Are we all equal on FR?

[JoeV1]

I wonder if the rules on this forum are applied equally? Several weeks ago I was denied posting privileges because I jokingly advocated a "plan b" in fighting the so far failed war on illegal immigration. My "plan b" was to have border guards retreat to within 200 yards of the border and while fitted with night vision goggles simply drop any illegals attempting to gain access to America.

Now frankly I am not concerned with the fact I was denied posting privileges for a day(reason given was "advocating violence")but I wonder if the folks who post pictures of exploding nukes over text that calls for turning the middle east, or N Korea into a glowing heap of slag. were also denied the ability to post. I did a cursory check and found the names of the posters associated with the nuke threats posting regularly after the aforementioned posts appeared.

Is it possible that some are more equal then others here? I have been referred to as a "newbie" as if that somehow makes what I say less credible then someone here a longer period of time. I believe opinions are opinions and the length of forum membership does not serve to make ones credibility stronger.

It does seem that there is a "good old boy's" network operating here and the old timers are given more leeway as far as the rules then are the newer arrivals. While I have been a FR member for only 8 months I have been an avid political forum debator for 8 or 9 years on places such as the NYT, WP, LAT and others.

There was another incident in which I was accused of a personal attack although I was merely responding to an attack on myself. I never used profanity and merely responded in kind to another whose main complaint was that I was wrong in criticizing the post of another person because that person was a 5 year member. I was also told I didn't know what I was talking about. This resulted in a few back and forth retorts which I frankly found amusing and in no way took as an insult.

I thoroughly enjoy verbal jousting and never shrink from a confrontation. It appears that others see fit to run to the moderator at the first sign of getting back what it is they dish out. It is at that time that I believe the good old boys network comes into play.

If any of you would like to see the posts that caused this simply ask and I will happily post them.

[Netizen]

It's pretty bad when someone can suspend someone else just because their integrity was questioned. Talk about thin skin. The 1 and 3 day suspensions were all about 'power'.

[johnb838]

Even as someone who rarely posts, I see nothing wrong with giving more leeway to a poster that has proven his or her worth through a long period of quality posting. If someone like that occasionally loses their patience and posts something ill advised, you can still be pretty sure it is not a deliberate piece of provocation or trolling

Truth there too, Steeler Fan. When I cross over the line, the Admin usually just deletes the post. But it doesn't happen very often mind you. Because even if I'm really angry and really tearing it up I stop and ask myself the question - is this inciting violence and is this going to get me banned?

This is a private forum and liberals don't get to come on here and preach their hatred hiding behind the first amendment like they do everywhere else, thank goodness. We don't play that here. JimRob reserves the right to refuse service to anyone.

[JoeV1]

I love the picture!! Did mommy help you with it?

[MeekOneGOP]

"Are we all equal on FR?"

No. Some pigs are more equal than others.

Get over it, Dude!

[JoeV1]

LOL, I hope you checked to see if the person you replied to was a veteran on the site.

[Frank_Discussion]

I suspect your mommy did, though... C'mon, you're getting pathetic.

[Little Bill]

...and found this one. Over the years that I have been lurking or a member of FR, '97, JimRob has provided an even handed forum for the presentation of conservitive views.

There was a time when the "Go Pat Go" crowd got out of hand as did the libertarians, The Mod system was instituded because of that, I have no problem with that.

[weaponeer]

I have been referred to as a "newbie" as if that somehow makes what I say less credible then someone here a longer period of time.

It does.

I believe opinions are opinions and the length of forum membership does not serve to make ones credibility stronger.

Where did you ever get a silly idea like that?

... I have been an avid political forum debator for 8 or 9 years on places such as the NYT, WP, LAT and others.

Oh. OK. That explains it.

[pollyannaish]

Without reading any other replies:

Some of us are smarter, some not as much; some richer, some poorer; some atheist, some Christian, some other; Some fat, some skinny, a lot in between; Some libertarian, some conservative, some Republican, some liberal...some contributors, some not...shall I go on?

