Free Republic is well known to gather million of viewers, its a fertile field for anyone to manipulate should they chose to, and that applies to both sides of the coin.
And its no secret an organized group has indeed been posting such forums to divide FR, mostly its petty instances like who hates red, who loves blue, and if you love blue you will live in paradise and your pet lions will sleep with sheep peacefully.
In as such as conspiracy theories FR actually does pretty good, or pretty bad depending on what you are led to believe in.As long as one can see the picture clearly its always apparent when an invasive forum appears, one that creates the impression of reality through repetition, through “verified” statements, through enough soft intimidation to force a new thought process to follow through, after all most people on the web are still herd animals.
I pretty much don’t bother posting as yes the style of threads are becoming more like the DU derogatory style. Thats because those at the DUmp are so heavily censored and controlled they have left, and have taken up residence in FR like termite ants.
Your opinion is noted, but I disagree. I see what you see, and when I see what you don’t like, I usually don’t like it either, and look up the profile of the individual(s). If no profile, which is most often, then the recent, or timely date they joined is sufficient to form an opinion. I don’t see this invasion of DU. When they do come, they are usually so “transparent” they are zotted immediately.
Freepers instinctively know a DU type when one gets past the rat guard on the hawser.
Like so many you are deeming those you disagree with their perspectives, their opinions as they must be DU. IOW “they can’t be Conservatives if they don’t agree with me” sort of thing.