Try to compare anything on this site (usually said as a joke) to the day to day flood of sewage from Media Matters, Huffington Post, Daily Kos or DU. I dare you.
The left argues that they say these things as a “joke”, too. The left thinks that their rumors are justified, too. And so on. At some point, it’s excuses. Do I think Free Republic does a much better job of moderating loony opinions than a lot of he left wing sites? Sure. But that’s a matter of degree. Why is it wrong to be critical of the stuff here that does get through and doesn’t generally get moderated out?