Posted on 05/27/2005 8:31:06 AM PDT by 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.
Ah. :)
Are not!
This is true, the very few times I have ever hit the abuse button I posted that I had done it but there are some here that hit it and then hide. Then we have the clicks that ping all their buddies to gang up on posters that happen to offend them.
Again - I'm not talking about what the dems call us.
For a time here - many of us refused to invite people to check out FR. Why? Because we were going through a seige of discussions where FR's were saying child porn was ok online as long as it was not using real children. Then the drug threads.
I am saying each of us should just act respectfully as we post because we never know who is reading the posts and judging the site as to credibility and respect.
Wouldn't each of us prefer that FR was considered a site worth checking out by the powers in our country? How very nice if politicians, writers, policy makers checked out the views on FR to see what the grassroots were thinking.
How easy to get our views to them if they could just check in here to get a "feel". That will never happen with trash language, promotion of child porn (if not real children), free drug promotion.
Just call me idealistic but it would be nice for our views to reach those who have the power to enact them.
Joe, if this place is so bad why are you even here?
"Please identify any of these posters with access to nuclear weapons, and we'll immediately suspend them."
Hey come on man, I swear I'm using this plutonium enrichment stuff to power my apartment and make sure my cable doesn't go out.... :)
"Now HERE is an insightful and very intelligent individual!!"
Ah, so now you begin to undestand! ;)
It's gonna be a happy/sad day on the mitten forum, that's for sure!
The question is just how 'actively' does 'actively' have to be:
How about cockroaches? Can I call for the extermination of cockroaches on this forum?? Termites??
I do not apologize for wanting to protecting America from sub-human filth.
How's the DeLorean working out?
Actually, I didn't read your post that closely and just replied with whatever popped into my head. It's like when you call your brother a whiner, you take it with a grain of salt. Just call him a name back and forget about it. It's to be expected. We're all friends here. Hey, it's Friday man! And before a three day weekend! Time to relax. Visit the official silliness thread http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1411646/posts I haven't been there yet.
Wah, wah, wah. All of us "good ole boys" were rookies at one time too. Welcome to the major leagues.
LOL!
Yeah! Here's a case of whiskey and a bundle of cash to make sure it stays that way, buster!
I'll be watching you! Hey, look!... a butterfly...
Just call me idealistic but it would be nice for our views to reach those who have the power to enact them.
I do understand you point. I really do.
But, IF some people think 18 year old+ people dressing like children (I don't agree), or if people do think the War on Drugs is a collosal waste of money (I do agree) ... should their opinions not be heard?
There were some kooks who thought we should break away from England. And some nutjobs who thought alcohol prohibition would never work. And some traitors who thought women should be allowed to vote.
On FR, someone will always post their counter-opinion (these folks aren't shy). If someone posts and unpopular opinion, the general opinion of Free Republic will become known ... and FAST.
If I were looking or credibility, I would consider this a good thing. Open debate. Popular, unpopular, and just plain weird.
I'm sure the "people who matter" will read the replies to the "porn" posts, and not conclude by one person that everyone on FR supports it.
And if they are that dim that one persoan will form an opinion of an entire site, should we really care about their opinion?
Why? So you can attack them with freep mail? Moderators don't have to take action, it is just a flag of a possible need for watching.
I will hit the abuse button anytime I read gross sexual talk - gay or hetro, trash language.
Why? Because it reflects badly on all of the posters and the site. Sorry if it limits the posting needs of some. Mods don't have to listen to me, but I will flag them.
Let's not go nuts :-)
Some are more equal than others
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