A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....06-03-03....Face Off at the Finest

FreeTheHostages; Billie | FreeTheHostages and Billie

[Billie]

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

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and 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....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay, or a profile of another FReeper.

On Mondays please visit us to see photos of A FEW OF FR'S VETERANS AND ACTIVE MILITARY

If you have a suggestion, or an idea, or if there's a FReeper you would like to see featured, please drop one of us a note in FR mail.

We're having fun and hope you are!
~ Billie, daisyscarlett, dansangel, dutchess, Mama_Bear

by FreeTheHostages

PRELUDE.....

Dansangel was peacefully resting on her couch, watching her favorite newschannel, CNN, when FreeTheHostages rang her doorbell.

"I read the New York Times:
I get my news from anonymous,
low-level sources."

FREE:    All right, already! Can we get this over with, please?

DANSY:    What??!! What are YOU doing here?

FREE:    I’m here to be interviewed for my Freeper’s Finest profile. I’ve chosen you to do it.

DANSY:    LOL, just like an arrogant right-winger to think you should be profiled twice! Sorry, I’ve already exposed you as an unrepentant conservative. (Starting to shut the door.)

FREE:    Actually, I’ve never been profiled by you or anyone else.

DANSY:    Wow, really! Well, I’ve read so much of your right-wing tripe it certainly *seems* like you’ve been profiled here - endlessly.

FREE:    Nope, check it out. I’m officially un-profiled. (flopping down on Dansangel’s couch) Take your best shot, honey.

(The two glare at each other.)

DANSY:    Ok, you’ve got a deal. Let me just clean up this coffee table and get a notepad. (Dansangel carefully stacks a pile of New York Times newspapers neatly on a corner of the table.)

THE INTERVIEW BEGINS.....

DANSY:    You strike me as a little dangerous.

FREE:    How so?

DANSY:    I mean, you go out and actually Freep in D.C.

Free does lots of the important
"behind-the-scenes" jobs at DC Freeps.

FREE:    Nah, that’s not what makes me dangerous to you. What makes me dangerous to you is that I’m female, Ivy League-educated (twice!), but I’m not a liberal. You find that disturbing, don’t you?

DANSY:   Not really. "Tragically sad" is another phrase that comes to mind.

FREE:    How so?

DANSY:    Well, I mean, there you are, being trained by some of the best liberal minds in the country, and it’s readily apparent you did not take full advantage of this opportunity.

FREE:    Ah, see, that’s where you and I disagree. I didn’t go get my education as a "pedigree", and I didn’t do it to belong to some special snobby club where everyone had to think alike. I went to school to learn, and at college I studied doggedly and learn I did. The liberal thing just never "took." I used to think my Vermont roots make me culturally impervious to brainwashing of any sort. Well, I was once (for a short while) a Democrat; I did vote for Jimmy Carter; I just liked all his values talk, frankly.

DANSY:    Well, Carter, that was a good start. How did you go so horribly wrong?

FREE:   I studied math and began to think about things logically. I also took many courses in political philosophy. Even read a lot of serious Marx, which I truly believe every educated person should read.

DANSY:    Well, that’s a relief to hear!

FREE:    Yup. Everyone should know about the kind of distended, magical thinking that leads to the Gulags.

IN WHICH DANSANGEL LEARNS THAT LIBERALS CAN BE SEXIST ALSO.....

DANSY:    But still, you’re a female and you majored in math, didn’t you experience a lot of sex discrimination?

FREE:    Well, I just didn’t major in math, I was brilliant at it. I scored the top percentile in the graduate record exams - among all math majors preparing to enter math doctoral programs. And as to discrimination, there’s a lot less of it in math than in other professions because, if you’re right, you’re right. But I did experience some sex discrimination because I majored in math.

DANSY:    Ah ha!! I KNEW it. How can you possibly turn your back on the only life philosophy, liberalism, that can protect women such as yourselves?

