In September 2006 I published the following reply:
60 years after the October Revolution, the Soviet Union was incapable of responding to the counterattack of Ronald Reagan and so lost the Cold War. The Soviet Union was incapable of responding to Reagan's strategy because it had not the institutions in place, primarily a culture which permitted self criticism, which permitted it to identify problems and adapt to solve them. By the late 1980s, communist ideology had so hobbled itself that it could never undo its failures and so crashed at the feet of Ronald Reagan.
In 1994 we saw the same phenomenon at work in the Democratic Party and it has continued to this day and it has led to their exile in the political wilderness, the administration of Bill Clinton being an exception of no consequence. Liberalism today has hobbled itself with Political Correctness and cannot analyze itself and its mistakes except through that prism and the party as a result becomes even more and more extremist.
This was published March of this year:
If my rights of free speech are dependent on the benign reaction of the listener, I have no right of free speech. That is why I have also argued in this forum that we must be very careful about promiscuous use of zotting because it is a threat to free speech and in the end damaging to our conservative philosophy. If we cannot protect what we believe from the Philistines, is not worthy of protection.
Which brings us to the matter of offending Trump supporters. I feel that I render fair comment fairly and that ends my responsibility. I am not a psychiatrist, or a grievance counselor, I am an advocate for a political point of view and I am here to persuade. If those who encounter the persuasion are distressed, they should argue about the truth of the comments or the manner of making it. But of all people on earth, Donald Trump is among the least worthy of solicitude.
One last point, it is interesting how many private mail messages I receive from people who are opposed to Donald Trump who do not go public on these threads with their views. Evidently they are intimidated and that is a very unfortunate as well as a dangerous tendency. Anecdotal for sure but evidence of the power of subjective intimidation.
One last point, it is interesting how many private mail messages I receive from people who are opposed to Donald Trump who do not go public on these threads with their views. Evidently they are intimidated and that is a very unfortunate as well as a dangerous tendency. Anecdotal for sure but evidence of the power of subjective intimidation.
[ PS I received two already today.]
In February of this year I posted this:
If my rights of free speech are dependent on the benign reaction of the listener, I have no right of free speech. That is why I have also argued in this forum that we must be very careful about promiscuous use of zotting because it is a threat to free speech and in the end damaging to our conservative philosophy. If we cannot protect what we believe from the Philistines, is not worthy of protection.
Which brings us to the matter of offending Trump supporters. I feel that I render fair comment fairly and that ends my responsibility. I am not a psychiatrist, or a grievance counselor, I am an advocate for a political point of view and I am here to persuade. If those who encounter the persuasion are distressed, they should argue about the truth of the comments or the manner of making it. But of all people on earth, Donald Trump is among the least worthy of solicitude.
You make several very important points in your well constructed vanity.
Your observation that Free Republic is, "the greatest conservative site in the sorry history of the internet" is unarguably true and that truth should be restated and broadcast often.
Your observation that, "It is not hyperbole to state that this is going to be the most important election in my lifetime, probably top 3 in the history of the Republic," could well be historically accurate. By any measure we are dealing with a truly significant election.
Again your comment is well taken that, "I and many others on this site have to wade through these oceans of bullshit flame wars to try and find the substantive arguments over who would be the best possible candidate to guide this country out of the Obama wilderness."
As I have often posted, I do not come on to the threads of Free Republic to discuss the weather (unless we are confusing whether with climate "change"). I come here to be informed and, primarily, to persuade. That is why I sport the avatar below, because I want readers to know whose ideas they are dealing with and to take the time to read them. I want them to expect a reasoned contribution because of the name and avatar.
I do not expect anyone to accept my point of view merely because it is my point of view, it is my responsibility to persuade. I hope the avatar induces Freepers and lurkers to read what I write so that I have a chance to persuade. But once we posters have a reader's attention we owe him a duty to accurately inform and rationally argue.
From a reply of mine in August, 2015:
"Imagine some youngster awakening to politics and venturing into this forum to get a taste of conservatism only to be met with cheap shots. People who pepper their replies with condescension, derision, snarkiness, and in general indulge in ad hominem attacks which do not advance their arguments and certainly would not make any converts of the kinds of youngsters that we would want to join the conservative movement. It seems to me that the last way I would choose to get voters for Donald Trump is to comport myself like Donald Trump.
Usually these tactics are resorted to not to win an argument but to make the poster feel better about himself, to paper over insecurity, or to distract the argument from the issue. I also find unappealing the use of ":-)" or "LOL" as though that clinches an argument. It reveals instead an absence of resources."
On October 27, 2010 I responded to a newbie asking Free Republic how he should conduct himself and how he should post:
Speak your mind, tell the truth, do not post without reason or for its own sake or for your own sake, but post only when you can contribute value added, never post out of malice, ad hominem, or pique. Do not troll for disputes or to be pointlessly argumentative, or to shore up your own ego, but defend your good name and reputation to the last extreme. Post as though every word were to be read and measured by a young mind seeking a political ideology and your post alone will fix his future worldview forever. Finally ask yourself, what would that half born American, Winston Churchill, say?
Welcome to the greatest forum on the Internet. I look forward to being edified by your posts.
