When did Freepers turn so nasty? (vanity)

vanity | 2/12/2016 | Optimist

[Optimist]

Over the past several months, Free Republic has begun to show an ugly side of its members. Although admittedly comprised of many strong-willed, opinion-charged individuals presenting thoughtful, conservative insights into the topics of the day, this forum has begun to show a seamier side as the Trump-Cruz-Rubio-Carson 2016 Primary heated up. You all know what I mean. Many of you have either been at the giving or receiving end of EMOTIONALLY-charged attacks against various candidates or even individuals as their supporters.

Herewith a few thoughts I would like to share:

1. Passion for a candidate and buying into the campaign is exciting and important for exposing others to knowledge and understanding more about "your" candidate.
2. Most of us WILL NOT be able to have a voting impact on which individual becomes the candidate, so why such vitriol? A little perspective is really needed. What are you going to do if by mid-March (when only 20% of the country has had any type of primary vote) and your candidate has fallen off the slate? Face it ANY of these candidates are better than any Democrat or potential Independent opposition, and will have a better chance of being elected than nay 3rd/4th/obscure party candidate.
3. When did we turn into the Ron Paul group? Sorry, I don't mean to offend, but you know what I mean: personality driven, my guy can do/say no wrong, I'm going to get in your face if you don't see things my way, and .... well, you hopefully see the similarity.
4. None of the candidates is 100% perfect, but they all have characteristics that are admirable:
   • Trump is politically astute and media savvy, and has made an apparent conversion to conservative principles with support driven primarily by his fight against illegal immigration, and actually opens New York as a potential electoral win.
   • Cruz has a proven track record of fighting and winning for conservative causes, believes (along with other noteworthy legal minds) that he is eligible to be president, and is not afraid to stand up for and convincingly explain his position.
   • Kasich, has a history of fighting for fiscal responsibility, understands the workings of both legislative and administrative politics as well as decision balancing and decision making in an important electoral state.
   • Rubio is the new younger face of the Republican Party (hell, he's the younger face of the 2016 election) from one of the two critical electoral states in the past several elections, eloquently espousing conservatism and having shown his political chops by running and winning against an entrenched Democrat.
   • Bush comes from a conservative background, with administrative experience in what has consistently been a crucial electoral state, with the potential for earning crossover votes from the Latino community.
   • Carson presents the studied, calm outsider's perspective of the challenges we all know we face, speaking for many who are ready for the politicians to take a back seat and let intelligent people of good heart give it a try.
5. Yes there are negatives for all of them, but this is THE BEST crop of candidates we have ever had to choose from, unlike past elections when it seemed inevitable that the hand-picked, it's-his-turn, establishment candidate was chosen for us. And, besides, go back and re-read number 2.
6. And (finally?) a word about pundits: (Glenn Beck, Rush, Fox News, et. al.):
   • Fox - yeah they seem to be coming down pretty hard on "our/my guy(s)" but they are still a lot better than almost any of the hacks on all of the other networks, and why are you surprised that they have a bias for/against any of the R candidates (aren't all of us exactly the same?) when we have always known journalists are NOT unbiased, but just hopefully, at Fox, a little more centered.
   • Rush - has taken up the banner for many of the candidates and refuses (as always) to endorse one in particular, instead cheerleading the positive aspects of each because he knows one of them will be the only way to stop HillBerniBiden.
   • Beck - is passionate and has done exactly what we want "our" media pundits to do: TAKE A STAND! I'm sorry if his choice and their definition of conservatism isn't yours, but at least he has the balls to speak up, stand by his candidate, and explain his principles in as objective a way as you could hope. Considering some of the nasty attacks I have seen recently against different candidates and their supporters, as well as Beck, it would seem we need to put up a mirror so we can each see ourselves as others see us. We are better than that.

Well, this is what happens when one (Ok, I) become frustrated with the ad-hominem attacks against so many good people both on this site, and otherwise supportive of conservatism and the rise of a conservative Republican Party. We are all decent, America-loving conservatives who are driven to strive for what is best for returning this country to its pride.

