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Email: The Future of Free Republic
Email | 06/25/02 | Jim Robinson

Posted on 06/25/2002 3:42:21 AM PDT by Jim Robinson

The following email is being circulated to our members by various disgruntled former FReepers:

Subject: The Future of Our Free Republic

Dear Fellow Free Republic Member,

Many of us at Free Republic are distressed by the extraordinary level of censorship that has been so obviously going on. It is very obvious that individual posts, entire threads, and the entire work of members who have been highly regarded are disappearing into a Memory Hole.

Scores of us have organized an e-mail network that is independent of the communication controls presently, and sadly, being used at our Free Republic. We have carefully documented the unmistakeable evidence that most of the posts, threads, and posters that are vaporized completely are overwhelmingly targeted for their political stance on the Right. These are not Leftwingers. These are not even Middle-of-the-Roaders. These are not disruptors. These are not foul-mouthed delinquents. These are fellow patriots on the Right who disagree with the controllers of FR on specific issues that are now hotly debated by the Right. We have documented that FR will parade before you, as if to hide all of the great posters whose work has been destroyed, a straw-man delinquent that has been banned. This is deceptive.

Treating these fellow patriots on the Right so shabbily is not right. As shabbily as those banned into the Memory Hole are being treated, the most shabbily treated of all are all of the good folks on Free Republic themselves. We came here for honest debate. Free Republic advertised itself as a Forum for honest debate. Without that honest debate...everything at Free Republic becomes shabby.

We can do much better. As a measure of how intense the simmering feelings have gotten among members on this unjustifiable use of deleting, censoring, and banning please link to the following thread. You will notice that one simple and sincere plea from one of our finest members has spontaneously touched off a prairie fire of approximately 500 posts in a mere 18 hours. If it isn't Memory Holed this thread may shoot into the thousands.

If you would like to receive anonymous updates of information concerning the hundreds of Freepers who have networked via e-mail to restore the wonderful honest debate to Free Republic, just drop an e-mail of just one or two words if you like for extreme brevity to:

StopCensoringUs@hotmail.com

And, here's that link back to the snowballing thread at FR:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/704701/posts

Thank you so much for giving your thought to this vital matter for our Internet home.

Sincerely, StopCensoringUs@hotmail.com



TOPICS: Announcements
KEYWORDS: adminlectureseries; fr; lexicon; opuslist
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To: Justin Raimondo; Jim Robinson; All
Whatever....

Urgent Free Republic News Flash!!!

Jusin Raimondo discovers brevity.

301 posted on 06/25/2002 10:10:43 AM PDT by TomB
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To: Admin Moderator
But he does, in fact, review everything.

Everything? Or everything you ask him to review? Your message is ambiguous.

Your (collective) hand is certainly heavier than his ever was.

302 posted on 06/25/2002 10:11:45 AM PDT by Ratatoskr
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To: SJackson
Intentional or not, I’d suggest that their method of admitting “beta testers” "by invitation" has imposed a defacto if not intentional censorship of the viewpoints expressed.

That's of necessity so. With limited participation, you get fewer opinions. We all - for various reasons - hope that will change soon. But is IS essential to work out the bugs, in my opinion.

303 posted on 06/25/2002 10:12:02 AM PDT by Jefferson Adams
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To: Roscoe
Woof, somebody is sure full of himself this morning.

This morning?

304 posted on 06/25/2002 10:12:20 AM PDT by OWK
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To: boris
"In other words, I think a reason for pulling a thread might help"

We have come up with a workaround for the issue that works in most cases. When we pull a thread, currently the comments on it still remain in the self-search records of those involved. We moderators have begun changing the title of the thread after pulling, to put the reason, such as "[Pulled- Duplicate] Drudge Breaking!" or "[Pulled- We can only excerpt from WashPost] Bush Wants Old People To Die In Nasty Ways".

Those who were participating on a pulled thread can thereby see the reason. And if you freepmail someone who was on it, you can ask them what the reason was.

It isn't a perfect solution, but it has cut down on the questions a lot.

Thanks, AM

305 posted on 06/25/2002 10:12:38 AM PDT by Admin Moderator
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Comment #306 Removed by Moderator

To: Steve Eisenberg
The relevance for this thread, if there is any, concerns the question of whether calling for civilians to be massacred should result in the poster being thrown off of FR. The answer is that it is a tough call. And the FR moderators have to make that tough call frequently and without a whole lot of time for back and forth deliberation. As far as I can see, the effective policy is to allow sarcasm and overstatement while stopping serious and considered support of mass murder.

I like the current approach. The policy, as I've seen it work, is to yank offensive posts and warn the offenders. Either they shape up, in which case the problem is solved, or they continue to offend, in which case the offenders are thrown off (which also solves the problem). Poster Robert-J got put in the cooler on this thread after very patient handling by Admin Moderator.

The only missing link in the solution chain is having enough Freepers willing to hit the abuse button when they see such crap.

