A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....04-04-03...The (More er Less) Honorable Billybob

Dutchess and Billie

[dutchess]

A Few of FR's Finest.....
......Every Day

FR is a Treasure Trove of talented, compassionate, patriotic, wonderful people who gather every day to discuss the latest news and issues; salute and support our military and our leaders;  tell a few jokes;  learn a new word;  write poetry;  pray for those in need;  and congratulate those who are deserving. Thank you, Jim Robinson, for giving us the vehicle in which we can express ourselves.

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   I can remember lurking when there were only a few regulars who posted, and now there are over 60,000 who have registered for posting privileges. The forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest November 11, 2001

So many people have written me since my original Veteran's Day Tribute, asking how they, or a loved one, could be included in that tribute. Since I can no longer add the photos to the body of the thread, I've been including them in additional posts as I received enough to make another collage.

Still that doesn't seem to be enough. I think there's never been a better nor more appropriate time to keep the faces of our own Veterans and Active Military in front of FReepers--every day! That's why I wanted to do yet another Daily Thread .....ABOUT FReepers .....and FOR FReepers. But not only about our Military FReepers; for all FReepers! Wouldn't it be nice to get to know a few of the other FReepers as well? That's why, in addition to seeing FR's Finest Military Personnel every day, I thought it might be fun to feature a different FReeper (or FReepers) each day. If you would like to be pictured, or know someone who would, please FReepmail me and we'll turn the spotlight - on YOU - for the day!

And do let me know if you'd like your picture added to the groups of Veterans/Active Military below. I will keep this page updated, and continue to add them to the comment section of the original Veteran's Day thread as well.

<

TOP:  g'nad, AgThorn's son Justin, SLB, AgThorn's son Brett.
MIDDLE:  fish70, razorback-bert, CheneyChick,Leroy S Mort, Mark17.
BOTTOM:  Terry's Take, Taxman, DinkyDau.

TOP:  ValerieUSA's son Grant, SK1Thurman, kd5cts, RangerVetNam,
dansangel and .45man's son-in-law Tony
BOTTOM:  rangerX, Old China Hand, Trish, Howlin's dad, Mustang

TOP: ohioWfan's son, MamaBear's father-in-law, MamaBear's dad, ladtx
MIDDLE:  The Mayor's niece, M.Kehoe, Beach_Babe's son-in-law
BOTTOM:  deadhead's dad, HiJinx, Severa's hubby, viligantcitizen's granddad.

TOP:  spectr17, RightOnline, SERE_Doc, Tet68.
MIDDLE:  FutureSnakeEater, RightOnline's wife, CIApilot, Clamper1797
BOTTOM:  usmcobra, onedoug, DiverDave, Joe6-pack

We now have eleven groups of veterans/active military; we will post each group of three or four twice a week, with thumbnail/links of the remaining seven or eight groups on each thread. Click on any of the thumbnails below to see the group full-size.

         

GROUP 1A: TOP: Logos, SwedeGirl's hubby, Neil E Wright, FallGuy, 1John, Sneakypete MIDDLE:  T'wit, COB1, LadyX, Dick Bachert, 68-69TonkinGulfYatchClub BOTTOM:  YankeeinSC, Delta21, JoeSixPack1

GROUP 2A: TOP:  Bosniajmc, AFVetGal, Archy, A Navy Vet MIDDLE:  4TheFlag, Aeronaut, 68Grunt, Xinga BOTTOM:  Codger, AAABest, Clinton's A Liar, Duke809, dcwusmc

GROUP 3A: TOP:  mc5cents, Norb2569, LBGA's son, VanJenerette MIDDLE:  Jim Robinson, KJenerette, davidosborne, KG9Kid BOTTOM:  gwmoore, Equality7-2521, SAMWolf

GROUP 4A: TOP:  porgygirl, Phil V., MudPuppy, NorCoGOP MIDDLE:  RaceBannon, OneidaM, rdb3, jwTexian BOTTOM:  USMC Vet, TheMayor, Vineyard, rhododogma

      

GROUP 9A: TOP: Q6-God, Scan59, Mama Bear and JKPhoto's son, ofMagog. MIDDLE:  Big'ol_freeper, JustAmy's great uncle, Prodigal Son. BOTTOM:  JustAmy's husband, JustAmy's brother-in-law, JustAmy's brother.