FREE:    Um, actually, it was liberal women at Harvard that discriminated against me. I was delayed entrance to Phi Beta Kappa until my senior year because some of the older Radcliffe women felt a female math major was, by definition, not "well-rounded." And when I applied to be a proctor for bright high school science students over the summer, I was turned down by these same liberal feminists on the grounds that female science students shouldn’t have science or math majors as role models because that would be "too much" and "too sciency" for their delicate constitutions. But I never had a Harvard math professor (mine all were male) give me a lower grade because I was a girl.

IN WHICH DANSANGEL LEARNS THAT CIVIL RIGHTS ISN’T JUST FOR LEFTISTS ANY MORE.....

DANSY:    That’s just ridiculous. It’s men that discriminate against women! It’s white people that discriminate against blacks! That’s why we all *need* liberalism!

FREE:    Funny you should mention racism. I worked hard on the anti-apartheid movement because I believed that black South Africans deserved freedom and democracy. I was pretty big in the anti-apartheid movement on campus, in fact: one of the main organizers of a 7,000 person rally in 1985. I did all that without once feeling the need to be liberal.

DANSY:    This is very very disturbing.

FREE:    (smiling) I thought it would bother you.

DANSY:    (speaking a little louder) If you believe in equal opportunity, than you are a liberal - you just don’t know it!

FREE:    I strongly and fervently believe in equal rights and equal opportunity. That’s one of the big reasons why I am a conservative.

DANSY:    This is unbearable! (standing up and becoming agitated) Your entire political philosophy is antithetical to everything that Republicanism represents to me!

FREE:    (smiling broadly) Sorry to get you so upset. (chewing bubble gum, popping a bubble, playing with a rubber band) But it’s right before the 2004 elections, so I guess you liberals are going to have to get used to being upset. Consider this a warm-up!

DANSY:    Ooooh! I’ll get you, missy!! There must be something organic in your brain that makes you think you should believe in civil rights and yet be registered as a Republican.

FREE:    Well, don’t feel bad if you don’t believe I’m a Republican. I once had to go through one of those security investigations and the FBI agent was positively annoyed to learn I both worked on anti-apartheid stuff and was a Republican. I frankly think he didn’t believe me. Freedom in South African, and freedom in Iraq, and freedom everywhere. It’s all about democracy and liberty and small governments that let the people breath. It’s just as President Bush said - liberty is a gift from God.

IN WHICH DANSANGEL DISCOVERS THE TRUE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM.....

DANSY:    Ah, I get it. You’re a religious fanatic.

FREE:    If you mean do I call myself a Christian, yes. I try hard most times.

DANSY:    Ah ha! (sitting down and smiling) I’ve got you now!!! The opiate of the masses! I’ve discovered the problem!

FREE:    That’s one of my favorite things about Marx himself and most Ivy League Marxists - they refer to the "people" as the "masses," "religion" as an "opiate," and generally use language to distance themselves from the little people. I never met someone with Marxist tendencies who wasn’t just positive that they were smarter than the average bear. You know, always summarily dismissing conservative thoughts with vacuous labels such as "stupid."

DANSY:   That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.

FREE:    (smiling) Really? You don’t say . . . .

April 12, 2003 Rally for America

EPILOGUE: DANSANGEL TRIES TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE INTERVIEW.....

DANSY:    (adjusting collar nervously) OK, I need the basic bio stuff. How you got your name, all that stuff.

FREE:   I first Freeped outside the Chinese embassy, asking peaceably to release our air crew from captivity in 2001. That’s how I got my name. You know, the Chinese Marxists have killed a lot of Tibetans. I think some days I’d like my name to be "FreeTibet" too. There are a lot of hostages to Marxism throughout the world today.

DANSY:    What about the rest? I don’t seem to be getting any of the information I want out of you. Why do you Freep?

