[saganite]

Hope you have your fireproof suit on! By the way, I agree with you. The discourse on FR has deteriorated from the early days.

[RockinRight]

Since the Rudy purge, the place has gone downhill.

I wasn’t a Rudy guy, but, a lot of his supporters were great contributors to FR. There have been other purges as well over the last few years, and while I understand the sentiment to keep FR ‘pure’ as you will, it seems that the more people we lose, the worse it gets around here.

Flame away.

[6ppc]

The discourse on FR has deteriorated from the early days.

I agree. I once couldn't stand to be away from Free Republic for more than a few hours each day, but FR seems to have become a haven for conspiracy theorists and nut jobs.

There are still a few level heads around, but almost invariably they are harrassed when they express their opinions. I'll bet I'll probably get a reply along the lines of "don't let the door hit you on the way out" before this thread is done.

Probably the only reason I continue to come to FR is because it is the best news aggregator on the web.

[GladesGuru]

“The discourse on FR has deteriorated from the early days.”

Of course, as has the general level of civility. Not to mention civilization. We are suffering the unavoidable consequences of allowing commies to take over our schools. Figure a decade or so for the decline on FR - and then examine the declining level of student education.

I suggest that the Internet will become the source of information, not the universities or school systems. Indeed, I foresee an intellectual blossoming in America due to unlimited access to data and the unique American belief in the individual.

[little jeremiah]

Bye!

[ishmac]

General agreement ping. There's a lot to say about your point and Huck's. Lately FR seems plagued by the same irrationality and crassness that is destroying society at large. Sometimes coming here is like going back to your old neighborhood and observing with dismay that 30-40% of it has gone to seed. Maybe it is a sign of the times that even FR has been sucked into the the general decline of our country.

[Sir Gawain]

The discourse on FR has deteriorated from the early days.

LOLOLOLOLOLOL! You must not remember the same "early days" as I do. Your memory is incorrect.

[little jeremiah]

Didn’t mean to say “bye” to you!

[Mariner]

"The discourse on FR has deteriorated from the early days."

Well, yes and no.

I've been around here about 13years and I have seen great and passionate argument. And, as with all political sites dedicated to defeating it's political enemies...sometime a little kooky stuff.

Throughout it all the site has been able to maintain a level of dignity in it's discourse to hold close the claim as the most rational site on the internet.

However, I think you are right about one thing...from the time of Obama we have no been as good as we used to be. The passions...even hatred...is bringing onboard a new crew that hasn't been properly chastised when over the line. In the old days, the old-timers were known and respected. When they offered counsel they were listened to and respected.

Now the newbies don't bother to check the history and treat a comment from an old-timer just like a comment from somebody who signed up yesterday. Of course all the old-timers enjoy a good fight as always. But things were done more civilly and the subject matter typically had some basis in fact.

Now conjecture runs rampant and personal attacks are the norm.

I'd like to see more pressure from the Admin mods to go after the personal stuff...and a concerted effort by all the old-times to mentor the newbies in our once classy ways.

[Churchillspirit]

The discourse on FR has deteriorated from the early days.

You are right...used to be the "nasties" were few and well know.....Ash; A+bert; Eschoir(sp.?) etc.

These days I sometimes avoid a thread I think might be interesting because I feel there will be too many hateful comments.