Yesterday was a sad day for Free Republic

May 3, 2011 | Huck

[Huck]

Yesterday should have been a glorious day around here. There should have been fireworks and celebration. There should have been somber remembrances. There should have been patriotic tributes. There should have been shared joy at the news that our guys had finally gotten Bin Laden.

Instead, when I visited the site, what I found was a lot of carping. I found people focused more on the political spin than on the great news. I found people transferring their birther mentality onto this event, talking about Obama faking this news, photoshopping information, etc. It wasn't everybody, but it was a LOT of people. It made me sick.

Yesterday Free Republic seemed like DU. It makes me wonder what the hell is going on. Are Freepers getting younger? I always assume that DU is so pathetically immature because they must be younger. Free Republic has always been a place dominated by great class, and wit, and decency. Not this time. What I saw yesterday was a pathetic embarrassment and totally unworthy of this great forum.

As some of you may know, I was in lower Manhattan on 9-11. I was just across the street from the WTC when the first plane hit. I still remember the beautiful clear blue sky that day. I remember walking in between the towers just a minute or so before 8:46am, on my normal route to work. I remember my co-workers screaming in panic when they watched from an office window as the second plane hit the south tower. I remember women crying and screaming hysterically. I remember not being able to contact my wife to tell her I was OK. I remember people jumping to their deaths. I remember seeing the north tower go down with my own eyes, hearing it with my own ears. I remember fleeing Manhattan. I remember it was a Tuesday.

I remember returning to work the following Monday, riding the ferry passed the site, noxious smoke still billowing from the wreckage. I remember armed troops on the sidewalks. I remember wearing a breathing mask inside my building because the foul odor was seeping in through the ventilation system. I remember thinking we'd really gotten kicked in the teeth. They had killed innocent people, they had traumatized our women and children, and I really wanted revenge. I hung a picture on my wall of the American eagle sharpening his talons.

It has been a long time since that day. It's hard to believe how fast time flies. Then again, if you lost your loved one, I imagine time hasn't gone so fast. I love my wife so much, I can empathize with anyone who has lost the one they love. I can't imagine how that would be, and don't want to know, but I can cry for those people because I know what it is like to find your one true love.

I'm not an Obama fan. I hate socialism. But I am so happy that Bin Laden is killed, and that we have exacted some real revenge. It's about time. The politics don't even play into it for me. I still have the little flag, now tattered, that I flew on my car antenna after 9-11. I want to take it out of storage and put it on my car. I want to see American flags on cars like we saw back then. But it's not going to happen, and partially because the normally patriotic conservatives such as the ones here on Free Republic are instead focused on the politics and the fact that a socialist Democrat was president and will get some of the credit.

I guess you all would have been pissed on D-Day too. FDR was as big a socialist as anyone. I guess VE day and VJ day would have chapped your hides, since Truman was a DEM. I don't mean to paint with a broad brush. I know it wasn't every Freeper acting this way. But when I went on the board, that was the general impression, and it was really disappointing. It should have been a great day here. Instead, I saw a lack of patriotism and a lack of class. Free Republic should be better than this. If conservatives lose their patriotism and class, then what will happen to those virtues? I hope we can get them back soon. In the meantime, thanks for reading.

Respectfully,

Huck

[Responsibility2nd]

If this thread results in some fool getting the zot, then I’m betting that fool would be you.

I’m already seeing troll-like activity from you. I see where you claim to be a long time Freeper - just using a new name.

~sniff~

I see you attacking FReepers in good standing.

~sniff sniff~

But this - from an earlier post of yours:

“I am afraid freerepublic has sunken to the D.U. level of giving a loud voice to the crazies in this world.”

is all the proof I need that you should get the zot. I have half a mind to ping Jim Rob about what you think of him and his site. But I’m sure he already has his eyes on you and his finger on the zot button.

But before you go... please - tell us more on how think Free Republic is so much like the DUmp.

