Just one freepers opinion, but one thread on this issue would have been more than sufficient to allow plenty of discussion without obsessive focus on it.
Understand your observation.
Perhaps I misunderstood the purpose of the site re: advising Freepers of news rather than just bringing up topics to discuss.
In my opinion, the fact that this story just went worldwide by Associated Press is news in and of itself. Plus, it include new quotes and other substantive info not included in previous stories.
Ironic, even funny, that Freepers can read the AP story on the Pravda website in Russia right now, but not on Free Republic here in the good ole USA. Go figure.