2002 - THE YEAR OF THE RADICAL..FREE REPUBLIC... OH REALLY?

ETHERZONE | SARTRE

[newsperson999]

With the passage of time, every day matters. The direction of events and the ultimate consequences of the pivotal transformation in America, cannot be clearer. Yes, the War on Terror, is changing the Nation more than the horror of those eight Clinton years. The prime fault lies not with the Bush administration, but rests with the American People. That is not to exclude the President or his appointees from allowing this frightful trend to take hold. So what is this threat to civilization and the national heritage? Well, it should be obvious, it is called Patriotism.

Now before you lynch the messenger, consider the nature of National Loyalty. We are told that Patriotism is love for one's country, which is valid. But in practice, the current version of devotion to country, is defined as blind faith and obedience to government policies. We are continuously told that at no other time has the American public been so united. But the reality is, never have they been more wrong. Wrong to support a false and destructive policy to police the world, American style. CLICK FOR FULL ARTICLE..

[eureka!]

"SARTRE is the pen name of a reformed, former political operative. This pundit's formal instruction in History, Philosophy and Political Science served as training for activism, on the staff of several politicians and in many campaigns."

There's his problem. One quote from Jim (undated and not fully in context) does not the death of a thinking body politic make....

[Pete]

Without commenting on the content one way or the other, I would simply point to the fact that etherzone is writing an article about FR at all- kind of puts things in perspective.

[Marobe]

We must unite behind our Commander-in-chief and do all we possibly can to support him and our war efforts. We do not have a choice in this matter. ........................ Mr Robinson, You may not have a choice, you may take your ball(forum) and go home, but REAL AMERICAN Patriots, always have a choice. We can live free or die and that's fine for me ! God bless the Republic !

[swatter]

Who besides a freeper would read through the entire article. Going back to my old journalism classes, "And the point is?" If this article were written, it could be said it was a waste of dead trees.

[Askel5]

Rather than quote Jim in the wake of September 11 and before the so-called PATRIOT act, der Homeland Defense office and military tribunals started falling into place like a reverse Domino Theory making the West "secure" enough to impose demokracy with Clean Hands worldwide ...

Sarte would have been better off detailing the comments of FReepers on the thread wherein Mrs. Cheney was reported to have castigated some of academia's liberals for too much "self-flagellation" (a sort of Islamic riff on examination of conscience, I guess) and accused them of not being "patriotic enough".

It's that "enough" that's the kicker. While some of us who love our country and fear our government find it patriotic to protest what's happening (using reason and persuasion, not "former radical" Horowitz-style Stunts), there will always be the Mrs. Cheney types whose saccharine demeanors mask a decidedly lethal groupthink at work from the Top down.

The First Duty of Citizenship: Enthusiasm

[Marobe]

One comment does not make a "stance" but one should acknowledge that FR has gotten a little "full of its self" since 9/11. Getting very SHE-SHE PC .....

[Rodney King]

Mr Robinson, You may not have a choice, you may take your ball(forum) and go home, but REAL AMERICAN Patriots, always have a choice. We can live free or die and that's fine for me ! God bless the Republic !

Mr. Robinson go home? You are the one on his forum.

[eureka!]

Re#7 On that I would respectfully disagree. But then, that is often what this place is all about. ;^)

[DainBramage]

On one hand Jim advocates a "loose lips sinks ships policy" following the attack on our nation,

and on the other hand you have Satire advocating the overthrow of our government.

Hmmmm..which one sounds like the patriot? Duh

[an amused spectator]

One quote from Jim (undated and not fully in context) does not the death of a thinking body politic make...

A 'quote' by SARTRE:

"...Hitler..." "...is..." "SARTRE..." "...a reformed, former political operative."

OK, I took the words out of context, but SARTRE did say them. ;-)

[eureka!]

Re#11 LOL. My point exactly, albeit overstated. ;^)

[Askel5]

Getting very SHE-SHE PC .....

With spell-checkers, there would never be gems like this one. This has just skyrocketed to the top five of my all-time favs.

[DugwayDuke]

"Do you agree with Mr Robinson? If you do, I trust that you will be front and center at your local book burning feast! When people ask how could the German people allow Hitler to come to power, the evidence is staring you in your face. The people demanded him . . . Now the 'so called' conservatives discard their principles of limited government and marches in lock step to a fascist craving for supporting the nation, while using the excuse of defending the country."

Well, yes, I do agree with Mr. Robinson. It is indeed a far leap to equate Mr. Robinson's statement on conspiracy theories with the rise of Adolph Hitler. The author has this logic entirely backwards. Mr Hitler rose to power on the basis of a conspiracy theory, ie, Germany was stabbed in the back, the Jews did it, etc. Mr. Robinson refused to allow his forum to be used to propagate that very type of conspiracy theory. IOW, Mr. Robinson should have been praised by this author. Instead, this author wants widespread distribution of these conspiracy theories. One wonders who is on the side of Hitler?

One must also wonder if there isn't a peculiar type of mind that finds "Truth" in these conspiracy theories that rely upon such twisted logic.

[Askel5]

I'm still sitting on my hands lest I flesh out all the reasons WHY it struck me so ... =)

[Senator Pardek]

Getting very SHE-SHE PC .....

Affirmative action for post-post-operative she-males?

[mrsmith]

"patriotic to protest what's happening (using reason and persuasion"

Please!
I wish someone would criticize their concerns with reason and persuasion.

Look at this essay.
He states an opinion and supports it by an "appeal to emotion", the out-of-context quote, and the extraordinay use of a Thoreou quote as a defining example of a "Founder"'s precept.
There is no "reason" in it, and thus no persuasion.

The constant emotional hyperbole and intellectual dishonesty of the criticisms posted on FR are harmful to a public discourse that would defend our threatened liberties.

[summer]

Re your post #18 to me -- Please remove me from your ping list immediately. Thank you.

[summer]

See posts #18 and #19, FYI.