A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....04-15-03...You Are Not Alone

Billie; FreeTheHostages | Profile written by FreeTheHostages

[Billie]

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.

                     

You Are Not Alone by FreeTheHostages


Hobsonphile Worcester, Massachusetts
FReeper since February 3, 2002

Hobsonphile, Stephanie Souders, is a 23-year old recent college graduate who joined Free Republic just over a year ago, after finding us at a CPAC conference. She’s always had Republican thoughts, but she became more of an activist after September 11, 2001. She’s an extraordinarily well-read Republican (a recent Phi Beta Kappa graduate of William & Mary), and is very poised and articulate. I met her when she began coming to our DC Chapter Patriots Rallies (she’s been to all but one of the five in our series!) and she attended this last weekend’s rally in DC by traveling all the way from Worcester, Mass. She has a lovely voice - classically trained - and sings at some of our rallies.

A conservative issue near and dear to her heart is liberalism in academia. She is the self-described Free Republic "coordinator/leader/pingmaster of the ‘Leftism on Campus’ ping list." Here’s a good example of her pinglist work. The list has lately been expanding to include not only reports of leftwing activism on college campuses, but also articles on the curriculum in public schools. "Much of today’s public school curriculum is influenced by left wing ideology. It has trickled down from the universities."

Stephanie and her brother holding "Liberate Academia" signs
at DC Chapter’s Patriot’s Rally II

Stephanie reports that William & Mary had a "healthy" student environment for young conservatives. The College Republicans was one of the largest student organizations on campus! William and Mary had several leftwing students groups on campus as well, including an active Green Party, but Stephanie describes these student leftists as "very polite and willing to allow the other side a say." Stephanie was alarmed to discover that other college students grew up in a less enlightened environment:

"It makes me sad that kids my age didn’t get the experience that I received [at William & Mary]. I want other conservative students who don’t have the same sort of support structure to know that they are not alone."

In much of her activism, you can see a theme of reaching out to other potential conservatives and assuring them that "You are not alone," an important phrase here at Free Republic for those who’ve seen those great red-and-white bumper stickers that read, "You are not alone" followed by "www.freerepublic.com." Stephanie’s got this great collection of political buttons, including ones that read "Not N.O.W." and "In 2000, Bush Won In Overtime - In 2004, It’ll Be Over in the First Quarter."

Hobsonphile wants her conservative values to reach more than just college students. She worries that people do not see conservatives as compassionate and that the left villifies us as racist, mean-spirited or immoral. She wants people to feel comfortable being conservative.

She chose her name on Free Republic because she used to be a fan of a character on the television drama Early Edition, Gary Hobson, who demonstrated a "love of humanity and a willingness to help people in need." It is the "cornerstone" of her compassionate conservatism to "help people when they need it." She notes an example on the TV show where Gary Hobson employed a troubled kid in his bar and trusted the boy to safely deliver the daily earnings to a bank deposit box after closing. "To give someone gainful work and responsibilities is much more powerful than giving them a welfare check." A good example of how, by grappling with reality and not utopian dreams, conservatism is more compassionate.

As you can see, her photograph, as well as those words above, indicate that she is something of a gentle soul. But we women can be as hardy as the next activist, and she wants me to tell all the people in the Free Republic Radio chatroom, who understandably assume that "Hobsonphile" is a male name, that she’s a young woman! All conservative women have grit, and Stephanie’s no exception. She lives near Boston and recently found time to attend a brave Freep with Little Bill and ElectricStrawberry- a counterdemonstration where approximately 10 of them faced up to ANSWER’s call for an "emergency rally" of 2000 or so shortly after the war began. They were outnumbered, but not out-thought.

At that rally, Stephanie says she met a woman who was so happy to see the pro-Bush protestors. The woman gave Stephanie a lovely red-white-and-blue friendship bracelet and told Stephanie that she had lost a loved one at the World Trade Center on 9/11. Stephanie was wearing the bracelet this weekend at the Support Our Troops rally. She didn’t say exactly, but I did sense that the bracelet, and 9/11 generally, have had a profound impact on how she wants to live her life.