FREE:    I hate to disappoint you, but there’s nothing more to tell. Democrats aren’t Marxists, but they’re precisely the wrong solution to many of this country’s important problems (including sexism and racism): they think about people as groups and they think government should control those groups. I think true unity comes from individuals uniting democratically rather than engaging in divisive group-think. "Freedom and Unity" - that’s the Vermont state motto, y’know. That’s the long and the short of it: I Freep to help secure and preserve the blessings of liberty.

DANSY:    (shaking Free by the shoulders!) Snap out of it! You are a Democrat, you just don’t know it!!

FREE:    (tauntingly) I voted for Bush, and I’ll vote for him again.

DANSY:    Stop!! Stop!!! I can’t hear anymore of this!! (gasping for breath)

With that, Dansangel stood up and ushered Free out the door, her face ashen and drawn, her hands clinched tightly. Once outside, Free blew one more bubble with her gum.... then, using the wad as glue, took out her "Bush 2004" sign and affixed it prominently to Dansangel's mailbox. Free smiled, "It was a good interview. I'm glad she asked me."

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 06-02-03 Military Monday

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.
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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]

LOL, I have to leave for an hour and I come back and I literally can *not* follow this chain of discussion. It leads back to Dansangel being a wolf and The Thin Man switching to "my side" of something?? VERY confusing. . . .

Ah, as it should be. I think we need LadyX to get in here right quick and clarify things!

Aqua, I love the DC Boogie!! Very cute!!

[FreeTheHostages]

Billie *really* did the interview...and Free is not *really* a math genuis? I did see some things that I know were true about Free in the interview. :)

I wrote most of the interview -- Billie did the lovely ending. And yes, I really am, if you're inclined to believe me, a natural at math.

[Aquamarine]

Now I see that Free *really* wrote it and Billie added the last paragraph.
Think I've got it straight now....(mumble...mumble) :))

[FreeTheHostages]

Anyone know a good lawyer?

OW!

[MeekOneGOP]

hehe! Me get embarrassed ? lol !

[FreeTheHostages]

Er....best not be callin' half of FR "gullible". LOL

Hey, I'll do that. Some people here are too paranoid about the government and the criminal justice system. All those people who thought Westfall was innocent? There are some really weird threads about some time. I stand with Jim Robinson: we have to stand with the Republicans and the Bush administration. I'm not against the existence of a federal government, by no means. I've just a Republican view of its proper size. But there are people here who want to distrust everything the gov't does. I'm not one of those.

[ST.LOUIE1]

A beautiful family you have, Nad, just beautiful!

The little guy looks like he could cut timber already. : )

[Aquamarine]

I wrote most of the interview -- Billie did the lovely ending. And yes, I really am, if you're inclined to believe me, a natural at math.

Now that's the only part that I didn't believe. I've never known a woman that was any good at math. I never made it past Essential Math.

[FreeTheHostages]

LOL -- but of COURSE. No one EXCEPT me could possibly make me sound that arrogant and mischievous.

Now, as I write that, I must say that Billie wrote the ending in "my style" quite well, I thought.

[FreeTheHostages]

Wait! What am I thinking? OK, here's my official spin:

Yes, this is an actual interview that was done with dansangel, and since she lost the contest, she's now claiming I ghost-wrote it. Which is being rather a poor sport, if you ask me. Still, I can't really blame her. Not since BilltheDrill has DansDevil been so flustered.

[FreeTheHostages]

I've never known a woman that was any good at math.

Shame, that would be. Actually, the key thing is to know someone of either sex whose good at math. I do like math people. They're the best.

Once I was being merciless on a computer thread with some Microsoft shill and he questioned by math bona fides and I just pulled out my credentials. He said but of course this is the internet anyone can say those things. Then I started taunting him with yes, but if what I say is really true, do you know what a fool you must look like to me? He got so angry he researched me and began to make repeated posts "attacking" me for being overweight! Which just delighted me because that kind of silly, personal attack is so far from the merits it damns him, not me. So I kept quoting his personal attacks back to him, noting that I did sound decidedly smarter than him and I thought most people in the thread would agree. And chivalrism not being dead, indeed the guys (this being a computer thread, it was mostly guys) did indeed come in force to my defense. The offshoot was he became so flumoxed and angry that he -- who had posted the thread -- actually went to an Admin Moderator and asked to have it pulled.

