Posted on 05/11/2012 5:04:25 AM PDT by Lazamataz
How do you take over Free Republic? You can't. You shouldn't even try,
Recently, a friend came to me with what he perceived to be the failings of Free Republic. I wrote back: "....JR is really not interested in people advising him on how to run the forum. He's had success with his own direction.......Seriously man. Don't stress this so hard. It is what it is, and you have no power over other people/places/things. Hell, you don't even have power over YOURSELF. That's GOD'S power. Just suit up, show up, color in within the lines, and enjoy what you can in the forum. You know what's off limits. So do I. I live within the boundaries, without complaint and grateful for my blessings."
It is a good life lesson, using Free Republic as the catalyst. How many of us struggle mightily against the circumstances in our life, only to find that we have made utterly no difference? Maybe we have even made things worse, for our interference. We human beings have tiny little three-pound brains. What makes us believe we know best, how our reality should be? Often, what we believe is best for us, turns out to nearly kill us. Similarly, that which we believe is horrible for us, turns out to change us, positively, for the best. It is clear we do not know what it is that will make us prosper.
Many of us live in a perpetual state of anxiety or fear, or regret or remorse. These are wasted emotions. These emotions sap your energy and have no positive effect. Regret and remorse are utterly incapable of changing the past, and since we truly cannot know what is good or bad for us, how can we profit from fear or anxiety? It is best if we leave the particulars of our lives to the will of our God, however we understand Him.
This suggestion works well for atheists, too, since all of us have a God of our understanding. Perhaps, for the atheist, their God is an impersonal and uncaring universe. It still works. Let the results be decided by someone or something other than yourself. When we stop trying to control events around us, much better things come to pass than we had ever envisioned.
This is not to say we don't participate. We do. We show up every day, and we do the next right thing. This is not to say we don't make plans. We do. We are simply willing to get out of the way should the God of our understanding have something better in store for us. In my experience, when I get out of the way of God, the most amazing things happen to me. When I try to control some things, my fat sausage-fingers manage to make it much worse.
Back to the topic of this forum: We all have directions we believe the forum should go. Yet, if we did succeed in altering the forum's direction, we might end up destroying it outright.
So, how do you take over Free Republic? You can't. You shouldn't even try.
Banning and censoring many more is not a conservative trait.
Furthermore, I'm tired of your trashing Jim. He's a good man. He is not heavy-handed. If anything, he is far too patient and tolerant IMO. I wish he'd kick some tail a litte more often than he does. Sometimes I really get aggravated with him for letting FReepers behave so nasty toward each other. But Jim's way is not my way. He prefers to let FReepers work things out amongst themselves. And in that respect, he demonstrates the concept of "limited government." He limits his intervention until it becomes absolutely necessary. He & the mods are not babysitters. And they shouldn't have to be.
Rules unevenly applied is not a conservative trait.
FR has more than one moderator. When there are multiple human beings involved in anything, you're going to encounter different perspectives and judgments. If I disagree with a decision, I speak up. Jim is reasonable. He takes things under consideration. He doesn't ignore valid complaints and suggestions. Sometimes he agrees. Sometimes he doesn't. That's life.
Hate, which is rampant here, is not a conservative trait.
So you want Jim to stop banning & censoring, but you also want him to censor what you determine as "hate." How can he do both? Give him some specific sugestions. He'll take it under consideration. I give him my sugestions when I have them. Sometimes he says "nope." Sometimes he says "okay." He can't please everyone all of the time. And he shouldn't try.
MY BAD!!!!
That's Laz Profiling, mac, and I for one don't appreciate it!
Uppity. I suppose I have to use the seperate fountain and sit in the back of the bus, too?
Nooooobody knowwwws.... the trouble I seeeeeen.... nooooobody knowwwws but Jeeesus.........
Thanks Jim, and I amongst others, appreciate your hard work and dedication.
This would surely be a dull and boring world if everyone agreed lockstep with everyone on all subjects.
As to the dissidents, real or imagined, remember everyone pleases everyone else, some by entering a room and others by leaving.
FWFS Shipmate.
Well, I would SAY!
:)
Looks like maybe you had another user name??? You've only BEEN here for a few months. Tell me my math is off and I'll apologize...
Bravo!
Thank you, Jim. This site has made a deference, in the life of this country, in the cause of conservatism and in our individual lives. Blessings on you!
Thank you so much for sharing that with us, dear Jim! Thank God for you. And thank God for Free Republic.
Give 10 examples of the hate that is rampant here...
Thanks!
Nicely done, Laz, very nicely done. It was also very timely.
Thank you for that post.
I sincerely appreciated that post.
You have good reason to be very proud of what you have created with FR.
Thank you for all that you do.
You are a wonderful writer, Jim Robinson.
Ping, sweet thing.
Excellent post.
“To the wall, street occupiers!!!!!” How offen does a simple comma reveal a truth.
Thanks for the ping, dear Laz! {{{hugs}}}
thanks for posting
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