Stephanie was also carrying a sign on Saturday honoring a young man - a neighbor - who is currently serving in Afghanistan: Anthony Carofaniello. She dedicated her performance at Saturday's DC Rally to this soldier, and states that she continues to pray for his well being.

She says that Reagan for her is really a matter of history. (Wow, I feel so old though.) She’s 23 now, and she points out that she was still sucking her thumb during much of Reagan’s presidency. (That’s OK, a lot of liberals much older than her were doing the same thing.) Hobsonphile really likes President Bush and calls him "my generation’s Reagan."

Hobsonphile has been to a lot of Freeps for a Freeper just finishing her one-year anniversary. Perhaps because she’s young and has a soft, articulate voice, the press always seems to find her out. At this weekend’s rally, I lost sight of her for just a second, only to find her being interviewed by Japanese television, fielding the questions deftly and speaking with gentle conviction. She emailed a conservative talk radio host, Jay Severin, before one of our DC Chapter’s Patriot’s Rallies, just to ask him to please let other conservatives in the Boston area know that they were not alone. Jay Severin sent an email back saying that her email was interesting and that he would like her to appear the next day as a scheduled guest on his show. After recovering from the shock, Stephanie did so, and she loyally plugged our rally. She has good press luck.

Hobsonphile’s brother is Freeper "Frustrated Citizen." Speaking as a big sister would, she says with her gentle steeliness that she "finally convinced him to sign on." (Hee hee, let’s hear from Frustrated Citizen to confirm it, but I suspect he didn’t have a choice.)

Stephanie and Frustrated Citizen at DC’s Patriots Rally III

Stephanie is nice, gentle and compassionate, but she’s also certain of what she knows is true. We were driving back from the rally Saturday when she decided to wave her American flag at some leftist protestors. It really did seem to annoy them too. LOL. Enough said. They don’t hate America, they’d say, just the flag and everything it represents.

She will be moving back to the DC area soon, which suits her just fine. She believes she’s "meant to be in the thick of things." Stephanie is hoping to integrate her interest in education with her politics, and is thinking about how she could really help at-risk kids at the elementary school level. But she loves to study and learn, and her undergraduate degree in biological psychology (with lots of extra hard courses) may not have been enough: the possibility of graduate school is tempting too.

What about Saturday’s big rally on the Mall here in Washington?

One of the reasons she enjoyed going to the rally is that she really hopes that a lot of people attending such rallies will get some of the more moderate anti-war people to rethink their position and come join her side, the compassionate conserative side.

"Today was a very exhilarating day. This whole week has been exhilarating. It was almost as emotional for me watching the Iraqis celebrate in Baghdad as it was for me watching the images of 9/11."

President Bush’s conduct of that war is further evidence to Stephanie that "he’s a great man, because he has a clear idea of what this nation is about and he’s willing to stand up for it." In the large rally in DC this weekend, she saw in the crowd "the heart of America that the leftist media tries to see in the anti-war crowd."

You Go, Girl!
You Are One of FR's Finest!

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 04-14-03 ViligantCitizen

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 a FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

[FreeTheHostages]

Sigh. I'll just have to be content with my more meager means of travel on Billie's staff, I guess.

[Fred Mertz]

What a nice bio about a nice, kind FReeper woman. I've met Hobsonphile several times at the DC Patriot Rallies. I saw her sing at Rally #4 on C-SPAN since I was unable to attend.

[LadyX]

Feel as if I need a Permission Slip to reenter The Finest!!
Yesterday had visiting grandchildren - 20-year old granddaughter(finishing her 2nd year of college), 17-year old grandson and his girlfriend.
What a wonderful time we had!!

