Replies

"If we let one liberal stay here and debate us, then we have to let them all. Then, this is no longer a right-wing forum."

Sorry, but I have to disagree. There are many liberal/libertarians who particpate in this forum who aren't trolls and aren't prevented from posting or debating. Those who are excised are generally the ones were it is obvious their intent is to disrupt or distract from the real issues. I have no problem with liberals participating in a thoughtful discussion of issues.

I have to say that this thread is particularly enlightening. I can understand the displeasure of the forum members with posts which have no value due to lack of thought put into them. But this post seemed well thought out to me.

Many others, as well as I, are relative newbies to the FR site, but what attracted us most was the quality of thought which characterize this site. If we routinely ban all dissenting opinion, then we need to form a junta to establish "approved right wing thought". I can't believe anyone wants that. After all, we can pass by the posts we find less valuable.

What establishes FR as a right-wing site, in my view, is that the left-wingers jump onto the wrong side of literally every issue, and their tunnel-visioned wrong-headedness, as well as their eagerness to throw anyone off the wagon to the wolves as long as the wolves promise not to hurt them, does a signal job of showing where each poster stands.

That's not to say that the disrupters shouldn't be taken down immediately; but we will lose quality, and thereby credibility, if we forbid any who argue the other side. Far better I think, to welcome their arguments, made with reason and logic only, since that filters out 99.93% of them, and then opening the arena floor to those who demolish their arguments.

That will keep FR as a training ground for those who are turning away from the left, but just don't have the arguments yet to refute their leftist friends. We have plenty of right-only/left-only blogs around, but only FR seems to be earning the reputation as the thinker's forum.

I sincerely hope I'm not wrong.

There are many liberal/libertarians who particpate in this forum who aren't trolls and aren't prevented from posting or debating...I have no problem with liberals participating in a thoughtful discussion of issues.

I don't have a problem with such libs either, but I'm not aware of any such liberals on FR. Plenty of libertarians fit that description, but the only liberal I know of here is MurryMom and she certainly does not discuss anything with thoughtfulness or courtesy.

"Those who are excised are generally the ones were it is obvious their intent is to disrupt or distract from the real issues."

I agree that we should give 'em a little more rope to hang themselves with (maybe we could even converty one or two first). But it's like Rush says, when they can't refute your argument they start calling you names. I think we should let 'em get that far, then zot 'em.