Posted on 10/31/2018 6:32:09 AM PDT by bert
For weeks ahead of the date, folks like me had to decide……. Do I really believe all this stuff we discuss daily on Free Republic? Should I scrounge up some money and set aside the time to travel to Washington DC to be a part of what is being called The March For Justice? The Answer is Yes!
There was to be a march with State flags. I bought a Tennessee state flag to wave in the gathering. To my astonishment, as I waved the flag, several Tennesseans in the crowd rallied to the flag and zap…..we had a Tennessee delegation present on the field.
There were lots of great speeches and general feeling of well being as we celebrated on the Mall in the literal shadow of the Washington Monument. What we said in our posts lacked an identity, but that day, we came together with more or less one very proud voice. The crowd faced the White House and in that one very loud voice shouted Impeach, Impeach, Impeach.
The night before, across from the infamous Water Gate complex, we took over the hotel. There were small groups and knots of people in every nook and cranny, on the stairs, in the conference rooms we just appropriated by strength of numbers. There were whoops of glee and recognition as we met and put a face to someone we actually knew well but had never seen. There was awe as Matt Drudge showed up and worked the crowd. A woman named Goldberg showed up also. I didn’t know her but she made a big impact. She called us Freepers. The name stuck to this day. There were several selling stuff to finance their trip. There was a table selling authentic March For Justice stuff to finance proceedings. My poster purchased at that table still hangs in my office. That gathering twenty years ago on the evening before Halloween changed my life. I knew that I must pay attention to try to be a better, active citizen.
It was apparent that rather than walk the long distance from the Parking lot to suicide, the body had been driven up a weed clogged road and carried a hundred yards or less and deposited in the park. Also of note, as we traversed through Fort Marcy Park, we noticed yellow post it notes stuck here and there. They had been left by other FReepers who made the visit around midnight the night before. I still have all those sticky notes.
That was twenty years ago today……… what a fantastic day it was
Last thought: Although kristinn was not an original organizer for the MFJ, he kept the momentum going with other events and formed the DC Chapter of Free Republic. For years they were on the streets protesting during heat, rain, snow, no matter what. My few weeks of organizing the MFJ pales in comparison.
The only down side for me is I missed the speeches since I was constantly walking the grounds for safety, security, and other matters.
BTW, I was the guy with the long hair pulled back into a pony tail. I thought of cutting it before the event, but then thought let's show the opposition that a "long-haired leaping gnome" could be the head of a conservative event.
Thank you for your contribution.
I love to have some of your photos to include in my MFJ files.
Actually, I didn’t know the ability to volunteer existed until this very moment. I did not stand in the line.
Reflecting back, my only contribution was participating in the policing of the grounds where we picked up not only ortrash, but all the trash.
I remember that scandal. That was you? Thank you with all my heart.
Simple: Bill Clinton was taking bundled contributions from the ChiComs for our missle and MIRV technology. He had transferred duel technology oversight from the State Dept. to the Commerce Dept. Google: Riady, Chang, missles. Then there was the Lewinsky scandal. We were fed up with Billy stepping on our Constitution and soiling the Oval Office.
I was thinking that Peter was your real name. Ugh...The age! The age! Hope you're both doing well.
Time is wearing on my old brain, but aren’t you the Naval Aviator I met at a CPAC?
It was our pleasure. :)
I was there and it is a treasured memory. I had not seen the video. Thank you for posting this!
Yup, I’m sure it’s Seeking the Truth you’re thinking of.
We have met, however. I was a member in good standing of the Florida Freepers.
I’m still standing pretty good, but my knee hurts a little.
Ahhhh... Time and gravity.
I think that is a brilliant idea. However, start from the beginning when some guy in Fresno got fed up with AOL? censoring and started his own forum and through to this day. It would include all the great things that grew out of a web community and the evolution and actions that occurred.
Some title examples:
Free Republic. The beginning of Conservatism on the Web.
A Voice for Conservatism on the Web. Free Republic.
One Man's Dream for the Web. Free Republic.
Free Republic. One Patriot's Vision.
While I have written short stories and a screenplay, such a historical chronological tome is beyond my capabilities. However, I would be willing to monetarily contribute to a ghost writer or known author. I can see Laura Ingraham doing a forward if she approved of the manuscript. There are many other conservative authors we could approach if Laura prefers not.
I'm excited about your suggestion, Taxman. If written well and not too dry, it could be a top seller. To be fair and balanced, it would also have to include stupid posts like "machine guns on the border" or "nuke them all", but in a more general way and just maybe a paragraph where applicable.
That can be explained by emphasizing FR is an open forum for conservatives, traditionalists, and Constitutionalists and sometimes contributors get carried away in their zeal to maintain our national heritage. It's all about the phrasing by the writer[s]. FR only deletes posts that don't follow its written policies.
Jim, do you have the time to work on this project? It's your baby. Without your guidance, it would be an outside viewpoint that could get facts wrong. If that's okay with you, we could proceed with your input. However, you know well how too many in the mix can convolute the message. Plus, it slows the project down with all the e-mails and phone calls. Personally, I'd rather not move forward without your direct daily input to the writer[s] or who you assign as a central contact point.
If you like this idea, you or I can post an article. I think it is a wonderful idea and long time coming. If widely published, it could make some center-left liberals think about the factual political info included, not to mention the benefits of our ideology. Plus, it should exist for its own historical value. You started something out of nothing that got Patriotic Americans off their butts.
We had a thread about the time and place for volunteers. Sorry you missed it.
"Reflecting back, my only contribution was participating in the policing of the grounds where we picked up not only ortrash, but all the trash."
I so thank you for that. Trash is yucky...haha, and no one had gloves and most had left. While I should have been going to the after event, I knew it was my responsibility to finalize the cleanup. Who knows, maybe you and I bumped shoulders depositing the trash in the containers as it got dark. I and some others had flashlights so as not miss anything.
Again, you contributed and my thanks for pitching in for a crappy job. Says a lot about your character. You also have the thanks of the Park Police who were impressed with you and others in the cleanup. Put that feather in your hat...har. You counted with your effort.
Changes to the above:
A Voice for Conservatism on the Web. Free Republic. = Free Republic. The Original Social Media for Conservatism.
Free Republic. One Patriot's Vision. = Free Republic. A Patriot's Vision.
New titles;
The Origins of Conservative Social Media. Free Republic.
Free Republic. A Man and His Vision.
That would be me!
I sure do appreciate this thread - need to catch up to the later posts, though!
So no interest in a book about the beginnings, evolution, and influence of Free Republic? Too bad. I was willing to contribute a good amount of funds.
Is this something you would be interested in? Please advise here and/or contact JimRob directly. If you're not interested or unavailable, please suggest other Freepers who have the knowledge and details of the history of FR.
I don't have your historical knowledge regarding all the FR events that have occurred. However, I'm willing to do grunt research, initial financing, negotiate with potential publishers. Also, I can contribute to the narrative with the writer[s].
As we both know, JimRob created a historical web-based conservative forum for those lost in the abyss of the ever-growing liberal/socialist dystopia.
It's time that story be told. If written well, it could possibly change some minds. If nothing else, FR has been a big part of recent conservative history and should be immortalized.
Also, JimRob's and FR's story is one of over-coming encroaching liberal censorship and creating an idea that morphed into a movement that gave a new voice to our Founding Fathers' ideals, ethics, traditions, morality. It renewed the faith and gave a platform for the forgotten men and women who hold those virtues dear. It still does.
Please respond to this message. JimRob needs you once again.
Best.
bttt
Good idea Taxman, but probably not doable without kristinn's input according to the Boss, JimRob. We'll see.
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