[Steel Wolf]

Hannity dislike of Free Republic probably stems from two things:

1. Sean has never met an RNC talking point he doesn't like.

2. Free Republic has not only clashes of reasonable opinion, but a lot of unreasonable venting he wouldn't want to be associated with.

In Hannity's perfect world, there would be only broad, enthusiastic amens for each letter of the party line. FR fails to do that, so he sees us as a liability. The lack of interest in independent thought is probably Hannity's biggest weakness as an 'intellectual vanguard' of the conservative movement. Sean's a 'yes man' from way back.

I can sympathize with some of his argument, though. FR is an invaluable online resource, especially in times of crisis, but a lot of the time it's a funhouse cacophony of angry one liners. I probably ignore over 90% of what's written here, because of all the bizzare stuff that is pretty commonplace.

Try and see Hannity's side of it. If he came out and said, 'I'm a FReeper, and proud of it', any enterprising young journalist would have a field day tieing him up with quotes from our blatantly embarrassing members. Imagine this:

"So, Mr. Hannity, numerous people from your 'Free Republic' organization have been quoted as saying 'Nuke MeKKKa!!!' and 'Moose-limbs are an insane murder cult'. Are you comfortable belonging to an organization that tolerates this kind of talk?"

I love FR, and I lurked for years before signing on, but you have to admit, a lot of what gets posted here is shameful and boorish. It detracts from the great resource FR otherwise is. Can you really blame a TV personality for not wanting to be tarred with such a potentially toxic brush?

[Jeff Head]

He didn't have to come out and say that he was a wildly enthusiastic member of FR or anything like that. He could have simply pointed out the fact that FR is a site where all types of ideas a thrashed about...and where a significant number of people, who are watching the news and analyzing it come together every day and sometimes out and scoop the main stream...while being conservative in the process. He could have then pointed out whatever differences in his own site and thereby steered people towards his site without offending his own audience on FR.

I have been around FR a long time. Have seen the flame wars, the internal bickering and purges, etc., etc. Despite all of that...in its form and substance it is still the most informative conservative site on the web, and the best place to work with others to plan activism events, or to discuss issues of the day.

I know a lot of detractors and those who have either been banned or left (and I have been banned twice myself) will disagree...and that's fine, they are entitled to their opinion. Just as I am to mine, and I think they are wrong and in toomany cases look for rumors and conspiraciesand almost anything to justify their own feelings of anger, hurt, embarrassment, whatever because JR for whatever reason showed them the door.

Having said all of that, nno site is going to have a good mix of discussion, current news, activism, etc. without sifting through a lot of ideas in the process. Sometimes they are too outlandish for JR, and since it is his site, he is entitled as the owner to take those out as he pleases. But all in all, I believe the points I have made still stand...and Hannity was eating his own himself when he sought to boost his own site in the manner in which he did. But, that's just my opinion on the issue, clearly, others have varying opinions.

[Cboldt]

Can you really blame a TV personality for not wanting to be tarred with such a potentially toxic brush?

He could have kept his mouth shut on the subject. You know, if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.

[prairiebreeze]

but you have to admit, a lot some of what gets posted here is shameful and boorish.

Only some I think. A higher percentages of posts are extraneous and don't add to the discussion, which can be annoying especially in a long thread, but I'm guilty of doing that too sometimes.