My Reply to the removed post by "Dawns Early Light"

Self | 9-20-02 | Richard Axtell

[Richard Axtell]

Let's say that you have been a lurker for a very long time, as you have not been a member of FR for very long, you must admit. If you had, you would know better than to replay for the umteenth time the same old tired boilerplate about FreeRepublic becoming a "though police state" etc. and so on. Why? because you would have seen the many, many, many previous examples of various complainant's rationales, and their almost immediate and complete factual refutation by veteran members of FR.

You are not being censored. Your First Ammendment rights are not being trampled. You have the perfect right to post on the web. No one here is stopping you. You are even free to start your own political web site. This is not censorship because FR is private and independent, and is not a government run or subsidized enterprise. It was founded and is run, funded with voluntary contributions, by an LLC established by Jim Robinson. There are rules and guidelines that are to be adhered to, without which FR would certainly descend into the kind of pointless vile spamming and profane gridlock of bickering we have all seen happen with other, less conscientiously moderated, political web sites and Usenet forums. The FreeRepublic is hardly a "party line" organ of propaganda; if you had spend any time here at all, you would witness quite spirited discussion, debate, argument, and variety of opinion regarding just about every topic ever discussed by sentient beings. But, that does not include "disruption," abuse, deliberate baiting and antagonism, spamming, hacking, use of profanity, ad hominem attacks, racial slurs, etc. etc. etc. None of these activities could be regarded as free political speech, unless your aim were to destroy the atmosphere of logical and healthy debate we so cherish here. Those who engage in aforesaid "disruption" of this website are the guilty parties in the issue of the violation of the First Ammendment guarantees of free, political speech.

Perhaps I should save this post and use it as a standard reply to the routine boilerplate accusations of censorship we see here periodically. What do you think, Jim?

[Richard Axtell]

I wanted to get my opinion aired, but DEL's post was pulled, I assume, from the "freshness" of his FR registration, and his fallacious and transparent argument, that "Dawn's Early Light" has proven him/her self to be a standard disruptor, no doubt a DU apparachik. Se le Guerre.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Good statement.

Saying that he has a right to publish his thoughts on FR would be like me saying the New York Times has to print my op-ed piece!

[A Navy Vet]

Additionally, it has NO bearing on what the thrust of this website is, no one has any RIGHT to post here. Geeze, how many times does it have to be explained? Free Republic is a name given to a web site created to discuss issues of interest to its programmer. It has NOTHING to do with anyone's 1st Amendment rights.

[KayEyeDoubleDee]

I think FR is just as interesting as it was before all the interesting stuff started being pulled, moved, etc. Don't you?

[NerdDad]

Well said. Maybe if subject disrupters were bombed repeatedly from all directions with this or similar, they would get the message. A quick profile check indicates that DEL received a well deserved message anyway--something on the order of "don't let the screen door hit ya where the good Lord split ya....bu-bye".

[wardaddy]

BTTT

[js1138]

I have posted a number of rude and thoughtless things, a few of which have been opposed to established conservative doctrine. I've never heard a peep from a moderator. I suspect you have to be completely out of line to get suspended or banned.

During the Kosovo fiasco, Freepers passionately argued both sides. Right now We are arguing Iraq. We argue drug enforcement, evolution, etc.

I've never seen anyone banned simply for arguing a position.

[dfwgator]

There are still plenty of posts that criticize Bush on this forum, as well as the standard conservative vs. libertarian discussions which I enjoy the most. And heck, we even still allow Murrymom to post her DNC propaganda as well.

[Dog Gone]

There's no newbie forum. Welcome, and jump right in!

[Misterioso]

Yes, it is just as interesting. And I think FR improves with age. There is an "extended family" of members, many of whom are not in "active mode" but lurk and sometimes jump in when they see a thread that excites them. They're like the big lunker that only bites when they can't resist the presentation of the bait. This pool of "elders" can turn an otherwise unfocussed thread into a vital discussion through their knowledge of the issues. As Free Republic matures, it becomes a more powerful force in our society. All praise to JR!! :)

[ZinGirl]

I like it. I'm still a newbie, myself, but I've seen several "why was my post pulled...it's a free country"-type things. I always find myself thinking, "sure, it's a free country.....start your own website".

You might want to reword/add something to the line: No one here is stopping you ...you'll inevitably get an irate "yes, they ARE stopping me by pulling my post...and they're infringing on my rights, amendments, blah, blah, blah."

The point they need to understand is "No one here is stopping you...from posting on the web". (versus posting on FR). (I hope that makes sense!...it's a Friday afternoon, ya know!)

[Admin Moderator]

Great post.

Dawn's Early Light was here about 7 different times today, and about 10 times the day before, and so forth on back- there has got to be several hundreds of screen names by now. Some people just get their jollies in very strange ways.

Thanks, AM

[KC Burke]

There are a couple of "chatty threads" in the General Interest forum where you can freely ask some "newby" questions without expecting too much trouble.

But elsewhere, be prepared for flaming, teasing, mean-spirited characatures, ...you know, the usual internet thing....

Welcome

[Poohbah]

What were some of his screen names?

[Freemyland]

Welcome.

While not a newbie forum this link will help you get acclimated to the FR way of life.

[ZinGirl]

Some people just get their jollies in very strange ways.

"...not that there's anything wrong with that"

(Sorry...shameless, lazy Friday afternoon Seinfeld flashback....have a good weekend AM!...do you guys get weekends?)

[ZinGirl]

Some people just get their jollies in very strange ways.

"...not that there's anything wrong with that"

(Sorry...shameless, lazy Friday afternoon Seinfeld flashback....have a good weekend AM.....do you guys get weekends?)

[ZinGirl]

(great...my first newbie post to an AM and it goes double?...either that or I'm seeing double...and I haven't had anything to drink....yet)

sorry!

[Richard Axtell]

Your point is also well taken. Without trying to sound condescending, I think the problem really stems from an unfortunately too common lack of understanding of what the Constitution really is, and specifically what the Bill of Rights and the first few amendments actually mean. Somehow, the "Constitutionally Ignorant" make it to adult hood without this understanding, and continually make the same empty arguments based on the same fallacious assumptions. This really tells in discussions regarding the Second Amendment, as you surely have noticed. I am forced to blame our country's very lax standards of civic affairs and government education at the secondary level.