[506trooper]

Thank you for posting this; I bumped it a couple of times since last night, to keep it near the top, to see how many of the long time FReepers would respond, and to reflect on my short time on FR.

I did not feel it was my place to chime in while you guys sorted it out, and I suspect many recent members (I'm not fond of the term newbie, but, I recognize, it's not always meant as a put-down)have been watching as well

This is the type of post I have come to appreciate on FR.

Judging from the number of views (5700+), it has reached a number of people, and may help with the healing.

Though there have been many great comments,I thought "Post as if you are talking to the thousands that will read you.." was the most poignant...thanks especially for that.

For those of you who may be discounting my comments as just another noob....I have a dog in this fight, I became a contributor within two weeks of my sign up date, (183955 ;-}) and would like to think I'm getting value for my money in the fight against liberalism.

New here but not to life, and I've been actively engaged in the fight against the left since 1964.

Thanks again.

[Steve Newton]

I do not comment often but your post is well taken.

We cannot become divided even over things that some of us hold dear.

We are fighting a world war and we will either support each other and support different opinions or we will be hurting the ones who are fighting and dying for our right to disagree.

We CAN be civil and polite to each other. We are all brothers and sisters and we are all AMERICANS.

God bless

Steve Newton

[Incorrigible]

I posted this on another thread to a poster that questioned FreeRepublic's value. I post it again in hopes that the pettiness I see disappears.

Indeed?

Are you referring to the website that organized the March for Justice in 1998 that inspired the House Managers to go forward with the article of impeachment of President Clinton?

Are you referring to the website the countered the Clintonista spin in the media in the ensuing years?

Are you referring to the website that organized the rallies to counter the attempted theft of the 2000 election and created the ubiquitous signs "Sore Loserman"?

Are you referring to the website that help assemble people in front of Al Gore's VP residence chanting "Get out of Dick Cheney's House" that Gore referred to in his book?

Are you referring to the website that kept the main stream media in check during the entire 2004 Presidential election cycle and is responsible for bringing down a prominent member of that media?

Are you referring to the website that continually supports our troops and their missions around the world?

Are you referring to the website that is the bane of liberals and liars the world over?

Is this not offense?

You joined in September at the height of the election. Our guy won, and was just inaugurated. If you've noticed a reduction in the pace of posting, perhaps people just need a break.

[RightOnline]

As a fellow "old head".......I will say "ditto", "well-said", "bump-a-roonie", pick your cliche'.

May I add that there are some here who take themselves WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too seriously. 'Twas always thus as long as I've been here (latter part of '98), and it seems to me that is those types who leave in a huff.

My advice to all is......heed Bob's words, lighten up, get ticked and scrap and agree and slap on the back and yell and curse......but when all's said and done, you did exactly what you experience in any family full of spirited people, yet you remain family.

[freepatriot32]

You TROLL i'm hitting the abuse botton right now :-)

[doug from upland]

Does that mean my songs can go in breaking news? :)

[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?

[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.

[Osage Orange]

Very prudent post...

Nice job...

Best FRegards,

[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.  

[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!*

[American in Israel]

"As steel sharpens steel, so one brother sharpens another."

I have found both sparks and fire in conversations with my fellow freepers, and have indeed been sharpened here. Many that I have struck against and been struck by have become friends. I find that the best of bonds are formed in the fires of adversity

[united1000]

I'll Ditto that!

[Cyber Liberty]

Hear, hear! LTNS, Bob.