Freepers. It is Time to Heal Our Wounds

Badjoe | 8-27-02 | Joe Phillips

[BADJOE]

It is time we take a new tack and see if we can heal our wounds. I hear by the grapevine that from this past weekend's discussions that JimRob has two black eyes and a broken arm. I have my head bandaged. I am missing one ear, and I have body bruises from top to bottom.

It was damn near like the old days wasn't it?

I am happy to report that while Willa never considered divorce, homicide did cross her mind a couple of times. The fact that I am writing this is hard evidence that she did not act on those impulses.

As I see it, there is a very simple easy way for all of FR's problems to go away. I have a comment to all parties involved and I will specifically address each of them.

The Free Republic is much bigger than any one man or woman. And it is too important for any dispute, regardless of what it is about to pull it down.

First let me clear one thing up. The next Freepathon would have been my last one regardless. It is too big a job for even me. Freepathons are the only time Willa and I exchange cross words with each other. I love all you guys, but she rubs my back, kisses me on my bald head and on occasion even cooks me dinner. (Except during a Freepathon. I damn near starved to death during the last one.)

In order of importance from least to most .

Badjoe: You are one cantankerous feisty old son of a gun. Usually mild mannered, reasonable, and all the good things, BUT when you think something needs to change you would run over your own grandmother to make it happen.

Other forums like Liberty Post, etc.: Guys you can't build yourself up by tearing the other guy down. Tout your own virtues. It is the only way you will reach the heights FR has. And believe me, I'd like to see 100 successful FR's. If there were a hundred of us none of our problems would exist. Competition cleans up the weak spots.

The DC Chapter: Thank you guys for calling me on the phone yesterday. It was very nice and very moving to speak with each of you personally. Please tear all the old pages out of your book in regard to the Free Republic Network. Neither you nor they will survive if you don't quit nursing old wounds. I have noticed that even when the Network folks say or do good things you react in ways I think are inappropriate. We really are all in this together. Let's please work to survive together. Thank you.

To the Network Board.: You are my friends. The wounds are deep between you and the DC chapter. Please don't say anything about them. At the moment even if you gave them a million dollars each they would think you have an ulterior motive. So please say nothing either way. A year from now you might be able to to have some communication.

To the Moderators: Oh my! I sincerely hope this whole post could make your jobs superfluous, as the Freepers take to heart what I will say to them, so that moderation is rarely if ever needed. I am sure you'd appreciate and like the vacation too. Would not it be nice if you could just Freep and when you occasionally came across an infraction, warn first, went back to Freeping, and checked in later to see if warning was heeded and then if necessary take the minimally possible action. Please let's try to keep our troops intact.

To the monthly donors who have cancelled: I sincerely hope you will consider reinstating your help. I know withdrawing your support is a very effective way of registering your disapproval.

To the monthly donors who have stayed on board: God bless you. FR needs you and can't survive without you.

To JimRob: You are just as damn cantankerous as I am. I sincerely hope you will post the new directions involved in our Saturday night August tenth agreement without the references to me. Apologize to the Freepers for any real or perceived injustices and ask them to hold your feet to the fire on the new directions from that agreement

To the Freepers: You are the most important of all. Without you there is no FR. I would like to see you all prick your finger and write in blood that you will argue all you want to without calling another Freeper a dumb Mofo, etc. If you find yourself in the position of not being able to carry the day in your discussion, or if another Freeper gets close to anger, just go away for a little while and come back to fight later. If you do this moderating will become unnecessary. We all will be free from fear. In the interest of healing these wounds please lay off the mods I singled out. Lay the blame on Jim and I for our failure to effectively communicate with each other. Jim and I have broad shoulders and are willing to carry the load.

I am going to post this first to the moderators through the abuse button to give them time to digest what I have written. This is to be a positive thread. I am requesting that they give an automatic one hour timeout to every Freeper, including JimRob for any inappropriate comment. You are capable criticizing with being abrasive.

I hope all the above folks I have directed my comments specifically to, post a general agreement to try to do what I have suggested. If you say you will, I will participate in the next fundraiser by just running the numbers and getting the necessary funds in. JR gets a copy of what I get without the credit card numbers. He can forward that info to a trusted Freeper volunteer to write thank you's, and to another trusted Freeper volunteer to post recognition of the donation on the fundraising thread or maybe one will do both. This will get FR past its current crisis, reduce the harsh words at Willa's and my house, and make everyone's job easier.