GROUP 10A: TOP: dakine's wife, MeeknMing's dad, Auntbee's nephew, MilitiaMan7, AlasBabylon. BOTTOM:  Joe Brower, Temple Owl, Temple Owl's wife, dutchess' dad, Aomagrat.

GROUP 11A: TOP: ladtx #2 son; DiverDave's twin Don; petuniasevan and husband poorman; Mustard; ladtx #1 son. BOTTOM: AlamoGirl's brother Floyd; AG's dad; AG's brother Jim (inset); WVNan's husband; ladtx' Aunt Eva.

                     

A constitutionalist, a political satirist, a writer,a commentator AND a Patriot…. please join me in welcoming Congressman Billybob as today's FR Finest….

The (More er Less) Honorable Billybob, cyberCongressman from Western Carolina

So Just Who is Congressman Billybob and How Did He Get here??? (This is good folks…a real original…)

This here's the (More or Less) Honorable Congressman Billybob from Western Carolina. Of all the 100,000 folks who've signed up for FreeRepublic, give or take a few, I may be the only one who posted here before he ever visited the website. To explain:

Here we go…AND IT WASN'T A DRUDGE LINK…!

Seven years ago, a friend who was commissioned to create a humor section ("Newsgrief") on the dreaded AOL, invited me to write a weekly column for that. But who should write it? J. Armor, Esq., which is who I am in the real world, is not known as either very colorful or greatly humorous. So I created the (More er Less) Honorable Billybob, etc. to write the column And at the same time I created Felicity Fahrquar, his Close Personal Assistant. The deal was that Felicity was younger, prettier and smarter than Billybob.

About a year and a half later, I got an e-mail from a reader that he'd posted one of my columns on "FreeRepublic," and he gave the webaddress. So I went there, found a group of intelligent, funny, dedicated Americans in a community largely free of the political garbage that fills the minds of entirely too many Americans, today. I felt at home. I signed up. I've never looked back.

THEN AND NOW…..

Speaking at the DC Patriots Rally III, 1/18/03

Since then, I've participated often in the D.C. Chapter's Freeps of the Clinton White House. I've spoken at three of the Rallies on the Mall, and another in my state Capitol, Raleigh, on 22 March.

And again...last month at the Raleigh SC Patriots Rally

My weekly column, which I'm still writing, first escaped AOL and onto the Net, and now it has been picked up by United Press International. I post those on FR once the final text is on the wire.

Lastly, my column has led to weekly radio broadcasts on a national show, "American Breakfast," and on a statewide show, with Jerry Agar on WPTF in Raleigh. It has also earned a monthly slot on RadioFreeRepublic.

C. BillyB is on FR Radio the 2nd Thursday of every month on the times noted.

Congressman Billybob, the Lawyer and Constitutionalist

FR is entirely in line with the strongest interest in my personal life. Encouraged by excellent teachers in high school and college, my abiding interest in the US Constitution began early. I lead my class in Con-Law at Yale, and again at Maryland Law. Believe it or not, the first case I ever tried as a lawyer was not a fender-bender accident, or a marijuana cigarette case, but a First Amendment challenge to the election laws of Maryland which went all the way to the Supreme Court.

Alas, that first case was a loss. But as with FR I was hooked. Four years later I got back to the Supreme Court with a similar case, and won. I expect to file my 17th brief in that Court, against the Campaign Finance "Reform" Act, when that issue gets there.

A Peek at the Personal Side and a Cyber Dream True

I'm married with four children and two grandchildren. I'll maintain an element of privacy but WILL share the following….

Five years ago, Newsweek recommended my column in its Cyberscope feature. A lady working in a medical office in Indiana, read the recommendation, read the column, and sent me a funny e-mail. Hundreds of e-mails followed, then hours of phone calls. We met, and eventually we married. So, Kem has become the real Felicity Fahrquar. And she is younger, prettier, and smarter than the Congresscritter. Freepers who have met her, and had posts with her, can attest to that.