307 posted on 06/25/2002 10:15:24 AM PDT by Physicist
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To: Phil V.; OWK
One of the challenges of this job is discerning sarcasm. Was he stating a belief of his own, or mocking those he thinks feel that way?
308 posted on 06/25/2002 10:16:51 AM PDT by Admin Moderator
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To: Jim Robinson
The following was just posted on Liberty Forum, by its owner -

-----

All,

This morning I received a number of PM's from folks letting me know that Mr. Jim Robinson, the creator of FreeRepublic.com had commented on Liberty Forum. I thought I would take the time to address a couple of the comments made by Mr. Robinson.

First, other than being honored that our budding site would garner Mr. Robinson's attention, let me state that I have the utmost respect for the organization and site that Mr. Robinson has put together. He blazed a trail from which we have all benefitted. Although my views and ideas were shaped and sharpened on usenet, the old MSNBC discussion boards, and personal boards, I still appreciated the wealth of information that FreeRepublic contained when I came across it in 2000.

That having been said, it is unfortunate that Mr. Robinson would characterize this site as an anti-Freeper site. The fact is that, although there are certainly disenchanted former FreeRepublic members here, our focus has never been, and never will be, another site.

Our enemy is coercion in all its many incarnations, and our focus is Liberty.

The fact that we are not here to bash other sites is made quite clear at every possible opportunity. Here, for example is a quote from the orientation message that most new members receive:

This site was developed to build a movement through which to accelerate our return to liberty. We are not in competition with any other sites, no matter their political affiliation. Neither are we interested in knocking anyone else. We are here to persuade people that liberty is the best choice and to teach them how to achieve it for themselves first (through logical and consistent philosopies) and then to encourage them to spread the message.

Mr. Robinson also attempts to paint our membership as "unabashed racists, anti-Semites, Marxist propagandists, angry (and I mean very angry) people who bash everyone and everything, whackos, sickos, you name it." He is probably correct, especially regarding the "whackos and sickos" : )

I would also say that Mr. Robinson unfortunately neglected to mention the majority of folks that have made LF their home, many of them with impressive intellects, whose focus is not ethnicity or religious orientation, but Liberty. It is these folks who rise to the challenge of refuting substandard ideas and concepts, and who serve to educate those many silent readers as to the superiority of liberty over racism, collectivism, and any of the many substandard "isms" that compete for peoples' attention. Liberty and objective reasoning always trump immoral concepts of human interaction that depend on coercion and weak minds for their survival.

Yes, we have a number of folks here, who have been banned from FR, and some even express ugly ideas. Although many would consider ugly ideas as sufficient cause for censorship and/or banishment, our philosophy at LF is a bit different.

Even though I can honestly say that we don't welcome ugly ideas, I can also state unequivocally that we won't shy away from dealing with them. There is no question that a commitment to Liberty requires a significant degree of courage, and I am very proud of the many courageous individuals on LF who daily demonstrate, in words and actions, that Liberty is a value worth fighting for.

A brief comment about our "low traffic." I just took a look at our site statistics and notice that, within the past 24 hours, we have logged 1,502 posts. I would say that most sites would be quite pleased with those figures after being fully operational. That we are logging those numbers while still in beta and while operating with a restricted membership, has significant implications for our volume of traffic once we open to the public.

In closing, I would like to thank Mr. Robinson, for all the hard work he has put into FreeRepublic. Although it appears we disagree philosophically, I still wish him and his son the best with all their endeavors. I will continue to focus on developing LibertyForum and I hope he will do the same with FreeRepublic. The end result is bound to be outstanding.

I would also like to thank all the LiFers who daily contribute to my education and growing understanding of Liberty and who form the core of what is shaping up to be a significant force in the movement to freedom.

Yours in Liberty,

JD

309 posted on 06/25/2002 10:17:11 AM PDT by Jefferson Adams
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Comment #310 Removed by Moderator

To: Jethro Tull
I don't give a hoot or a haller one way or the other about Republicans, but I hate the freedom robbing, baby killing, gun grabbing, socialist pig dogs in the Democrat Party with a burning passion and I want to kick them out of their offices and kick them the hell out of my life (and I think I'll stop right there for what I'd really like to do to them). Now, is that ok with you or do I have to seek your written approval on a three part chit prior to kicking Democrat butt up between their shoulder blades?

311 posted on 06/25/2002 10:18:01 AM PDT by Jim Robinson
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To: maxwell; RikaStrom; Constitution Day; Argh; xsmommy; dubyaismypresident; Slip18
Let's test your cute little link Max! LOL!
(Elmer Fudd)

Subject: De Futuwe of Ouw Fwee Wepubwic

Deaw Fewwow Fwee Wepubwic Membew,

Many of us at Fwee Wepubwic awe distwessed by the extwaowdinawy wevew of censowship that has been so obviouswy going on, uh-hah-hah-hah. It is vewy obvious that individuaw posts, entiwe thweads, and the entiwe wowk of membews who have been highwy wegawded awe disappeawing into a Memowy Howe.