Today had physical therapy and grocery shopping and other priorities, so now may I be excused and return?!
LOL

Hobsonville, I am delighted to read about you and hope you'll return here often.
Isn't it great to not have to labor for years as a liberal and then become enlightened?
Hoorah for your dedication to training the twigs to grow into mighty oaks -
before they get bent!

[TexasCowboy]

I posted this on an old thread, and I was asked to repost it on this one.

"THE FIRST WOUNDED FROM IRAQ LANDED AT WILLFORD HALL IN SAN ANTONIO YESTERDAY!

These guys will have the best medical care in the world.
Our military primary care units are some of the best hospitals in the world. We can be proud of them.

What we can't be proud of is our long term care in our VA hospitals.
If these guys require long term care they will be transferred to one of the hundreds of VA hospitals across the country, and that's what I'd like to talk about:

We take our dogs to the vet when they're sick, and the vet takes care of them and usually gets them well.
While they're there the vet can give them a bath, cut their hair and trim their toenails.
Now....who pays for this? The dog doesn't have any money.
We pay for it because our dogs are faithful to us and guard our homes from intruders.
Our vets go into the VA hospitals, and, usually, they're nursed back to health.
It would be nice to believe that while they're there they could have a bath and a haircut and be made at least as comfortable as our dogs are in the kennel, but in a lot of cases, that's not true.
We have a responsibilty to our vets, no matter in which war they fought.
They were faithful to us and guarded our homes against intruders.

YOU CAN HELP!

Call your local VA hospital and ask for the Volunteer Services Department. Ask them what you can do to help.
If you have time to get involved go down and fill out one of their Volunteer Service forms and become a volunteer.
These are the people who make life livable for these vets in long term care.
You will be asked to take a TB test because Tuberculosis has morphed into a much more deadly and tenacious disease than it was formerly. It's for your protection as well as the patient's.

If you can become a volunteer, here's some ideas:

Talk to the manager of your local grocery store and see if they will donate a box of fresh fruit once a month. Get soft fruit like bananas, peaches and strawberries. These guys don't get fresh fruit, just canned stuff loaded with perservatives.
If they have a bakery try to get them to donate a box of cookies once a month. Get the sugar free. A lot of our vets are diabetic, and it's too big of a hassel for them to sort out what they can eat and what they can't.

Go to garage sales and yard sales. Buy the old paper back books that people throw away when they finish them. The vets love these!
If you see any eyeglasses, buy them. Some of these vets can't see to read.

See if the vets in your hospital are participating in Operation Uplink. Southwestern Bell donated $250,000. worth of phone cards that the vets can use to call home.
Each card is good for twenty minutes of phone time from anywhere in the US.
If they are not, freep me or e-mail me and I'll get you the name and number of the lady to contact to get them included.

Find out if they have a barber on contract to cut the guy's hair. Most of these guys can't afford a haircut. If not, talk to the barbers in your area about donating some time each week to work at the VA hospital.

Collect baseball caps! The guys love those things!

When you stay at a motel you pay for every tolietry in that room whether you use it or not. It belongs to you. If you don't take it the motel makes an extra profit from your stay.
Take all the tolietries! Give the maid five bucks and she'll collect the tolietries from all the rooms she cleans and give them to you. This is not stealing! It's stealing when you take the towels or the bathrobe. The tolietries are included in the price of your room and everyone else's.
Take these to your VA hospital. They don't have the normal amenities we consider necessary to live.

Collect playing cards and board games from garage sales and yard sales. Just put yourself in the vets place and wanting something to pass the time.

Below is a picture of some bed slippers that were crocheted by a couple of ladies in San Antonio for the vets in the Audie Murphy VA Hospital.
These ladies make a pair of these in two hours. They had made forty-five pair when I talked to them yesterday.
I don't have the pattern, but I suspect that the old hands at crocheting can make them without a pattern. I can get the pattern if it's needed.
These are bed slippers to keep their feet warm in bed or in their wheelchair. People with poor circulation know how difficult it is to keep the feet warm.

