but let’s not forget we are all ultimately on the same team. The man or woman you trash today might be the brave soul who saves your behind tomorrow.

Well said. But what is the criteria for being an old timer?

Red

[Mr. Silverback]

Let’s keep out eye on the ball.

Dang straight, Bob. I'm not here at FR because you're here, I'm here because you and thousands of folks just as intelligent and gracious as you are here.

[netmilsmom]

"....than those who signed up in last four years or so."

Cool! I think I only have a year or so to go!
*mercy, please!*

[LizardQueen]

IMHO, this place is just a microcosm or mirror of society at large. The outside world is increasingly polarized, too, with both sides completely unable to hear the other.

Passionate discussion is one thing and can be good - gets the blood moving :lol:, hones the arguments, and such. But too quickly it devolves into name-calling, mud-slinging, finger-pointing, vitriolic attacks. The issues end up getting lost in the acrimony, and it's a shame.

I don't know what the solution is (except for everyone sit down, shut up, and chill out when things get too heated, or have the self control to stick to the issues and not get personal) but to be honest, I'm not hopeful it will get solved.

I've seen board after board go up in flames like this - it comes and goes, but each time another group of valuable posters leaves because they just get sick of the BS, and they often aren't replaced, or are replaced with people less interesting and articulate than they are.

We all have something to learn from each other no matter how ferociously we disagree. The question is, can we keep from killing each other long enough to learn it?

Just my $.02.
LQ

[Bob J]

Good points.

[Bob J]

"Well said. But what is the criteria for being an old timer?"

THere isn't any criteria, really, it's one of those "I know it when I see it" thingys...heheh.

[Bob J]

Worth much more than .02!

[Alamo-Girl]

I thought everyone died at the alamo?

LOLOLOL! I'm not that old. And there were a few non-combatant survivors at the Alamo.