Hobbies???

As for hobbies, I dimly remember what those were like. I used to engage in mountain climbing and white-water rafting. Now, between my full-time work AND full-time Freeping, I barely have time to eat occasionally and breathe from time to time!

Pretty Impressive…In His Spare Time….BB is Writing his 8th Book….

My seventh book is now out. "To Restore Trust in America," is described here.

My eighth book, "These Are the Times That Try Men's Souls," is on Thomas Paine and will be out this year. My ninth book, on writing for pay, is "Write. Get Paid. Now." It will include a computer disk with a professional writing program, "WordCrafter" (tm), on it. My co-author, Bob Calco, is doing the heavy lifting on that project. His wife Olga, a Russian-trained artist and architect, is my co-author on the former project, doing the excellent line drawings in the book.

An Open Invitation to all Freepers

We live in a restored farmhouse on Kettle Rock Mountain in the Blue Ridge, in Highlands, North Carolina very near to the junction of NC, SC and Ga. There's a wrap-around porch, an 80-mile view (weather permitting), and we are smack dab on the Eastern Continental Divide. Any Freepers who make it to this small corner of the world are welcome to "set a spell onna porch with us'ns."

Please join me in recognizing a TRUE FR's FINEST....The (More er Less) Honorable Billybob!!!

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 03-31-03 Salute to the Military (Inspirational) 04-01-03 Ladtx Essay.."Courage" (an awesome read) 04-02-03 Tatze 04-03-03 JohnHuang2 Essay

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up.
3) In the next box enter your name in the "Calendar Text" field and then click on submit.
4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it.
5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me an FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

[Diver Dave]

Thanks for sharing your son's message, lad.

Bet you keep pretty busy sewing the buttons back on your shirts. You've every reason to be proud.

Salute!

[dixie sass]

Highlands, NC is the resort town of choice for the majority of Charlestonians (at least it use to be). It is one of the prettiest towns that North Carolina has!

[dixie sass]

Looks like Taxman behind the ST.

[dixie sass]

What a lovely tribute. That is the kind of person that we all bnefit from knowing. May GOD bless him and keep him.

[dixie sass]

Nothing finer than to sit on the veranda and sip lemonade or after the kids have gone to bed, a julep. Visiting with neighbors, keeping up with the latest... oh how I love the traditions.

[dutchess]

Was reading it and saw the caption under the Raliegh picture. I didn't know that Raliegh had moved to SC. Of course we'll allow it to remain in SC since NC was once part of SC anyway, lol.

Opps...clearly I goofed again....

BUT ThinMan didn't catch it...check mate Mr. Thin Man...(atleast for today LOL)

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Believe it or not, the first case I ever tried as a lawyer was not a fender-bender accident, or a marijuana cigarette case, but a First Amendment challenge to the election laws of Maryland which went all the way to the Supreme Court.

Here we go again with f@%$ing Maryland! Arrrgh!

[dixie sass]

Dutchess you did such a super job on the biography! As always you and the rest of the crew deserve pats on the back for the time and work that you put into these threads!

Thin man is slowing down, but don't tell him I said that, Okay?

[ArneFufkin]

He sounds like a remarkable man, Lady. We should all pass from this earthly life having made that profound and positive an imprint on those around us.

Several weeks ago, you were feeling blue about "things" ... the character of our citizens, the strength of our institutions and the mettle of a Generation of young Americans who have been embittered, misled, pampered and disserved by Baby Boomer leftists and saboteurs.

I hope that the courage, skill, honor and humanity that the young men and women of Americas Armed Forces and the overwhelming support they've received from our citizens has given you a sense of great pride and serenity. The kids have stepped up, just like their great grandparents and uncles and countrymates before them have done. The bravery, skill and humane discipline with which this vital campaign has been conducted is uniquely American. We're gonna be just fine. The selfish and corrupt Anti-American left, the 50 something Vietnam-era godless operators and poison merchants, are marginalized and isolated like never before.