[Servant of the Cross]

Just wow. Outstanding words and perspective for all. Thank you for sharing this and especially for your service to defending our country and its freedom.

You know, there is another person who could have had reason or basis to complain and want to have the historical record accurately portrayed. He didn't. He showed us how a patriot who loves his country should act at such a time ...

“Earlier this evening, President Obama called to inform me that American forces killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of the al Qaeda network that attacked America on September 11, 2001. I congratulated him and the men and women of our military and intelligence communities who devoted their lives to this mission. They have our everlasting gratitude. This momentous achievement marks a victory for America, for people who seek peace around the world, and for all those who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001. The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done.”

A Man Called W: Ashley's Story

[dforest]

Wow, that post does a body good. Thanks for reflecting what so many of us feel about this.

[Karliner]

Seriously, where are you going to go when you or if you choose to leave this internet community. I've searched high and low across the internat and Free Republic has always had people of different opinions yet we all tend to agree in a lot of foundational aspects for America and the International community and even religion. That says a lot.

Never knew you were so close to the Twin Towers going down. My daughter knew a few folks that died that day but or me no, however I was intears and anger, incredible anger and were it not for my age I would have re-uped that very day if the 82nd then JSOC( won't say where, who,as was told I can't until five years after I'm dead; gonna be hard to keepa secret from God) would have taken me back.

My own view on yesterday is the cynicism in which a lot of MSM stations were talking about Osama being dead and how Obama has a second term wrapped up. I personally( and you can look) stuck with what Obama did, he signed the Ex order generally one signature on a long list a long list when needing presidential approval for an op this size and scope and was OVERJOYED Osama was misted, overjoyed my old JSOC( I first became a part of the Joint Special Ops Command in 1982 merely 2 years since it opened it's doors) and was remembering how hard it was to get the marines on oard and how hard it was at times to get special teams all on the same page. I thought of how hard it was to get financing and we had a LOT of "dog robbers" Lt Commander Marcinko's(never met him)SEAL Team six being one of if not THEE best, so we learned and now thirty years later they are so danged good, and we were good back then( sorry but it's true) but I have NO IDEA we could have pulled off a better op.

With mixed forces all on the same page, in a sovereign nation, a couple LOUD helos pulling the infil and exfil, 40 SEAL's( or maybe some army and marines, plus Army chopper pilots0 this was an exceptional A-ONE op . I mean 40 minute firefight, taking fire from the get go, scaling the walls, cutting the electronics, room to room clearing, getting the civilians out, then finding Osama and killing him, then grabbing the SOB and tossing him and ALL other hunters onto the helo's( oh and grabbing all intel...that's as valuable as can get), blowing the downed copter, and all within an area where a full brigade was sleeping a few klik's down the road, burying him at sea( hopefully with a few porkrinds or a cloth with names of ALL fallen on 9/11 and ALL fallen and wounded in ALL countries since this asswipe started his terror including Somalia, the Tanzania( where I had one friend dead ond one friend traumatized for life)and Kenya, so much and so many, damn I hope someone slipped something on his piece of sh** body. But he was droped immdiately at the feet of our Advocate Jesus, and the very throne of God to answer for his actions

I focused and prayed on my cousing( whom I constantly add in my posts for prayer of his safety) an officer in the SEAL's, prayed for all in country warriors no matter where they tread, thanked God for the safety of not a single man wounded or killed, this was truly a GREAT op.

Someone mentioned it was comparable to Israel's Entebbe rescue. It was no where near Entebbe's scope though the two missions were similar in that they both invaded a sovereign nation but Israel had to deal with getting their people out safely( a LOT of people) and going in cold, where there just wasn't all that great of intel however they did it with some civilians and Bibi's brother killed. We cannot compare this op to that one. This op was to kill a bad guy and back to Free republic I think( I cannot say) a lot of people were (from what I read) discounting Obama's speech and the,"He now has the election in the bag," statements. That sir is a scary thought, way more scary than osama being alive, but alas, that's FReeperville

It would be nice if you stayed. I had one(1, one, ONE) incident in which a person wanted some details on some jobs I had done which as stated in the top of this post I cannot speak about. i can give a vague perspective but no details and this person wanted details for his blog. I told him I could not do that as per oath and he called me some faker that never worked for the CIA.( I must laugh at this, I was in the pentagon ONCE and it was as a visitor and I had a "lead spook" always within arms distance of me, that's it).

