Replies

"My apologies to Clarity and Clinton's a Liar for my presumption..."

It happens, more often than not with the sub-human antis who're the most ill-informed people on the planet.

Apology accepted, Arator. With a caveat, however. We are all fleeting on this planet. What you do with your time here is between you and your Maker.

The caveat: stop being so self-absorbed and make an effort to think beyond your pride. This website is what it is. No one controls what happens here. Not you, not the moderators, no one. The content, in its voluminous nature, is controlled by the people who post here. If they stop posting, this website dies. If they stop contributing, this website dies. It's something more profound than you or me or Jim Robinson or the moderators. None of us, separately, can begin to replace the heart and soul of this website: the participants.

If you'll stop your I, me, mine bandwagon, not only will I forgive you (which means nothing in the big picture) but you'll never again be threatened by banishment.

May God bless you and keep you.

Regards.

Well said. We have a lot of deflection of energy being expiated here. I suppose that is inevitable in a village such as this. Frailty thy name is human. Of course to enter the theatre of the absurd it would have been better if I had been in charge, as perhaps to the things that went wrong, but then how much wouldn't have gone right that did go right if I had the whip hand? Yep, the loss on the asset side of the ledger would have swamped it all no doubt. We can all keep striving for perfection, but even if we are most lucky and talented indeed, it is but an asymptotical function.

The caveat: stop being so self-absorbed and make an effort to think beyond your pride.

OK, I'll try. But let me explain how I consider my own occasional dissent, especially regarding what sort of information is deemed unpostable on this forum. When I offer it, it is never in the spirit of "Jim Rob must do it my way or else." I know this is Jim Rob's site and he is free to do with it what he pleases. It's always been thus. When I offer up an occasional dissent, it is simply to be heard and noted. Jim Rob is absolutely free to reject it and run his forum as he sees fit. What is galling is to be banned merely for expessing one's opinion honestly. Whether Jim Rob (or anyone) agrees with my opinion I care not one whit. They are free to have their own opinions and I respect that. But so to am I free to have mine and I would like that fact to be respected as well. That's really all I've really ever wanted, for me, and for every FReeper.

This website is what it is. No one controls what happens here. Not you, not the moderators, no one. The content, in its voluminous nature, is controlled by the people who post here. If they stop posting, this website dies. If they stop contributing, this website dies. It's something more profound than you or me or Jim Robinson or the moderators. None of us, separately, can begin to replace the heart and soul of this website: the participants.

I agree with you 1000%, which is why it grieved me so to see so many great participants, your friends and mine, routinely cast into oblivion for nothing more than expressing their unique perspective on politics, or failing to conform to the prevailing officially approved group-think of the moment.

If you'll stop your I, me, mine bandwagon, not only will I forgive you (which means nothing in the big picture) but you'll never again be threatened by banishment.

Well, I never considered it only about I and me. There were far bigger issues at stake, like the heart and soul of this website as you so ably described it above. And as far as gaining an immunity from banishment, I don't really want that either. If I violate Jim Rob's original posting rules [no racism, no personal attacks (and hopefully mere expressions of political disagreement will not be regarded as personal attacks!), no spam, etc.], I will deserve to be banished and ought to be banished. I would only ask that I (or anyone) not be banished for expressing an honest opinion about politics or even about the way this forum is administered. After all, it's just one man's opinion. It has no power beyond the force of its persuasiveness, and everyone, as always, is absolutely free to be persuaded by it or not, and that includes Jim Rob. It's his site, and he has every right to run it as he pleases.

Apology accepted, Arator. With a caveat, however. We are all fleeting on this planet. What you do with your time here is between you and your Maker.

This is so surreal. While I was reading your comments I was watching Tomb Raider (a Paramount production I might add!) and they were talking about all this clock of ages stuff. Well you get the picture.

Beware the vortex! It'll suck you in and make you watch PBS, I've heard.

If you'll stop your I, me, mine bandwagon, not only will I forgive you (which means nothing in the big picture) but you'll never again be threatened by banishment.

This was a curious and surprising offer.

Jim Rob, I've just gotta ask you, does Cal have the authority to make such an offer? Was she speaking for you, or only herself?

Not that I am the least bit interested in being singled out to receive some kind of blanket immunity from banishment, mind you. As I told Cal above, I want to be held accountable just like everyone else to the original posting rules I first signed up for -- no racism, no personal attacks (provided of course, that the mere expression of a differing opinion is not regarded as a personal attack), no spam, etc. This is as it should be. I've never had a problem with your original vision. In fact, I've always thought it supremely visionary and ideal, which explains why I became an enthusiastic FReeper in the first place.

This website is what it is. No one controls what happens here. Not you, not the moderators, no one.

This is disingenuous. The moderators, by definition, control what happens here. They make poor judgement calls, and fear of more of the same has chilled conversation on FR quite noticeably lately.

The content, in its voluminous nature, is controlled by the people who post here. If they stop posting, this website dies. If they stop contributing, this website dies. It's something more profound than you or me or Jim Robinson or the moderators. None of us, separately, can begin to replace the heart and soul of this website: the participants.

This part, however, is profoundly true. If you leaned harder on this idea--and less on the "it's my party and screw off if you don't like it"--it would do a lot for the health of Free Republic. And the willingness of the participants to contribute both good commentary and hard cash.