[GailA]

Rock had a hair cut last week. It made him frisky too. He wants to spend more time outside now that it is warmer. We get up so early..when the sun comes up and the birds start chirping Rock starts kissing me awake. So he need an afternoon nap. I've learned the hard way that I get headaches when I try to nap.

[mombonn]

I don't have much time to spend on any one thread, but want to thank "The (More er Less) Honorable Billybob" for his contributions and insights.

He is definitely one of my top 10 favorite FReepers!

[Billie]

Thanks, JustFRiend. I know you include me 'JustCuz' whenever the others do the thread, You're such a sweetheart!

[M Kehoe]

Bttt.

5.56mm

[ST.LOUIE1]

Didn't have any pine, wolfie, but I made a 2 crust apple pie. :)

Apple will do in a pinch....thank you, BillieBlue. : )

Just Call me "Mom", I guess. : )

Uh.....I don't think so, babe. : )

[ST.LOUIE1]

Excellent, dutchess! : )

You sure know how to pick 'em.

[ST.LOUIE1]

Hi, Pip! Thought I'd better come in and *hug* my hobbit. : )

((((((((((Pippin)))))))))))

[ST.LOUIE1]

He was a living monument to beauty of spirit and showing kindness to all he met.

I'd like to have met this fine gentleman. God rest his soul.

Your tribute is beautiful, Ms.X.

[ST.LOUIE1]

I miss you! :-(

Awwwww...... I miss you, too. : )

wolfie(((((((((((((((dansangel)))))))))))))wolfie

Feel better now? : )

[LadyX]

A more apt description would be 'angry' rather than 'blue,' Arne. I don't happen to do 'blue.'

I am more than aware of the mettle of those who answer the call! My son spent 4 years in the Army; his son just completed in October 4 1/2 years in the Air Force, under General Franks in Tampa.

What is disturbing is the seeming prevalence of those warped in higher insttutions of learning with socialist leanings who now are the teachers affecting the minds of little ones today.

The waves of demonstrators massing all over America are the first ones of many; more and more similar-thinking young adults are being cranked out daily.

Even worse, they are flooding the media at every level; again reaching the eyes and ears of every age, including the children parked in front of television sets as a babysitting device to keep them quiet. Yeah - Tom Daschle and Jerry Springer right there in the living room to show them how to live right.

The messages to younger minds are twisted in so many areas; often contrary to the teachings at home - quelling patriotism - rewriting history - eradicating religion in any form from school - who knows what sex lessons? - overemphasis on 'prejudice,' creating much more of it.....

It no longer is ABC's and Apple Pie - The Pledge of Allegiance and God Bless America as the setting for their days.
It has become 'how to be tolerant of every single 'view' morally '- 'politically correct' - 'understand' that which a parent might not want them to yet, depending upon the mental and emotional level of THEIR child - how to use, and to be handed, condoms, for example.

Used to be wash your hands before you eat lunch - now it is how to avoid STD's and AIDS and pregnancy.

They too often manage to convey "If you don't like it, protest and be as obnoxious as you can," allowed;
A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E the Spelling Word of the Day.
'Get in someone's face to make your point before they get in yours'
instead of 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.'

Those kinds of things do trouble me, with many parents unaware of the whole scope of school influence, or thinking it all is just fine.
Those who disagree are too often in the minority and overruled when they challenge The System.

My pride in those who follow in the footsteps of those who were around during World WarII is enormous, and I can't believe you think otherwise!

My outrage is aimed entirely at those who undermine them.
I am a Survivor of the Nam Era, remember - one of those nasty military wives whose husband was a 'baby killer.'
I bear the scars to prove it.

The "Peace because I cannot face a less than peaceful environment for myself types" who float through life as if they ever earned the right to 'speak/parrot' the lofty idea of Peace just by breathing in and out with regularity disgust me.

Too many worthwhile human beings have died to ensure that right to speak. We cannot allow the Anti-War element to prevail over the Good Guys, and here at Free Republic, our aim is to counter their influence. Peaceably, but emphatically.

[ST.LOUIE1]

Early birthday present for ya, your own personal back scratcher. : )

Hi, Fuzzy! : )