Again, work everything through the local Volunteer Service Department.

There's a lot we can do for our vets.
We owe them our life, our liberty and our pursuit of happiness."

cob1@addr.com

For the volunteers of the HAT group of Houston:

I will shortly rent a small storage unit and furnish everyone a key.
Everything you can collect that's nonperishable can be put in the storage unit, and once a month one of us take it to the VA hospital.
I have an appointment with the Service Coordinator in the morning. I'll collect the forms to be filled out to become a volunteer.

LET'S ROLL!!

[LadyX]

So very glad to see you here, Teacup!
We surely have reason to be proud of The Corps, don't we?!!

[homeschool mama]

Thank you...I'll check that out, Free. :o)

[LadyX]

Of all the songs you play, you know THAT ONE is sure to get my attention!

Thanks, Aqua - it surely evokes every ounce of patriotism within a person - always have the urge to jump up and stand at attention and shout along with Lee!

Yes - Proud To Be An American indeed - - -

[MeekOneGOP]

Five days, huh? Almost there ! :O)

[homeschool mama]

Thank you again for the ping, Free. I'm emailing this thread to a good friend of mine who oversees the political debate team for homeschoolers in our area. My hope is that the debate team will register on FR and request to be on Hobsonphile's ping list. :o)

[LadyX]

I swear Billie gave me a Hall Pass to enter Class late!!

How many demerits are you gonna give me?
LOL

[ST.LOUIE1]

Suspicions" are not 'proof'. Now stop suspicioning me. : )

I've admitted to nothing.

I knew that line about "having my suspicions" would cause someone to crack under the pressure. :-)

The only one who has cracked is you, Mr.T Man. Billie applies a little pressure to you....and you crack like a walnut.

It works all the time in the old detective movies.

Hmmmmm.... you're an 'old detective' wannabe....right?

You should be ashamed, accusing innocent people of dirty deeds.

And Billie, you should be ashamed for messing with the T Man's mind. Old detectives aren't too stable. : )

[ST.LOUIE1]

I'm taking a "little" break from work too!!!!! So come over here and give me a hug
(((((((LOUIE)))))))

What'sa matter?!!!! You sick???? ASKING for a hug? Not like you at all.

Having said that....enjoy.

wolfie((((((( dutchess )))))))wolfie

: )

[MeekOneGOP]

Howdy. Free Republic is a great place 'cause you can meet people like Hobsonphile and learn about the terrible 'roos that are terrorizing towns. ;) Although it's hard to discern any political implications of angry karagoos in Australia. Maybe it's meant to be metaphorical. Any ideas?

Hmm? Reminds me of the problems we have here in Texas sometimes with the Killer Jackalopes . . .

[Billie]

Well, it would have been a lot more noticible if not for - you know - the font I used. ;)

[ST.LOUIE1]

Hey, you're alive....enjoy the day!

That's what I *like* about you - you see the glass as "half-full."

I thought it was my wolfie hugs you liked. : (

: )

[Billie]

I'm glad you're feeling almost back to normal again. Being sick isn't much fun, is it? : (

[MeekOneGOP]

Howdy ! I was out most of the day. I'm playin' Ketchup now. (I left a note here before I left this morning, but didn't hit my Finest ping list with it. Whoops !)

[ST.LOUIE1]

Er....wolfie was expecting a hug for the compliment. : (

Of course! How thoughtless of me! :)

Awww....now that's special. : )

So you get a special one back. : )

((((((( Billie )))))))

[ST.LOUIE1]

{{{St.Louie1}}}

Sure glad I showed up today! Huggeroonies all over the place!

Since you're a *Babe*- you get wolfie's special hug, too. : )

((((((( Freezie )))))))

[knighthawk]

Would be great to have their heads carved out there too!