[Willie Green]

You had me wondering about you with the Sonny and Cher thing. But between the Moody Blues and Elton John, I am beginnin to rid myself of any doubts I had about you.

It's a generational thing: Sonny & Cher when I was a young teen, Moody Blues in my "hippie" phase (preferrred "The Band"). Elton John was an unavoidable presence on the music scene, although I will admit liking "B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets".

Overall, I have a tendency to prefer "oldies" of the '50s and early '60s. In school, we used to frequent a pub twice a week where the DJ played "guess-the-artist-for-a-free-pitcher-of-beer" every half-hour or so. Provided great incentive to hone our skills. Became quite good at it out of necessity. Never could have afforded all that beer otherwise -- only had a part-time minimum wage job while I was in school.

[lavaroise]

Yes, and then some. I think FR needs to focus on a balance between ownership and knowledge that the net owns it too in a way. Not understanding this means that FR sometimes seem too risk averse with some group of people, while naively attracting rif raf. I don't know, just my opinion.

[Willie Green]

Sharon
(David Bromberg)

Went to this carnival, three years ago.
No big deal, ferris wheel, the same ole' stuff you know.
There was a man outside with a speech outside a tent,
And he said it to me, and this is how it went.

Folks, you know she walks, she talks,
She crawls on her belly like a reptile.
Same ole' line except one part,
You don't need no money, boy, you pay with your heart

Oh Sharon, what do you do to these men?
You know the same rowdy crowd that was here last night is back again.

Wandered around, and looked around for a seat.
The light went low, and the band played a beat.
Out came this girl, wearing a scarf and sleeves
Did a little dance that made me weak in the knees.
That girl, she danced like her back had no bone.
The band played a tune called the Main Street Moan.

She smiled a smile the whole world could see.
She turned around, and she looked right at me.
I must have jumped six feet in the air,
And when I came down, that girl wasn't there.

Oh Sharon, what do you do to these men?
You know the same rowdy crowd that was here last night is back again.

Out came this guy with a big ole' beard,
And furry arms, man he looked like a bear.
He said that all there is, there's no more to the show
If you wanna breathe right, I think you better go.
I didn't think twice, headed straight for the door,
And when I left, I heard that big bear roar

Oh Sharon, what do you do to these men?
You know the same rowdy crowd that was here last night is back again.

Every time that carnival came, I was right there.
Lord, I learned to stay away from that mean ole' bear.
Just like the man said from his speech at the start,
When that carnival left town it took a piece of my heart.
I still get this funny feeling way down in my bones,
Whenever I hear a band play the Main Street Moan.

Oh Sharon, what do you do to these men?
You know the same rowdy crowd that was here last night is back again.

Oh Sharon, what do you do to these men?
You know the same rowdy crowd that was here last night is back again.

[sleavelessinseattle]

BadJoe, When you're right you're right...I'm not even taking sides in the fray its just that you acted to be true to your conscience...you're good to go, my man.

And I've got to say that, Jim Rob...you're ALSO a mensch...I've been put in situations like yours against my will and struggled with what to do for days and things really do balance on a razor's edge, and even sleeping on it don't clarify things...It takes GUTS to do what you both did, for the good of the American PEOPLE who, by GOD, ARE the government of this nation. I'm more than willing to bleed for the Constitution, baby...try me. Turn the page.

ITS MORE THAN TIME TO KICK LIB ASS!

[rwfromkansas]

I am glad to see it was resolved. It sounded really bad if you were going to leave FR. That would have been disaster, needless to say. Glad to see you staying. I also understand your decision to not run the fundraisers, just help out. I can't imagine how hard it was for you to deal with all the money coming in, especially as FR grew. God bless and I am glad to see things worked out.

[GovernmentShrinker]

I'm here every day too, and also have no clue what this is about.

[11th Earl of Mar]

"guess-the-artist-for-a-free-pitcher-of-beer"

I may not be the "brightest tool in the shed" but I do detect a subtle claim for free beer should we ever meet.

Although I was a few years behind you, I loved the rock and roll of the '70s.

My personal [and maybe only] favorite of Elton John's is "Madman Across the Water." [And yes, he is a madman. But too bad he doesn't stay 'across the water.']

