JoeEveryman and the Anti-FReeper Attack on Free Republic

Various Anti-FReeper sites | August 10, 2002 | Jim Robinson

[BluesDuke]

I just hope that rational criticism is given as FRee a reign as possible...I LOVE debating!

Methinks we would all of us do ourselves and such forums as the FREEP a huge service if we held fast to counsel offered in 1949 by Frank Chodorov. He was writing then on the Communist issue (this was a year after you-know-who held you-know-what in his hand at Wheeling, West Virginia), but it does, truly, apply to any and all with whom we disagree in terms of issue, policy, or philosophy:

Heterodoxy is a necessary condition of a free society. When two people are in disagreement, both may be wrong but both cannot be right...(T)he important thing is not the wisdom I display in the choice of ideas but the right to make a choice. It is important to me, for the freedom of selection is necessary to my sense of personality; it is important to society, because only from the juxtaposition of ideas can we hope to approach the ideal of truth.

Whenever I choose an idea and label it "right," I imply the prerogative of another to reject that idea and label it "wrong." To invalidate his right is to invalidate mine. That is, I must brook error if I would preserve my freedom of thought. When I presume to be in possession of "absolute truth," and maintain that those who disagree with me not only are in error, but are wickedly or sinfully so, I lay myself open to similar judgment; in the end, then, the "absolute truth" becomes a matter of power to constrict thought.

...The danger, to those who hold freedom as the highest good, is not the ideas...espouse(d) but the power...aspire(d) to. Let them rant their heads off - that is their right, which we cannot afford to infringe - but let us keep from them the political means of depriving everybody else of the same right.

A reasonable proposition, that. Though I am certain that even those of us (including myself, perhaps, being only too human) who might hold tightly enough to that proposition are once inawhile imperfect in exercising it.

I'd hate to come to FR and not see any hard journalism disclosing facts that I found deeply disturbing...I might as well watch Baba WAWA!!!

Depends on which Baba Wawa. If you mean an old video of the Gilda Radner caricature, that wouldn't exactly be as hazardous to your health... ;)

[HairOfTheDog]

Thanks! Plain and right are both good things to be!

[Michael2001]

If all these guys are trying to take you down then you must be doing something right.

[Ole Okie]

When will we stop allowing the politicians to ... oh, phooey... nevermind

Dixie, don't let me discourage your dream. Mark Twain's comment came to mind when I read your post, but I'm really optimistic that things are getting better.

Most political skullduggery and mutual handwashing used to be done under rocks, out of the public view. But there's less of it than before the internet was invented by Algore. Rush Limbaugh, JimRob's Free Republic, and others have exposed a lot of the slime.

There's a long way to go, but at least when (for example)Twinkletoes D'a$$hole or Leaky Leahy display themselves to be total dumbbells and obtuse partisan obstructionists, that information does get dragged out into the light, rather than remain hidden in some dark recess.

[eddie willers]

ALL RIGHT!!!
An OPUS!

Has this thread got everything or what?

[Ole Okie]

Dang! I knew I should have looked that up. For some reason thought the year was '76.

Thanks. And on the bright side, I've now put my first mistake behind me. ;-)

[Torie]

Frankly, I don't look to you for scholarly theological guidance. To call a religion "false" is the ultimate in hubris. Cheers.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

but in view of the police shootout we found out about yesterday with someone who posted on here a few times

!!??!!??

[maxwell]

Yeah, what is THAT all about???

[FITZ]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/730882/posts

[Mad Dawgg]

"ALL RIGHT!!!

An OPUS!

Yea but not a real winner Opus...

I give it a 47...

It's got some swing but ya can't dance to it!

[FITZ]

I was responding to Ilbay's post about how it sometimes looks like people are advocating violence. Probably most of the time they aren't ---but when some of us say "lock and load" or imply it's time for violent action for example to grab your guns and head to the Mexican border, it might just seem like words --but there might be readers who think there's real support for that.

[zip]

Funny how all the southerners screaming about "yankee transplants" had no problem voting for that long-time Illinoian who moved to California, Ronald Reagan

Cannot let that one go by. RR MOVED TO CALIFORNIA not said he was there like your friend Hildebeast did TO New York.

[TLBSHOW]

Thanks for letting me know. It didn't take much to know Islam is false.

[eddie willers]

It's got some swing but ya can't dance to it!

Yeah ......
but it's got a picture of Hitler!

That oughta count for something.

[WaterDragon]

FR is home. Let's take care of our home as good citizens do.

[FITZ]

To call a religion "false" is the ultimate in hubris.

All religions get bashed in America. Look at Catholic bashing, Jehovah Witness bashing, Davidian bashing. If Islamics plan to live in the US, they might as well get over some of their extreme sensitivity because criticizing religion is popular here. Otherwise they should return to their Islamic paradises where Islam can't be criticized in any way.

[sleavelessinseattle]

I don't think I've ever been so torn between the urge to Decorously bow in respect for a great post and ROTFLMAO! You got it going ON, BRO!

[beowolf]

LOL...feeling lonely in the waste lands? My comments are always innocuous...as you know well. It's just that I have an unfortunate phrasing problem that seems to leave them ( my comments ) open to diverse interpretation. I am, even now, seeking professional phrasing help!-)

[beowolf]

Nah...as an OPUS, it sucked. Give him points for the Hitler picture, if you must, but it's all form over content.

A true OPUS (standards of which were long ago established by OWK ) have to be rated on literary contents and emotive power. This one is 46th rate, at best!-)