Scowes of us have owganized an e-maiw netwowk that is independent of the communication contwows pwesentwy, and sadwy, being used at ouw Fwee Wepubwic. We have cawefuwwy documented the unmistakeabwe evidence that most of the posts, thweads, and postews that awe vapowized compwetewy awe ovewwhewmingwy tawgeted fow theiw powiticaw stance on the Wight. Dese awe not Weftwingews. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Dese awe not even Middwe-of-the-Woadews. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Dese awe not diswuptows. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Dese awe not fouw-mouthed dewinqwents. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Dese awe fewwow patwiots on the Wight who disagwee wif the contwowwews of FW on specific issues that awe now hotwy debated by the Wight. We have documented that FW wiww pawade befowe you, as if to hide aww of the gweat postews whose wowk has been destwoyed, a stwaw-man dewinqwent that has been banned. Dis is deceptive.

Tweating these fewwow patwiots on the Wight so shabbiwy is not wight. As shabbiwy as those banned into the Memowy Howe awe being tweated, the most shabbiwy tweated of aww awe aww of the good fowks on Fwee Wepubwic themsewves. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! We came hewe fow honest debate. Fwee Wepubwic advewtised itsewf as a Fowum fow honest debate. Without that honest debate...evewything at Fwee Wepubwic becomes shabby.

We can do much bettew. As a measuwe of how intense the simmewing feewings have gotten among membews on this unjustifiabwe use of deweting, censowing, and banning pwease wink to the fowwowing thwead. You wiww notice that one simpwe and sincewe pwea fwom one of ouw finest membews has spontaneouswy touched off a pwaiwie fiwe of appwoximatewy 500 posts in a mewe 18 houws. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! If it isn't Memowy Howed this thwead may shoot into the thousands.

Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! If you wouwd wike to weceive anonymous updates of infowmation concewning the hundweds of Fweepews who have netwowked via e-maiw to westowe the wondewfuw honest debate to Fwee Wepubwic, just dwop an e-maiw of just one ow two wowds if you wike fow extweme bwevity to:

StopCensowingUs@hotmaiw.com

And, hewe's that wink back to the snowbawwing thwead at FW:

http://www.fweewepubwic.com/focus/news/704701/posts

Dank you so much fow giving youw thought to this vitaw mattew fow ouw Intewnet home.

Sincewewy, StopCensowingUs@hotmaiw.com

312 posted on 06/25/2002 10:21:08 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP
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To: Jefferson Adams
I knew I'd regret kicking out all the Great Ones. Shoulda went with blan B.
313 posted on 06/25/2002 10:21:22 AM PDT by Jim Robinson
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To: Admin Moderator
One of the challenges of this job is discerning sarcasm. Was he stating a belief of his own, or mocking those he thinks feel that way?

When it comes to the point that discerning between sarcasm and sincerity is all that stands between letting words stand and erasing them, you are definitely over moderating. Grievously overmoderating.

314 posted on 06/25/2002 10:21:30 AM PDT by Ratatoskr
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To: Ratatoskr
Then go find a forum more to your liking.
315 posted on 06/25/2002 10:22:06 AM PDT by Poohbah
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To: Jim Robinson
What was "blan B?"
316 posted on 06/25/2002 10:22:27 AM PDT by Poohbah
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To: Physicist


The only missing link in the solution chain is having enough Freepers willing to hit the abuse button when they see such crap.


Have you ever considered the possibilities that:

1) Everyone does not suscribe to your definition of "crap".

2) Some people can see something that meets their personal definition of crap and do the adult thing and simply ignore it. When I am out walking and see a pile of dog crap on the sidewalk I do not call for help, I step over it.

Regards

J.R.
317 posted on 06/25/2002 10:22:37 AM PDT by NMC EXP
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To: Jim Robinson
LOL - ah well, hindsight is, well, hindsight < g >
318 posted on 06/25/2002 10:22:55 AM PDT by Jefferson Adams
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To: The Documentary Lady; Jim Robinson; Admin Moderator; OneidaM
You've allowed vicious, racial attacks on members of Bush's cabinet, especially Mr. Powell.
But wait, I thought the problem was that the forum had been taken over by the Bushies?
You've allowed people who support the Israeli position to say things like "F_ck the U.S." etc.
Should be easy enough to prove one way or another. You should be able to provide links to all of these things that you say happen all over the place, so much so that Jim would see them if he pays attention. That would make them easy to find. Especially for a documentary lady.

You see, I pay attention (not as much as I used to, but that is something else). And I don't see what you see. I see a lot of what Jim states.

319 posted on 06/25/2002 10:23:00 AM PDT by Dales
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To: Poohbah
Then go find a forum more to your liking.

Why? Is this forum your property?

320 posted on 06/25/2002 10:23:22 AM PDT by Ratatoskr
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