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

[Budge]

Hey MnM, would you please send that rain to Arkansas...PLEASE!

[MeekOneGOP]

Excellent War Pics as usual
by FReeper Diogenesis

========= the ex-Saddam International Airport =========

Coalition forces enter the future Jessica Lynch International Airport.

[AgThorn]

Good Morning Dutchess, et al!!

[MeekOneGOP]

Sure 'nuff ! Soon as we've got enough, it's ALL yours ! :O)

[MeekOneGOP]

Great pic ! . . .

[Puddleglum]

BillyBob!!! You are a dynamo and an inspiration - I admire your knowledge and dedication to the field of Constitutional Law. It's always fun to read one of your posts and understand the foundations of our government a little better.

Keep up the great work. And Dutchess, thanks for the interview.

--'Glum

[FreeTheHostages]

Come say "hi" in a Freeper's Finest thread for one of our Pals, Congressman Billybob!

[ladtx]

I've seen Congressman Billybob here and there on FR and have always admired his comments. Good to know more about him now. Our "home" here on FR is a better place with him on our side.

Just wanted to add one more thing. I received an email from my oldest in an "unknown" location in the Persian Gulf. I had sent him a comment from another Freeper and he responded. Here's his email. As you can tell we are a family of baseball fans.

====================

Dad&Mom

What up Dad? Yeah, it looks like Mike is doing pretty well. His stats are the best in his 4 yrs of college ball. I wish I was there to see it. This weekend is pretty big for his team. They need a sweep to get some breathing room for the playoffs. I actually saw some espn baseball highlights on opening day. It was so nice to see some of home.

Yeah, I wish we could see all the news. We do get AFN and CNN headlines and FOXnews, but only in short spurts. Oh, and espn every now and then. When I get home I will fill you in on all the details of what we are doing. It is truly incredible. I will never forget it.

Even if the Rangers suck, it will be nice to go see them play when I get back. I will have to take my unborn son.(crossed fingers) Get him started early.

You can tell the Freepers that I and everyone here deeply appreciates all the support, it means so much to know that our work is not unnoticed, and some Americans care.

Anyway, good to hear from you, I better go, starving, time for some food. Flew last night and didn't get in til around 0300. Hot as a mofo here today. The a/c can't keep up.

Take care and talk you soon. Love Brian

[GailA]

Good Morning FRiends...a beautiful sunny morning here in Memphis, TN. Congrats Congressman Billybob......

Coffee's on

[GailA]

[Budge]

Sure 'nuff ! Soon as we've got enough, it's ALL yours ! :O)

That's right neighborly of you, Thanks! =:)

[Pippin]

GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY!

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR PRAYER FOR A POW AND A SINGLE MOM BEING HELD BY THE IRAQIS.

IT WAS SENT TRO ME BY A COWORKER. PLEASE KEEP RASHONDA JONHSON AND HER FAMILY IN YOUR PRAYERS

Subject: SISTERS TAKING ACTION FOR ANOTHER SISTER PRAYER IS NEEDED.

We have to stay in prayer for this sister and her family!!! This was forwarded to me and I was compelled to send it to you. If this is all I can do I do it willingly. Share this with everyone you know and get your churches to lift all our POW's in prayer. LADIES, This morning on the Tom Joyner Show, they discussed the young, black, single mom that is now a POW (name...RASHONDA JOHNSON).This is the first time in many years that a woman has been captured and held as POW.....Iraq is known for extreme measures when it comes to torture and especially rape chambers.............I am sure that the males WILL do all that they can, but I am also sure that they will separate her for that reason. THEY WILL BEAT, RAPE AND TORTURE HER FOR PUNISHMENT OR JUST GENERAL PURPOSES. It is reported that her mother is not taking this well (can you imagine?), she is not allowed to speak of what the US Government tells her, and she has Rashonda's two year old...... We may not be able to do anything for our Sister that has been held captive in Iraq, but we know that God has already dispatched a host of angels to aid and watch over her. The key is that through prayer, we empower those angels to fight the demonic forces that desire to take our Sister's life and dignity through rape and abuse. We come against the acts of Satan and his demons and we shall bind them. "No weapon formed against Rashonda will succeed...Angels will guard and protect her, and if some ugly demon should approach her, he will see mighty warrior Angels surrounding her, protecting her and giving her peace and comfort. This we will rejoice in, for it is done ...in the Name of Jesus. Thank God for all that He has already done and is doing for Rashonda. Give Him the Glory. P.S. Pass it on...Leviticus 26:7-8 - And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword (God's word/prayer). And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. There is power is numbers...

[firewalk]

Good morning Dutchess (-:

hope everybody has a nice day

[MeekOneGOP]

[MeekOneGOP]

FOX News just mentioned that . . .

2500 Iraqi Troops surrendered in one fell swoop !

This is the MOST to surrender at one time in the war so far ! . . .

[Pippin]

WOOHOO!

:^)

[FreeTheHostages]

Great profile! You've got the essence of the guy and, as usual, I always learn something new in these profiles.

[Pippin]

Thank You, Meekie!

[FreeTheHostages]

Good morning, Congresswoman Pippin!

[FreeTheHostages]

{{GailA}} You seem in a good mood today