Please.
At least be honest and admit that there was venom flying from either side. And it’s more than just “a few” FReepers.
There are many still around these parts that have no concept of civil discourse, and they’ve been that way since long before the whole Rudy issue came along. It’s really easy to hide behind internet anonymity and hurl hateful insults at people. There’s absolutely zero honor in it, but that doesn’t seem to matter. What’s even more interesting (and sad) is that what used to be the “rules of posting” no longer seem to apply to one side - and it minimizes what FR has always stood for, IMO.
My late grandmother always said that there’s never a good reason to be rude, and she was right. She could also tear someone a new one without ever being anything other than polite.
I think that’s a mark of both maturity and intelligence. The “other” method of debate shows a distinct lack of the same two things.
To somehow try and say that it was only the Rudy supporters/departed FReepers were engaging in the ad hominem/personal attacks is dishonest at best, and delusional at worst.
I won’t even lower myself to “Yeah, but they started it” level.
The bottom line is the Rudy supporters that got banned, certainly not all Rudy supporters, attacked conservatism and conservative candidates besides being nasty to other freepers. They chose their fate.
Sometimes one side really is worse than the other. However, there are/were so many Rudy threads, I couldn't keep up with them nor did I have the time to try. I cannot say which side was worse in this instance, but both sides were definitely guilty of personal attacks. NO doubt about it.
Jim Robinson has a right to reaffirm the purpose of this site, which I heartily agree with, btw. And others have a perfect right to begin another forum where they might be more comfortable, and that site is NOT an antifreeper site as some have been alleging.