Some months ago, I was invited to participate in a web forum founded by Arator. I hesitated for a while as FR filled most of my 'net time and I didn't really see the need for ANOTHER political news forums. I was on the FR Kool-aid at the time. One evening, while deleting a bunch of email, I came across the original invitation and decided to check out the forum. I was surprised and quite impressed at how user-friendly Delphi forums were and I was also amazed at the quality of conversation in Arator's growing club. So I joined up.
I used my FReeper screen name. This marked the beginning of my downhill slide from Free Republic. I was immediately branded an anti-freeper by the likes of Sinkspur and others, even though in my VERY FIRST post on Delphi I stated that I loved FR and was not there to engage in anti-freeping. As some of you know, anti-freeping went on there from the start, though the AFers were subject to the same rules everyone else was. No profanity, back up your posts with facts, no profane personal attacks, etc.
Time went on and I continued to post at Reunion on a part-time basis, while devoting the bulk of my 'net time to FR. I read a lot of AF material and began to ask questions and read some of the documentation in other AF forums. After a while, Arator's place fell apart. Long story, but suffice it to say that basically two factions left the forum in a huff and EVERYONE was angry with Arator for some reason or another. The Brigadiers founded a club and the AFers founded another. I took a break from it all for a while as I was pretty disgusted with the insanity of the blow-up.
When I started posting on Delphi again, I posted mostly at the club where the AFers had migrated. Soon after I joined back up, an anonymous person broke the story about the Eschoir suit costing so much money. This was around the time a certain member of FR posted an article and made the comment, "My last post. Remember, the last thing out of Pandora's box was Hope. Au revoir!" Well, needless to say, the AF community exploded with activity when this news hit.
I followed the story (still using my FReeper name) and actively asked questions concerning it all. I got very angry about the over-inflated legal bill because I was a monthly donor at the time and got upset about my donated money being used to LAUNCH LAWSUITS against ex-FReepers so frivilously (SP?). Who would be next? Why feed a monster like that? And so forth. Needless to say, I was REALLY branded an AFer after this all happened.
When Radio Free Republic started I missed one of the shows. I politely asked Bob J on one of the Radio threads if he could direct me to an archived version of the show I had missed. (Shows weren't archived at this time). Bob J got really testy with me for no reason when I asked. I fired something back like "why don't we drop the sarcasm and just post the link I asked for". To which Bob replied in a real snotty manner that he would continue speaking to me in such a manner as long as I insisted on posting at sites that call for the demise of FR or somesuch cultish crap as that.
A week later I was banned for life.
In the original article at the beginning of this thread, the owner/founder of Free Republic included my name in with known anti-freepers. Is there any doubt that the Powers-that-be around here think that I'm an anti-freeper? I don't think so. Why? Because I posted on an AF board. There are many others that have done so yet are in good standing around here. Check the AF boards, you'll see.
Anyhoo, regarding sticking around Free Republic: Would you?
I find ignoring the pissing contests and lobotomy cases and fed shills (that Robinson for some reason doesn't send packing) and concentrating on the research done here makes the site worthwhile.
Yep...I'm one of them, so is BobJ, JimRob, Deb, JohnRob, Harrowup, etc...
I'll admit that I was shocked when you were banned since I'd never seen you violate any of the forum rules. Granted, I don't read everything that's posted here, but based on the vast number of your posts that I had read, I'd never seen you be anything but a gentleman. BTW, I thought that a remarkable feat considering all the abuse that was daily thrown your way.
Half an apology is as good as it gets sometimes, so I'd probably stay if I were you. A lot of people appreciate your posts and FR hasn't been nearly as interesting without you. And nobody, I repeat nobody, can handle the "welcome wagon" crew as well as you can.