[samtheman]

One of the big reasons to give money to this place is to make it available to others out there in search of just this kind of forum. Contributions are like building a bridge between Haves and HaveNots in terms of information. Making it a pay-for-view site would be like erecting a toll booth in the center of the bridge.

[retrokitten]

One of the big reasons to give money to this place is to make it available to others out there in search of just this kind of forum. Contributions are like building a bridge between Haves and HaveNots in terms of information. Making it a pay-for-view site would be like erecting a toll booth in the center of the bridge.

What if it were free just to lurk and read article/posts, but to register and post it cost $5/10/20 or whatever a year? Then, people could still get thier news here free of charge but to actually participate in the discussions it would cost a little bit. Maybe there could be different levels of membership with different benifits for each level. Anything from just being able to post and have FReep mail all the way up to having a Free Republic mail address (retrokitten@freerepublic.com for example). It's just a thought.

[OrthodoxPresbyterian]

One of the big reasons to give money to this place is to make it available to others out there in search of just this kind of forum. Contributions are like building a bridge between Haves and HaveNots in terms of information. Making it a pay-for-view site would be like erecting a toll booth in the center of the bridge.

I agree.

Just out of curiosity, though, what has this to do with my point that those who voluntarily choose to use this site on a regular basis, should voluntarily choose to pay for that which they use, and voluntarily commit themselves to a monthly gifting arrangement, as I have suggested??

I am not suggesting anything mandatory...
...merely a point of honor.

A point which, it should be said, I believe many old-time FReepers already understand... and thus have voluntarily committed themselves to monthly support of this website -- a regimen worth emulating.