Posted on 04/01/2005 9:51:33 PM PST by 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.
Yeah, you are a cut above us pleabs becasue you started rightalk.
"Post as if you are talking to the thousands that will read you, not one numbskull."
That took a while for me to accept. You always have an audience. Just recently I was wondering why only 10-15 people had made comments on an article I had posted, then, I noticed that it had 718 views.
Good Points .. Good Thread
Words we need to remember
No, I got lucky and had the time and $$ to do it. A gift from above.
But wait! I just became one of "those who signed up in last four years or so," so I spoze that's worth a trip over to the Freepathon thread for an anniversarial carrying of part of my part of the load!
u
:-)
Rest assured there are lots of us who read every post of yours we find.
Just because we don't comment doesn't mean we ain't there.
How long does it take to be considered an Old Timer? (o:
Kidding. But I am here for the long haul.
Great post! Bravo!
Battle training counts for a lot in the field.
If one disagrees with my position on Hillary, I look forward to the chance to make my argument and the chance to persuade the thousands that may read my posts.
It's a fluid thing. Right now I'm guessing signups '97-'00. That will move as the dial does.
And most of us on FR will be ready to help you on this issue of Hillary.
I've learned that if you can somehow toss in the word sex in the title of your post, the activity afforded that thread automatically increases 10 fold.
The name Hillary takes it off the charts.
I fear the day when both sex and Hillary are used at the same time in the title of a thread.
When Trixie bailed and bad-mouthed us, people said FR was over.
It wasn't.
When CaL and the Keyes-uber-alles group left, people said FR was over.
It wasn't.
When BatJack threatened to sue everyone in sight ( including their pets) people said FR was over.
It wasn't.
When the Buchanan brigades decided that FR was a tool of the globalists and left to denounce us globally, people said FR was over.
It wasn't.
When Elian Gonzales split FR right down the middle, with venom and anger that made this last little spat look like a Nerf™ War, people said FR was over.
It wasn't.
When the MSM sued FR and JimRob looked like he was under the gun, people said FR was over.
It wasn't.
FR has been threatened with "destruction" more times than the Earth has with global warming propaganda, and it's still here. Those of us who have been here through these times have a duty to remember that, to calm the storm, and to provide perspective (as you so eloquently pointed out). FR isn't going anywhere until JimRob says it is, and I believe that!
The Hillary issue is a big tent. As it should be.
10-4.
I'd really avoid a thread using both of those words in it's title. Yuck!
This goes out to several hundred people.
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