In-House Wars: For at least one, the goal was to drive people away.

Admin Moderator | 8-2-02 | Admin Moderator

[justshe]

(Regarding the answer to stopping the 'in-house wars')

The answer is for everyone to just stop doing it.

I know that is hard for some, because things have gotten to the point where now things are personal. There are wounds in some cases, and in others there is anger. Makes it really hard for people to stand down. Unfortunately, I am pretty sure it has been planned this way.

Earlier tonight thanks to a tip from someone who I wish I had listened to earlier, we discovered someone who had at least 8 different accounts. One bashed Horowitz, Swaggert, and Art Bell. Another bashed Keyes. Another posted as a rabid Keyester. Another posted as a Klayman basher. Several seemed to have a thing for mocking Registered.

What was the guy's game? Here is a graphic and caption off of the profile of one of them:

I'm very sorry, but I just couldn't stand all the fighting any longer!

Yes, he wanted to get people fighting to where they would walk away.

One of this guy's incarnations posted a piece or two from anarchist website strike-the-root, which to me hints to what his ideology is. It would also explain why he had a knack for going after the DC chapter folks. I recall nrkybill (anarchy Bill) had some issues with you all. They are not the same people, I don't think, but if their ideology is the same and their main targets are the same, then it is possible that there is some connection.

Obviously, the goal is to drive people away. This is not happening on just one side, it is happening on all sides. It is a form of disruption that relies on the cover of good people engaging in flame wars with them so that the disruptors seem part of the mass rather than the agent provocatuers that they are.

There are two options, really. People can help us out in finding them by refusing to take part in the flame wars and being understanding when a person gets sent to the cooler, so that eventually the real problem children are rooted out.

And the other option is to let them win by letting them drive you away- with you being people from every single conservative faction we have. Rest assured though, if that one happens, if you make another home and it starts being successful, they will come there and do it to you there.

I've asked this before. I'll ask it again. (And this is not aimed at you, ... but at the forum). Please stop it with the personal attacks. One can have a rip-roaring take-it-to-the-mat political debate with someone without getting personal, without resorting to childish taunts, and still not have it be bland.

And the best thing that one can do otherwise is to use a little self-enforcement. A Bushie telling a Bushie to knock off the insults is going to probably work better than a Keyester telling a Bushie to knock off the insults, and vice versa.

My flame suits are back on, so everyone have at it again. But please at least think about it. Thanks, AM

[Tench_Coxe]

"Intriguing. This must be a long-term strategy. Establishing oneself to hundreds of FReepers and thousands of lurkers over weeks and months as a loyal GOP member and then, suddenly, turning and taking all the foolish Bush-supporters with them."

Yeah. Kinda what happened a while back when Lucianne.com got its start with a good heaping helping of former Freepers.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

This may have been misconstrued as permission to post what he did. In any case, it was against the forum guidelines, the post removed, and a suspension given.

I very much appreciate both your public and private responses to my concerns. I hope you don't mind if I respond once more; I'm not trying to make a big issue of this, but your post was provocative, and I really am troubled by what I think I see here.

Isn't the offender (in your comment above) a member of FAB? I think most reasonable people would expect a member of FAB to know the guidelines, and to know what the reasons for those guidelines are. In my opinion, he quite intentionally harmed someone (I appreciate your explanation, but I still do not believe there is any excuse for him to have posted someone's full name and whereabouts - and I saw it all happen) far more than "ned" ever could have. In fact, he is continuing to boast about what he did to this other FReeper on another site. In fact, he is still spreading false rumors about this woman's voter registration status - after the reason for her status was revealed and brought to his attention by others.

That, to me, doesn't sound like someone who understands the gravity of what he did.

Having said that, I really have no quarrel with your banning "ned" - I just don't believe he/she was all that you suspect he/she was, based on my own experience with him/her and the evidence put forth.

People get away with far worse than having multiple IDs around here, unfortunately.

Thanks again, AM - I know your job is not an easy one, and I do not say these things to be critical of you. I want to make that very clear. You guys have always been fair to me, and I applaud the job you do. Regarding this particular juxtaposition of two offenses being treated so differently, I just don't "get it", I guess.

Daughter

[gitmo]

Thanks.

[MeekOneGOP]

Thou elvish-mark'd, abortive, rooting hog!
Thou churlish beef-witted haggard!
Thou map of woe!
Draw thy tool. My naked weapon is out.

Uh-oh ! Hope that 'un dun't git me banned!

[TigersEye]

I see now. :)

LOL I hope so but if not that's OK too. I just can't get too bruised or shaken up over what someone typed to me from a computer located who knows where. I'm afraid my own sick sense of humor takes too much pleasure when I see someone who does.

Good discourse and information sharing is by far more satisifying to me but I enjoy scrapping with people too. If it gets too stupid all one has to do is drop it. Some people seem to think that every provocation requires a response. As if there were someone keeping track of posters that don't defend themselves from nonsensical flames.

Probably the biggest insult to a flamer is to ignore them. And it costs so little. ; )

Have a great evening!

[justshe]

LOL!

I'm tired today......and we're having steak for dinner, so I qualify, also, as beef-witted haggard.

