You are the Free Republic—Enhancement and Initiative Announcement

[Admin Moderator]

We can’t rely on the media, even the alternative media. Free Republic is announcing a new initiative that gives you a platform. We want to leverage the most powerful minds on the right to make a difference. To do this, we want to bring a new level of activism, the citizen investigator. In the spirit of 1750’s The Pennsylvania Gazette published by Ben Franklin and of Andrew Breitbart.

For the longest time, our primary focus has been on looking at what the media presents and investigating it or discussing it. We have been missing something, YOU!

Jim has created a new news category, “FReeper Editorial” (freepered) for you to post your investigative reports. We are working on getting this promoted to a sidebar and other ways to promote your work but here are the basics.

• Do you have a political event in your area? Report on it.
• Do you work closely with a campaign? let us know about your candidate.
• Have you discovered something that is worthy of breaking news but don’t have an outlet? Use Free Republic.
• Do you want to expose establishment corruption? Here is your platform.

No longer will quality vanities posted in this topic be frowned upon. Free Republic needs to become about you. We are tired of waiting for the media to come around to us, it is time we take our many, many members and become an army. What was once was your vanity is now your megaphone.

To do this right, we need your help. Initially, we are trying to have this as a smooth launch, and creating the new news category is a baby step towards something big. We ask just a few things.

1. Keep this to stories you personally uncover or are a part of. This isn’t about saying what someone else has already said.
2. No blog pimping. This is for exclusive Free Republic articles.
3. Think about our big battle now. Please continue to post personal thoughts on history, religion, science, or whatever isn’t happening now news, in their appropriate categories.
4. Keep it civil. Need we say more?
5. No “hitting it”.
6. Talk to us. Please let us know your ideas, thoughts, and suggestions for this.
7. Be open to the cultural change this means for the site. This is good, but it does involve change. This doesn’t mean that the Dan Rather case is a once in a decade event, but the model for a thousand similar events.
8. It is up to you. Take part. Take Action. Have fun.

Stay tuned for more change, enhancements, and opportunities that go along with this. - Your friendly neighborhood Mod Squad with blessings of the big dog himself. We are not quite legion, but we are a bag of kittens.

[Tax-chick]

I think this is an outstanding idea.

[TigersEye]

This is a good place for a reminder on an old AdminLectureSeries post.

The Proper Care and Feeding of the Free Republic Keyword Feature

[Cyber Liberty]

Talk to us. Please let us know your ideas, thoughts, and suggestions for this.

How? Public post, FReepmail or Abuse Report?

[Lazamataz]

WOW! I am so honored. I love making a (small but significant) difference. Perhaps this is the evolution of Free Republic that this was the time for. How exciting to be part-of! I love you guys! :)

[Impy]

Ping.

[IronJack]

I suggested this about the time the ill-fated Free Republic Network was in the making: a group of grass-roots "stringers" who would report into a central editing desk for publication on an FR-endorsed site.

Looks like the idea's time has come ...

[bigheadfred]

We have been missing something, YOU!

Yeah. I'm just a newbie.

To ya'll.

The day Jim Thompson said "TO HELL WITH THE DONATIONS" MADE ME A MONTHLY DONOR.

I'm not anonymous.

And I'm not afraid.

[Cyber Liberty]

You started this. Now buck up a bit.

:^)

[Admin Moderator]

On this thread is fine unless you want it confidential, then you can private message us.

[RicocheT]

Yes, an excellent idea and needed public service.

I would caution anyone submitting an article to back it with objective facts to avoid challenges of slander or libel. Don’t make ad hominem attacks, do name calling or call a person a criminal (unless already adjudged one). You can say that certain acts, if found to have occurred, could result in criminal charges. You can express an opinion and urge good conduct or good reforms.

Go to it citizen investigators.

[Lazamataz]

Hey, a thought: You might want to make this a restricted-submission area. Only quality appears here, so that external people (Rush/Hannity/Levin/Chattering Heads on the Hill) know that they are striking paydirt when they go here.

There are two EXTREMELY high quality posters who's submissions will be amazing: nathanbedford and JohnHuang2. There are others, of course, but these two spring to mind.

[Larry Lucido]

Just to clarify, can I pimp my blog there?

[ThomasThomas]

When I went to UPS I found that they now require a photo Id. to ship or receive a package. I researched this and found it stems from TSA requirements. I would like to create a list of places where a photo Id is required because of government regulations. People would post places they were required to show Id. Voter Id laws is thought behind this. Would this be a proper thread for this new news category, “FReeper Editorial” .

[txhurl]

Hear that, Sean? Henceforth we will be ONLY hitting it in bloggers.

Not Religion, not Breaking, not even Activism, not Front Page.

[Lazamataz]

Just to clarify, can I pimp my blog there?

GRRRrrrr.....

[RobinOfKingston]

bump ... so I can find it again.

[WXRGina]

Just to clarify, can I pimp my blog there?

You should ask Humblegunner.

[Uncle Ike]

” No longer will quality vanities posted in this topic be frowned upon. “

Won’t this crimp the tails of our resident Thread Nannies and Vanity Nazis??

(They perform such a valuable function, don’tcha know??)

[humblegunner]

Larry’s blog is awesome and the excerpts are the best parts.

[Yashcheritsiy]

Maybe this is a dumb question, but what does “no hitting it” mean?