We are putting together the activism portion of Free Republic right now. It is called Free Republic Network. There should be a chapter near you. If there isn't, we can help you get one started.
This is not something that Jim or the monitors should address. This is a matter for we, the people. In times passed, an idiotic vanity would be shredded within minutes by other posters. Now they live, to eat bandwidth and inspire others to do likewise. To pick a recent thread, how about the "Who are the single FR men?" thread. Is this the caliber of discussion that Jim and John are devoting their lives to support?
The people did this to FR. The people can turn it around. Stop acting like fluff minded liberals with a laissez faire attitude. Demand and offer more intelligent discourse and less pop culture. If we raise the bar, we will find others who aspire to reach the level we set, rather than allow the good time charlie attitude to drag us down to the lowest common denominator.
That's the kind of "ownership" I love to see on this forum. If every conscientious member pounced on these stupid vanities like a duck on a Junebug, we'd soon discourage that crap. Then we could return to a day when the conversation sizzled, the topics were pertinent and as fresh as the morning coffee, and the exchanges generated light as well as heat. Jim can't do it. The moderators can't do it. It's up to us.
Are we willing to surrender this last bastion of hope to the armies of darkness? Because if we are, then we've proven unworthy of its promise. "A Free Republic, sir. If you can keep it." Can we keep it?