[gitmo]

I hope I'm not ruffling any feathers by suggesting this, but I really do believe we have to be more vigilant about signs that the Bush Administration is slipping to the left. I'll admit my bias here: I don't like Bush. Never have.

I too think we need to be more vigilant about signs the Bush Administration is moving to the point where they are violating Constitutional rights. However, I really like Bush. He strikes me as honest and a straight shooter. But I see warning signs that worry me.

I still don't quite "get it" about the disruptors. I've looked at a couple of the threads linked in this thread, and they seem innocuous to me. But then again, some of the posts had been removed by the moderator and I was unable to read between the lines.

I understand Publius6961's point about people who come to the forum to create disagreements, but I'm not sure I can spot those. I have to admit I enjoy a good principled debate, but not name-calling or ad-hominem (sp?) attacks. But I've gotten to be friends with several people I took head-on in debates on the FR forum.

So, I ask myself "Am I a disruptor?" I certainly don't want to divide the FR community. This forum is so important to me and to the well-being of this nation. That sounds corny, but I believe that self-examination by people who believe in the foundational truths of the US Constitution and the truths that underlie that document is strengthening to this nation.

[Amelia]

I think a lot of unfortunate conclusions were jumped to in this case (and instigated by someone who had a big problem with "ned"). Now, that doesn't mean he/she shouldn't have been banned, but I think it's quite a leap to label someone a "liberal disruptor" or "anarchist" based on the information available.

I agree.

[billva]

Good discourse and information sharing is by far more satisifying to me but I enjoy scrapping with people too. If it gets too stupid all one has to do is drop it. Some people seem to think that every provocation requires a response. As if there were someone keeping track of posters that don't defend themselves from nonsensical flames.

That's true. However I find it difficult sometimes to discuss here because of what I would call Bush Bashers. When someone like Sean Hannity puts down our site because of what is going on then I think that some of our effectiveness is being lost.

Also a site that could make a difference in an election is the way I saw Free Republic when I first found it about 2 years ago. Now I'm not sure.

Example being the number of people here who have decided Bush is to liberal and they say they won't vote for him in 04 but will stay home instead. There are times that I feel more in common with some Democrats than someone like that.

However this is a great place to see news and I doubt I leave. It's just that I don't feel FR is what I once thought it was.

[discostu]

Why is it then that you're the only person on the tech threads interested in everybody's resume?

[MeekOneGOP]

Hah ! I just read the article. Flame wars, huh?
I did it ! LOL !

Which character on The Bob Newhart Show always said that?: I did it !

[terilyn]

Howard?

[Amelia]

Example being the number of people here who have decided Bush is to liberal and they say they won't vote for him in 04 but will stay home instead. There are times that I feel more in common with some Democrats than someone like that.

For some reason, I think THOSE people are the true "divide and conquer" ones.

Of course, they may think the same thing about us....

[PhiKapMom]

Have had a few of those Hitler type posts and you are so right -- no use going on with a dialogue.

This is the absolutely best place on the Internet to get your news and people's reactions to it.

You should post more with responses like that!

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

For some reason, I think THOSE people are the true "divide and conquer" ones.

When people throw all their support behind an unelectable man who has rarely done anything but TALK, who writes articles like "I AM NOT A BUSH REPUBLICAN" and calls President Bush "evil", I don't think they have any room to call others divisive. But boy, they sure do it, don't they?

[DeSoto]

I have read your posts on this thread and felt the need to comment. I have been around here for a long time and took part in the Elian Wars. Even before that I lurked for nearly year and have seen a lot of water pass under the bridges around here. It is very interesting to observe some of the people here and how they vote. Jim Robinson is a prime example of how things and people change. In the primary season he couldn't stand the Bush family and he was very vocal about that. During the general elections, he was their biggest supporter. So don't worry about what people are saying now, it doesn't mean much.

I was one of those people as well, I didn't like Bush. I didn't vote for him in the primaries, but I did vote for him in the general. Not so much because I wanted Bush but because I didn't want AlGore. I expected little out of Bush and have been pleasantly surprised to get a lot more from him than I expected. I would happily vote for him again. That is how things change around here. The Bush bashing is boring, tiresome and manytimes juvenile, but it keeps the troops entertained until something important comes along. That is the beauty of FR.

Hang around, just about the time that you have seen it all, then something new comes along and makes it all worthwhile.

[humblegunner]

Yowch!!!

[humblegunner]

Good point.

[.30Carbine]

Uh-oh ! Hope that 'un dun't git me banned!

Banning is too good for you.

I think I'll have to have you over for dinner.

( :

You never ping me anymore. I miss you.

[Clara Lou]

Thanks for the ping-- I'm slow getting here. Having read the entire thread: 1) It appears to me that a person with numerous identities, who goes to any effort to maintain their separateness from each other, is a person who feels the need of lots of attention-- not a political disruptor. If you have 8 personalities, one of them is bound to be able to kick up the fuss you need. 2) I see that our LarryK/JW devotee once again thinks everything is about her and her issue. I hope she does an opus. 3) There are way too many people around here who actually believe their point of view is THE one and only POV that is correct. 4) Shakespearian insults are a hoot.