I have had some interesting incidents of folks correcting me on history or getting the facts wrong. i think I've been 100% hthank ful as per Proverbs 15:32,33, and my favorite for humbleness when I'm wrong, Proverbs 9:8" Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee, rebuke a wise man and he will love thee." It's hard to swallow pride( Obama never does and that part and parcel of yesterdays negativity but not all of it because it hits closer to home for you, more personal)but I learned a long time ago i am not the brightest bulb on the tree nor am i the dullest knife in the drawer so I defer, thankk the person for the correction or critique and hope they know I am here to learn, and DO NOT know it all. Hope this makes sense.

I NEVER did work for them but he made me out to confuse orders from the pentagon etc for me to be bigger than I was or more knowledable than I am just a lot of hot air. That I know ( though have not met him in years nor his family) Leon Panetta doesn't mean he shares intel with me( He does not never has, except a soup recipe he gleaned from his wife LOL but that was 25 years ago!). Quite the contrary; I generally speak with his wife or small talk, but it's fun for me to brag I know him and can call him. I also brag about being sparring partners with a Mighty Morphin Ranger and a Mutant Ninja Turtle!( Old personal joke as I trained an instructed in martial arts for years) Fine with me. but I had to tell him I never WORKED ever( God's truth) for Christians In Action I only worked with them and only sometimes when Intel came from them.

Heck I'm not that smart, not an analyst, and never was a spook, just a knuckledragging ground pounder (Any soldier in darned near any unit is going to come across CIA reports, it's inevitable). I never heard from him since and still no matter what he thinks or others think big deal. So, at that time I felt a bit weird about Free republic but putting it in perspective, he was one person, he had read into what I wrote too much and it was only one person. All i am saying is please, get over it. As Free Republic grows so grows the folks and their opinions. I have seen a lot of divisive threads but there's been serious attacks from other liberal sites and downright evil sites and people but it's bound to happen.

I figure this being the same as when satan decided to join the church and divide from within, like what Obama is doing, but again has nothing to do with how great that operation went down to kill a very evil man. We still have to get Obama out of that danged WH seat and find a candidate who can lead,; and from what I've read in your articulate yet depressing outlook you can be a leader a good one in life and one this board; just don't as stated before let the "chaff' get you down.

God bless you in your decision.Thus endeth my psuedo-sermon

CK karliner

[moehoward]

"I am sure you agree, combat operations are quick, violent and confusing."

There's a clear distinction between parsing "combat" and a recorded exercise that has been drilled in a like setting for months.

[Former War Criminal]

Bump

[Steel Wolf]

I don’t agree that by criticizing Obama that freepers are attacking the military at the very same time.

That's stretching my point beyond recognition. The last paragraph of 495 explains what I mean very clearly.

After all Obama is the Commander in Chief, and is why he is held accountable. The military just follows orders.

That's a very loaded statement. Are you implying that the military would comply with an order to intentionally fake a raid into Pakistan to kill UBL for Obama's political gain? Or that it would be all right because it's just 'following orders'?

If you're unsure, let me answer for you. Obeying that order would be a crime, and covering it up would be a crime. The military would be just as guilty as Obama, and far more stupid, to comply with such an operation.

This is why I'm upset. People are speaking in airy, abstract terms about real patriots committing major crimes with no motive at all.

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

Didn’t you say something about it might be better off if OBL was still alive and uncaught because of the political benefit to Obama?

[little jeremiah]

Interesting to go through the thread and see the screen names of those who agree with the OP.

Sort of “sheep and goats” thing.

