Replies

"We have a chance to convince people, but not if they trivialize our message, because they can't see through the invective. One of my friends, who is a moderate, has type-cast FreeRepublic as a bunch of loons and if you have a preconeption of "right-wingers", then it is easy to see."

Thanks, I was just getting ready to make that point. Exhibiting the childish and boorish behavior of the left is nothing other than feel good for our side. Smart, personalized, condensed (soundbites) promotion of our ideals is more effective than standing toe-to-toe in a shouting match. The moderates walk away shaking their heads and don't vote.

I'm only bothered when coarse dialogue and imagery is employed outside this forum in the name of Free Republic. I'm certain that there are enemies of this forum who regularly send agressive and extreme e-mail missives to media outlets, especially the Limbaughs, Hannity's, O'Reillys and other high-profile luminaries of the "right", identifying themselves as Freepers. When presenting a political position, observation, or argument to ANY government or media player, courtesy and professionalism are paramount. That's how you are taken seriously, and we need to send sincere correspondence to Rush or Sean when they make statements like "the Freepers are in hysterics" etc. Colorful banter within these walls is plain old fun, but nobody who sends a rambling rant to a Chris Matthews has any right to present any connection with this forum. There were 48,500,000 Americans who voted for George W. Bush that have never registered with this forum. It doesn't carry that much weight in the real world, positively or negatively. People could organize new political parties, strategize political solutions to large crises (illegals, vote fraud) and use the forum as a real tool. They don't, this is a place to play philosopher king, vent their frustrations with the world and find a community of similarly disenchanted and isolated bretheren to hang with. That's fine, and it's always been DFUs songs, Registered's editorial artwork and smart mouthing the political class - not a Jim Lehrer drones with Norman Orenstein comity, that has made this place important and habit-forming.