It really, really bothered him that I might actually be good at math. And that really really didn't anger me -- in fact it pleased me. I viewed it as his problem, his soft spot, and there I did invest, most profitably, in the demise of his thread and his anti-Linux point of view.

It was one of my favorite -- and most brutal -- moments here at Free Republic. I say, with frightening delight, that I do relish my performance in that thread.

[Dog Gone]

Darn, I missed that one.

[Aquamarine]

I missed that thread...would have like to watch that. LOL.

He shouldn't have went up against a woman that is Ivy League educated and good at math. If he'd have been any good at researching you he would have found out that you play the game of Chess and thrown the towel in early. :)

[JustAmy]

Hey ...... why do you think I ordered identical bouquets?

This looked like a don't put any effort into it type of interview by Dansy. Hey .... just let the profilee say what she pleases. Talk about fair and balanced reporting!! Sure, I believe everything you said Free. NOT

[The Thin Man]

That's the *point.* :-)

{Groan}

[DollyCali]

Just read the "WHOLE THREAD THING".... Thanks to all contributors, authors, commentaries, antagonists, humorists ... it was all a hoot.

[dansangel]

You're off to a good start....big ears are a prerequisite for becoming a wolfette. : )

I've been told I have a big mouth before...but big ears? Yikes! :-)

[dansangel]

Think I've got it straight now....(mumble...mumble) :))

Then you are *lightyears* ahead of me! :-)

[FreeTheHostages]

Nah, if he'd been educated on my math and analytical skills, he still would have questioned them. Some people -- not people of substance, mind you -- find women who are good at these things presumptive frauds. The critical thing to remember is that they can get very emotion and angry about this stuff. If you stay cool and approach this reaction analytically, one can often use this to one's advantage. More common an occurence is the man or woman who may, on paper, acknowledge one's analytical bona fides, but in day-to-day conversation with you, continually condescends. These are the people who think women are dumber but don't KNOW that they think women are dumber. They have an image of what a math nerd is and it's strictly a male image. These people just need to get out more!

I know, I used to be one of them. When I first hit Harvard, I thought I was a unique female math nerd and viewed other women who were majoring in math or science with suspicion. ::shrugging:: Popular culture just didn't give women or men of a certain age references to appreciate that women could excel in such things. I lost my bigotry through the rather shocking experience of hanging out with another female math major who at first kinda assumed I might be slower in math than the average bear too. We realized we were both thinking the same thing and that we were both wrong.

Lots and lots of people can't envision women being really good in math. It's something that's just not as important as math itself. Studying pure math is really the most fun, I really loved it. It's the best thing. Too much fun to even worry too much about sexism, really. The math community at Harvard, when I went there at least, was really wonderfully tight. The grad students would play ping pong with you and talk about what they were studying. If you wanted to stay after-hours, late into the night, at the department math library, and they recognized you as a serious student, they'd look the other way and let you linger. (Some times it's just easier to figure things out at 2 a.m.)

Barry Mazur has a new book out for lay people called "Imagining Numbers." It's a really good book. It kinda assumes some sort of basic math background. Prof. Mazur is one of the best living mathematicians. If any of you saw the PBS special on solving Fermat's last theorem, he's one of the frizzy-haired professors who helped to confirm Andrew's proof.

[The Thin Man]

It leads back to Dansangel being a wolf and The Thin Man switching to "my side" of something??

Upon reflection, I felt sorry for you. How sad is it that someone is so desperate to be profiled that she has to invent an interviewer because no one else was willing to do it. :-(

LadyX, have you ever seen a more tragic and pitiful figure?