We all had equal opportunity to sign on. The outcome is not equal. And we are all here at the pleasure of Mr. Robinson and those who are chosen to assist him. He has always reserved the right to refuse service to anyone. Those are the basic rules.

So the short answer is ...

No. So what?

[Billthedrill]

Joe, Joe...you didn't read your FR indoctrination package, did you? You probably even think this is a conservative forum, dontcha?

It's code, Joe. These are days when the text string "kill the Pr*sident" in a post can have the NSA boys contacting the Secret Service and pretty soon you're Jonathan Pollard's proctologist. Not a great career choice.

So what you do, see, is use innocent-seeming phrases that have a much more sinister connotation. "I support President Bush" decodes to "death to the running-dog capitalist swine!" "Ann Coulter is cool" really means "crush the bloodsucking imperialists!" And that stuff about "hugh," "series," "AYBABTU," "moose," and "cheese" - you couldn't possibly think that's what they were really referring to, now could you?

Now, when the explosives are in place around the substation and the det cord is set and you want to let everyone know the op is about to go off, you don't post something stupid like "DIE SCUMSUCKING INFIDELS DIE DIE DIE," you post...a recipe for oatmeal cookies. They do it in the FR canteen all the time.

It's all in the package, Joe. The decoder ring, the codebooks, the extra-sized prophylactics, the rubber toys...oh, why am I bothering?

[Netizen]

IMHO, you should be suspended, AGAIN..this thread obviously belongs in "Chat" (G)

Yeah but a lot of vanities that should be in chat don't start there. If he gets suspended for that, then there should be a slew of others following on his heels.

[Stu Cohen]

I think the button was hit. Big difference. We should be able to know who hits the button? Might stop a lot of frivolous 'abuse button' pushers if their screen name was going to be made public. Pretty easy to hide and accuse people anonymously.

That's a darned good idea. The "ability to confront your accuser" was a foundation of this nation for this exact reason.

Would probably make the moderation easier too, and make the whole thing more transparent to all users.

I hope they take this suggestions. I'm suprised nobody thought of it before.

[Nita Nupress]

I think your characterization of Freepers is WAY OFF--I never, ever haved claimed a halo, nor do I act like I have one, I don't think...and I don't know many freepers that do...

Ha! No kidding. A halo over some FReepers' heads?

Halo, schmalo. Such nonsense.

[k2blader]

A couple years back I got warned by the mod to not post a certain graphic. Although I disagreed, it's not my forum, so I complied.

Also, I'm not what you might call a GOP-bot/Bush-bot, but I've consistently felt my "extremist right fringer" opinions are welcome on FR. :-)

Don't get bitter or misguide yourself into self-pity. Posting on internet forums requires discretion. Play fair and you'll be treated fairly, at least by the mods.

[anonymoussierra]

Thank you:}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

[Netizen]

Trained psychologists, eh? I sure hope it's not their day job.

I don't even buy them being so as a hobby.

[Toadman]

"Some of you here take yourselves far, far to seriously..."

Joe, you've named your own affliction. Don't be so thin skinned. You said it yourself, "It's a forum, folks, it's for fun..."

Have a nice weekend.

[Eagle Eye]

I, for one, am definately more equal than you.

The key is that it is my humility that keeps me so great.

[pollyannaish]

Oh...one more thing: My mom used to constantly tell us that life wasn't fair. Drove me nuts. Then one day I realized just how often I've come out on the up side of "life isn't fair" and have tried to shut up about it ever since. : )

[JoeV1]

"As with all adolescents, your sense of sarcasm is merely vestigal. Are you TRYING to stay mad?

LOL, in fact I'm LMAO at folks like you trying to analyze me. Are you one of the mods? BTW, spell check is our friend. I believe the word you were searching for is "vestigial". Have a good day.