Please Freepers, make your best case, and trust that whoever eventually runs against the Demobeast will, with God's light, be the right person for the job.

Let the flame-war begin, I have donned my suit! And God bless.

[Elsie]

Can we get this on some billboards??

 

I would vastly rather bless,

   and forgive anything;

 

but I can excuse nothing.

     It must be dealt with somehow.

 

- -  GOD

 

[Elsie]

lol

[Theophilus]

For instance, Giuliani, that was wild.

Oh I hate hate hated that Rudy McRomneybee!

[Nickname]

Ah, the great Mormon purge. That was a great victory for conservatives everywhere.

Guessing you’re a Trump supporter.

[wardaddy]

Oh yes a dig at Trump which has nothing to do with how posters here have acted 18 years

Nice shot....Cruzbots are such noble angels

[outofsalt]

If you’ve never been zotted you must up your game. It only stings for a while.

[Theophilus]

Cruzbots are such noble angels

Why am I so often misunderstood???

[wardaddy]

Maybe you’re too clever or we’re all stupid

I just got the Scalia news and was rattled

My bad

[momincombatboots]

We were called to stand for our city in the midst of this.. so like you, we are focused on the Nehemiah concept.. take care of what is in front of you, brick in one hand, shield in the other. Our small town was sacked by imported libs, but we stood opposed.

[patriot08]

Let me get this straight. You’ve gone out of your way to offend Cruz supporters by calling him all kinds of nasty, lying names. Trump calls a women a bimbo, cheats on his wives, for which you imply that people are just jealous of, and this man you support.

But you get to be hurt that someone calls you an unpleasant name.

The irony, it hurts.
________________________

I have never called Cruz a vulgar, nasty name.
I’ve only posted research on him and quotes by many, many of his colleagues.
That does not give anybody the right to call me four letter names, and does not excuse this profanity being left on this forum.

[Theophilus]

I just got the Scalia news and was rattled

Now I'm rattled. God bless the Scalia family.

[reaganaut]

I agree. I hate to see Cruz supporters do that.

[reaganaut]

I and many others have noticed FR took a nasty turn when Cruz supporters started attacking Trump and Trump supporters in very vicious tones.
Many of us were shocked since Trump is a proven businessman who is the only one willing to fight the GOPe.
Many Cruz supporters have begun attacking conservatism itself.

Damn shame.

[Greetings_Puny_Humans]

Don’t be mad. Turn that scowl into a smile!

[Elsie]

At this stage; I am ambivalent.

By the time the primes get to Indiana; the dust will have settled anyway.

[Elsie]

AMEN!

[Hot Tabasco]

One only has to look at the current Laura Bush titled thread to see verification of your claim.........Absolutely disgusting...

One would think this site has become the new Democratic Underground for the folks on the right side of the political aisle........Personally, I think it has.

[daniel1212]

If it was the religion forum doing this there likely would be a censoring of such in the name of need for unity against Islam and liberals, but conservatives can have differing convictions behind their shared conservatives positions, as well as differing positions under the classification of conservative. Yet seeking reasonableness, objectivity and civility should not be the casualty it often is, and sometimes a sharp rebuke is warranted.

[jaydee770]

“...When did Freepers turn so nasty?...”

Well, we have the data — it’s just a matter of investing the time to collate it. I suspect you will find the nastiness corresponds to Trumps candidacy gaining steam. Now whether you find it’s more trump supporters or supporters of other candidates, I’m thinking the timing will align with trump and tend to show it is his candidacy that was the trigger.

I could be wrong... I truly hope I’m wrong because he’s on track to be the next president and I would hate to see him trigger that nastiness on a national scale. But that’s how it seemed to me. Probably safe to presume that opinions will vary...

[AllAmericanGirl44]

Good job! There are signs up in my neighborhood churches welcoming refugees. It’s all too much.

Nonetheless, your comment regarding new sign ons that champion Trump, I am saying there are just as many new ones for Cruz. Guess it all equals out in the end.