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I don't post much because I'm afraid I might say something that will make someone angry or upset. That's what I'm talking about. I don't get the feeling that this is a very friendly place.

Don't be silly; this is the friendliest place on the internet.

Since you are new, why don't you stick around and post more often; then you can make up your OWN mind about how great a place FR is, not just from the malcontents you've seen on this thread. In case you haven't noticed, since you haven't posted to other threads, we're having a great time "out there."

Try it, you'll like it.

Come over to the fundraiser thread, we have lots of fun and you can get to know some really great freepers. Plus, you can ask questions or make mistakes and we won't tease you too bad... ;-)

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I don't get the feeling that this is a very friendly place.

This is like a street corner, barber shop, corner saloon and neighborhood park. There are far more likeable folks than not and every once in a bit, some hooligans ban together wishing to control the operation. That is when the likeable folks act like the red-blooded 'marecuns we are and kick the hooligans in the butt. Some of us nice guys have been known to aim for the groin when we are sorely tested. And that is when it is nice to have friends.

Now, don't be afraid of Howlin...many conservatives are touchy. I, on the other hand, am an old fashioned liberal who strongly believes that Democrats run better local government and Republicans run better federal (since Republicans are by and large, bossy, rich and cliquish). The one thing we all have agreed on is that the Clinton years and the Clinton Crimes were abominable and we must do everything in our power to rid the country of their evilness. I will continue to try to pry them from their control of the Democratic Party and Howlin will continue to win the House and the Senate and maybe go after them again. We also almost all agree that we are in a struggle against terrorism and regardless of political posturing we should stand together to whack the bums one up the side the head.

Now, I see you've been invited to tea with the ladies and I will depart from any further encouragement just in case the tea is too sweet.d

Actually, it is a friendly place, if you are friendly to others, and don't go off to other web sites and slam the site owner or make false allegations. Some people get banned for doing just that, some get banned for just losing their cool and needing some time off, some for pushing the site in the wrong direction, some for spreading rumors, for advertising their own sites, spamming, for deliberately trying to destroying the community, for personal attacks, or threats on others, profanity, etc.

There are times when you will have to defend your position all alone, but if you do so in a civil fashion you will generally be treated well. Howlin and myself had a very hot, blood-curdling debate over an issue at one point. Flames were flying, but neither of us asked Jim rob to ban the other, nor did Jim Rob opt to ban us, even though neither of us were giving ground. Maybe that was because, as hot as it was, it never got to the level of personal attacks, and never got to the point that the site owner's goals for his site were in danger of being drowned out in our fight. I had a real nasty encounter with another hot-tempered poster who freepmailed me some extremely profane comments over something I said, but with a bit of talk we came to an understanding and even friendship.

That's part of the point- the site owner has the right to determine the destiny of the site, to command his ship. He has a vision which we believe we share, and that is why we joined him here. We joined him, for all intents and purposes asking to be signed on as crew. We didn't sign on to take over his job, or to mutiny when we don't get our way.

If a time comes when we think he's navigating to a place we don't want to go, we'll disembark, leave the vessel in his hands, and look for another captain or build our own ships and become captains ourselves. But until then, the best way to keep the ship going is to let the captain command the thing, and find for ourselves a niche where we can use our skills and talents to lob verbal shells on liberals, to keep the sails trimmed, to keep the decks swabbed, to stand watch. We can't all be captains- if we were, the ship would never get out of port. The goal isn't to be captain, but to achieve victory.