Posted on 03/05/2008 1:11:46 PM PST by ken5050
Dear Jim..OK, the GOP now has its candidate. McCain isn't the first choice of the majority of us on FR, and even now, there are spirited, yet for the most part, civil exchanges on the threads as to whether or not some will support the GOP nominee. One of the more unfortunate, and unpleasant events on FR was the mass banishment and/or leaving of a great many Freepers who were supporters of Rudy Guliani for the nomination. I'm posting this to see if you'd be open to the idea of inviting them to return, and see how others might feel about this.
FReepers posting at anti-FReeper sites is nothing new. I’ve been watching an anti-FReeper on this thread, wishing he’d step over the line. Having FReepers in your member list does not preclude you from being an anti-FReeper site. I doubt there has ever been an anti-FReeper site without FReepers in the member list.
It is not double-speak....we allow our members free reign in posting their opinions...I am sorry if this upsets you......and since you are intent on trying to get me banned here at FR [which I have been a member in good standing since 2001] and have never said an unkind word here to anyone...I will take this opportunity to say goodbye to all my friends here...before you get your wish wag.
heck no
I just want to say goodbye to all my friends before wag gets his way....
There’s another site?
At some point, FR got rid of those who weren't pro-life enough. Then the believers in evolution. And the atheists. Then the free marketeers who supported the Dubai deal. Then Rudy backers. Some Paul fans. And on and on.
Every time another group is labelled "impure", we lose thoughtful debate, good humor and lively threads. A couple of years ago, I would double over in laughter on all sorts of threads -- thousands of different people with different outlooks sharing their online time together. Making fun of each other sometimes, but mostly making fun of the Left. We were different in a few ways, but still enjoyed each other.
I can't remember the last time I laughed along with a thread here. Everyone, including me, seems to keep their heads down, afraid to offend the wrong person or a mod. Afraid to find themselves on the side of some future "impure" position for the next purge.
I still enjoy FR as a great news aggregator, but can no longer find debate. If someone deviates from the line of the day, they're labelled a liberal or RINO and that's the end of the discussion. Not very interesting and certainly no fun.
It's Jim's site and he can and should do whatever he thinks is best. But for me, I still miss the fun debate site of a couple years ago.
Another fine example of no-good-deed-goes-unpunished.
You are a good example of the wonderful fellowship that is a hallmark of this site. You extend and develop true good will with posters that you have worked long and hard with in observing and commenting on the state of our nation and society.
As such, the infighting breaks those bonds and cuts those ties in an overly destructive way.
I assume that a few people you have in mind you have no e-mail contact with or you would be prompting them. You know what I would do? I would e-mail Jim in private with a few names that you feel would treat a rapprochement in a civilized manner and vouching for them ask if he would look back on their issues and feel okay with reactivation. Then if they return, they can do so and leave the past conflicts out of it.
Your general sentiment is admirable -- but then, we already knew that about you.
“I don’t know all the details of the bannings, purges, etc., but I have definitely noticed their effect.
The details are right here..http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1821435/posts?q=1&;page=1
If you read a little you’ll see that the antaganists begged to be zotted...I’m a believer in the important of history and the history is their for those who are ignorant to what happened...they committed suicide...it was unbelievable and obviously a concerted effort to start a new website.
“At some point, FR got rid of those who weren’t pro-life enough. Then the believers in evolution...”
Simply not true, many here are still believers in evolution, as am I. Not one person was zapped for their beliefs...again it’s all there for you to read....18,000 posts of it....peruse 1000 posts and you’ll see.
Like I said, I'm certainly no expert on what transpired. Nevertheless, the effects of those changes have inclined me to spend far less time here, for better or worse. And I imagine I'm not the only one.
You must have missed me ripping the anti-Paul people a new one and rubbing his congressional primary win in their face the other day.
well...
you are a terrible evil-doer (:
Jeb Bush is a coward and a party hack. His image as a strong leader is just a marketing ploy. He’s a timid hack.
I miss some of the debate too...but the majority that were zapped stopped debating long before their self-zotting. There were some who I think just got caught up in their friends zotting themselves - and felt the need to do an opus and either leave or get zotted.
Some I miss, but not most.
guess I'm going to Wisconsin?
Look, if you guys don’t like the way we do things on FR, just leave. Oh, you did already. Bye. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.
McCain does not need geographic balance to his ticket, or someone from a swing state. He needs to have ideological balance, i.e. a conservative governor. Crist does not fit the bill. He has no chance to be picked.
Peach was indeed a very active, good poster- she also became part of a group that would gang up on other posters in an attempt to get them banned. Howlin was another that did the same thing. I think both Peach and Howlin became so comfortable here they began to see it as their site, and wanted to do away with any posters that annoyed them. As my mother would say- they got too big for their britches.
I was actually banned for nicknaming them the Queens of Hearts and that was long before the Rudy issues.
Many didn’t seem to notice the dark side to some of the worst disruptors- it was normal for them to be posting good comments on one thread while inciting a flame war- ganging up on a poster with the intention of getting them banned on another thread. Some of them would decide who should be posting and what should be posted and try to enforce their own rules as if they owned the site. Very split personalities- I sure don’t want to see them back.
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