[mojitojoe]

Great post lj.!

[Hulka]

See Post 396 for case in point. The post, while the narrative is a little snarky, the picture is just downright juvenile and petty.

[Vigilantcitizen]

Same here GS.. for almost ten years. I’ve talked fishing and read Huck’s most excellent posts regarding the Constitution for years. Huck is no troll and is an excellent poster.

[DoughtyOne]

It may have been, but it wouldn’t be proper to talk like that in public or in private.

I wouldn’t do it on purpose.

The absolute last thing I would like to see is him being turned into another JFK figure, placed by the Leftist media above any criticism for all of eternity.

This man is vile, and I want him taken down by political means for all to reflect on in perpetuity.

[mojitojoe]

I don’t think he does either. However at this point and time, I do tend to loathe most of our current government.

[Huck]

I don’t plan on leaving. I’m just saying if this essay gets me kicked off (which I don’t think it’s going to), I’m OK with it. I love FR, and that’s part of what motivated me to post this essay.

[DoughtyOne]

That could be true I suppose. I haven’t run into that explanation before though.

I seem to use the names interchangeably though, heh heh heh. Sorry about that...

[mojitojoe]

He deserves no credit. There were articles yesterday - not MSM of course - indicating that he had to be forced to okay the action. Forced to. Even if he okayed it, he could have okayed it long ago. He deserves not one iota of credit. The men who did the job - if it is all as described - deserve all the credit. Not a usurper filthifying the office of the President of the United States of America.

_________________

DITTO! and the photo released by the WH pretty much says it all. The little pissy frightened boy king wannabe sitting there looking pissed off and afraid.

[eddie willers]

I was on that original 9/11 thread with you and remember being so grateful for your reports (and your safety!).

I am late to this thread to give you support....but as with Osama’s death, better late than never!

[StAnDeliver]

• The story of how it really happened is now all over the place, like a dog pulling 3 different ways on the chain; if it had been Bush in office, the Left would have been casting shi!tstorm (and yeah, sometimes it *is* ok to indulge in vices that the 'other side does' if they firm up the common cause of conservatism)
• Bobo's failure to acknowledge his debt to Bush on this, is unforgivable; and that feeds directly into my first point
• Thirdly, the Twin Towers is visceral in your memory, you experienced it, your reaction is understandible; don't expect anyone to share it identically (ever been through an EF-4? I'd like to put two into Mother Nature's hat)
• Fourthly, the victory is only ours, and not shared by the looselimbs, who will simply elevate Zawartharikiri, who is by all estimations is a reserved but wicked Nazi, who has the wealth and connections to be Bin Laden's equal; pardon me while I don't celebrate the succession
• And finally, see ya.

[Fantasywriter]

You’re welcome. After they’d done a 600 post thread [as of when I left; it may have gotten significantly longer since] cheering Obama, they did get around to trashing Bush and America.

A few teeny, tiny examples follow:

zeemike Mon May-02-11 11:44 AM

7. Sometimes I am embarrassed by America.

They have come to treat death so lightly as if it were a point made by your team...But wait....this is all just a game to them.

Plucketeer Mon May-02-11 11:58 AM

14. All I can say is.....

Lets give the Bush home coordinates to the Seals.

jwirr Mon May-02-11 12:09 PM

15. Thank you booosh for not taking this method of getting him in the

first place - think of all the lives that could have been saved in Iraq and Afghanistan on both sides if you had just let the CIA handle it as a law problem instead of a military measure. The military is not the only answer to all problems. :sarcasm:

Dont call me Shirley Mon May-02-11 12:09 PM

16. No thanks to bush who delights in genocide.....

devilgrrl Mon May-02-11 12:16 PM

20. Thank you pResident Bush for letting Bin Laden attack us on 9/11!!!!!

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

Now there’s something to celebrate about.

buddysmellgood Mon May-02-11 01:20 PM

33. Yes, thank you [Bush]. Obama would never have needed to do this without you.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4835712