[11th Earl of Mar]

Oh... I almost forgot.

I do have a couple of other songs of his I like- "Saturday Night is Alright for Fighting" and especially, "Funeral for a Friend."

[uglybiker]

Nothing sticks in a person's head like ABBA.

If you change your mind
I'm the first in line
Honey, I'm still free
Take a chance on me

(Take a chance, Take a ch-ch-chance chance...)

[CyberCowboy777]

Hey, lodwick, I know many of the classic 60's country songs. Let me find one I remember

You know all the lyrics to this one?

"I love - Little Baby Ducks" so on and so forth.

LOL - I was only born in the '70s but you gotta love '70s country.

Waylon, Wille, Kris, Cash, Conway...

[smoking camels]

I missed the show down. Or shoot out. Or whatever it was.

But I gotta say... "This Joe guy has some real class for posting this... he is a gentleman!"

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

Joe, ya know we love ya. One of us has even experienced your gracious hospitality. But I gotta say this. If we are going to have a disagreement, can't we do it in private FREEPmail? I noticed this whole scenario was on the new website. Done with great pleasure I noticed too.

This is THE SITE. The one that gave a voice to all of us who felt frustrated and felt the need for a place that had like minded people on it.

That we get whacko's on here, is a given. I always liked that free speech was afforded here. See, Joe and us probably have differences of opinions, but we love him and Willa like family. I will defend then to the end.

If Joe wanted to see what was going on in a certain area, it is good to remember he was dedicating a ton of time to raising funds for this forum. BECAUSE HE BELIEVED IN JIMROB AND THIS FORUM. Pure and simple!!!

I've never seen a more active advocate for FreeRepublic than BADJOE.

Jim needs to be more of a participant, and we need BADJOE, and others like him. Otherwise, this forum will fade away like any other fad. Trust me!!

LOOK!!!!! The Conservative radio programs and even tv programs continue with a huge audience. That is because the majority of Americans want a place to expose their opinions. To SUPPORT this Government.

I don't mind dialogue, and intelligent debate. But it becomes fanatical. And then we loose credibility.

Joe.. you are very important to the survival of FR. If no one believes that.. then it is there SEVERE problem.

Jim, we all started long ago with you. *Though we can't get our original start date put on our home page!!!!

WE love this site,...and though they don't post, it has truly become a family affair. I cannot tell you how many people I have sent to this site.

WE LOVE YOU....

The other site,. well, God Bless them. They are trying. But when I saw some of the trouble makers there, I didn't sign up.

I'd love to sign up to more FR type of sites. But not until they feel brave enough to have control over their sites like JIM has had over his.

So as you can see,.. I love BADJOE, but we also respect JimRob. We think he is doing a great job of weeding out the chaff. Thats just our opinion. After all, this is a website developed by Jim. It is based on his ideologies. If people dont' agree.. then see ya.

When Jim for whatever reasons tries to leave that philosophy, he will loose in membership, and monies.

We love FR,..and we wish JimRob, and our buddy BADJOE well.

Love, US, the VETS

[LasVegasMac]

I do love this forum and I have a ton of respect for what you do to support it.

I have been guilty, several times, of what you speak about. Time to be more responsible in my actions.

I will contribute, again, to the next fund raiser.

Then, I will not log in for the next 30 days.

The quantity of - and the recently achieved sophomoric level of some of them - the pleas to contribute are intolerable.

The moderators do indeed need to learn some “moderation” – their bias is all too often openly blatant.

I understand the need for $$$. I fully support that.

Please filter who can post the solicitations and what those ads say.

That was a huge turn off the last round.

I know, I'll be flamed for even thinking of the concept of criticizing FR.

LVM

[BADJOE]

Thank you Mac:

The fundraising is a very tough job, long hours, intense work, and the sooner we can get to the goal the the better.

There were Freepathons that lasted 18 days before we started carpet bombing the threads. I know it is an aggravation, but it works and we have been getting finished in just 10 days.

It would be very difficult to have these helpers go back to digging a fence post hole with a spade, when the gas powered model is laying there. : )

[Calpernia]

bump for later

[Admin Moderator]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-backroom/999254/posts

[justshe]

Is this going to be the AM's method of 'countdown' to the now deflated BJ 'expose'? To bump the SBR excellent thread posted by Dales?

Just curious.