Zot! What is a Troll?

Thoughts From a Patriot | 02/19/04 | Omnix

[omnix]

What is a Troll???? I was taught as a young child that a troll is a hideous creature that live under a bridge that wants to harm children.

Apparently, there are a few subscribers to Free Republic that consider themselves the Troll Patrol.

Some authors of Posts to the Free Republic website are accused of being "Trolls". These people, whom call themselves the Troll Patrol, are trying to intimidate Americans who are wanting to express their thoughts and concerns to keep their thoughts to themsleves. This is an attempt to enforce censorship or pressure someone not to express themselves.

I would like to say to the Troll Patrol that this in not the old USSR or Nazi Germany in the 40's. This is the United States of America and we do have freedom of speech in this country.

If you want to find trolls, I suggest that you visit Sherwood Forrest there are probaly a few lurking around.

God Bless the United States and Protect Us From the Troll Patrol.

[Dan from Michigan]

I'm almost positive it wasn't me with that picture.

[sauropod]

Dayum, that's a big kitty!

[cyborg]

barf alert worthy

[sauropod]

I think you get it. Hopefully, others will.

[cyborg]

wow that cat could win a prize

[sauropod]

A wrinkle in time saves nine?

[Godfollow]

Freedom of Speech. Now there's a novel idea.

The freedom to which you refer has to do with political realities and is intended to govern a civil society... i.e. the president of the United States cannot throw you in jail for disagreeing with or disparaging him. In contrast, compare this with the reign of Saddam Husein of Iraq, or Kim Ill of North Korea, the Islamofasciests of the Arab nations and countless other despots throughout history.

Ours is a unique place and period in time, be thankful for what you have... but guess what, if your speech as an individual to another individual or group is offensive to them, they don't have to give you a platform. FR is a platform provided by and governed by mostly like minded folks. If your not a like minded folk, you may not feel too welcome.

If you want to get on a soap box in the town square and convince the gentle folk to your persuasion, you had better peak a language they will honor or you might get a tomato upside the head.

Mostly, people of all persuasions are willing to hear the other side out if there is respect, intellectual honesty, and an earnest attempt to communicate. The problem these days is that there is a lot of mud being slung around, and its hard to respect someone that has just slimed you.

Trolls, I believe, are those who either jump in to slime the place up or plant stories, mostly phony, to gum up a political position or cause anxiety regarding a political position, i.e. spreading rumors and lies.

In short, Freedom of Speech is freedom from tyranny, not freedom to be heard... thank God!!!

[Grampa Dave]

Thank you for posting this. The syntax and wording is not from an American born and educated in America.

"I have a question for you. You have a particular syntax--one that I recognize from a certain person who used to post as Erika...Erika was not born in this country, and used to be deliberately male/female. Posted under many names after being thrown off several forums. English was not it's first language...and it thought that partial birth abortion could be a GOOD thing sometimes... "

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

Jeeezzz! That cat is absolutely huge! Did it just eat a St. Bernard?

(Trolls cause weight loss) sort of like the Adkins diet, then you die at 65.

[piasa]

If there is a customer agreement, or if they have purchased actual shares in the entity, I suppose so, limited by the fine print in the documentation.

But donations are quite different.

Do blood donors have a right to determine the medical procedures a doctor later uses on the recipient?

Do diners have a right to manage a waitress just because they once gave her a tip?

Do politicians have to conform to rules set by donors? If so, why is bribery considered a crime?

[squarebarb]

Dang! I go to bed, can't sleep, get up again and get on FR only to find I've missed a zot.

I asked (begged) the admin mods to ping me for 'Dead Troll Walking' but they didn't.

Snarrrrrr. And my tomcat Sam is sound asleep.

[Dan from Michigan]

The Tigers hat is too good for that giant jackass from Davison.

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

Now I can't go to bed until you tell me. Or at least a hint? :)

[BraveMan]

[Judith Anne]

You're welcome.

[Judith Anne]

FReepmail on the way, just give me a minute or two. ;-D

[null and void]

You know the rules. Post her picture.

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

Thanks...brb, too...

[teeman8r]

trolls i understands... what about zot?

teeman
t doesn't stand for troll
honestly, it doesn't
really
it stands for tr-tr-tr-tr-uman, that's it,
truman... yyeah that's the ticket.

[sauropod]

Strawmen.

The issue here is free speech on FR. Donations are neither bribes, nor waitress tips, nor blood donations.

They are donations to a site specifically for the purpose of furthering conservatism and its ideals.

When something intervenes (like the current election) where the owner of the site has made clear what is and is not permitted, then everyone is obligated to ask themselves the question, "is supporting this site with current restrictions a furtherance of the goal of conservatism?"

I asked myself that question and continue to donate, but my eyes are WIDE open.