Posted on 12/01/2002 1:23:55 PM PST by BraveMan
What a long way Free Republic has come! From its birth in 1996 as what began as just a place where hardcore conservatives to post the latest news and analyze it, Free Republic two years later had a significant role in the neutralization of the Clintons - as it became the organizing point for enormous protests ridiculing Bill Clinton over Monicagate everywhere he went in the U.S. early in Monicagate throughout 1998. Some top liberals even blame Freepers for Al Gore's defeat.
Very early in Monicagate, Freepers brought Free Republic out of just being a sort of giant cybercafe for dissidents to talk things over - and made it into a very-effective organizing point for giant protests against liberals and liberalism, like the one in Houston at a Clinton fundraiser that not only like most greeted Clinton with hundreds of dissidents ridiculing him for his adultery and perjury, but even found a fire engine to hang a giant sign on that read "Bill Clinton Is A Four-Alarm Fraud." Freepers in Florida hung a giant sign on a cabin cruiser to float in a strategic position just offshore a fundraiser of his there. And here in North Carolina, about 30 Freepers picketed an Al Gore fundraiser in Raleigh's Volvo district in May 1999 - some dressed as Buddhist monks. The Clintons/Gore Regime just couldn't escape the conservatives from hell.
Other liberals were no luckier. The "Rosiecott" that ended Corporate America's willingness to indulge leftist politics was in large part organized on Free Republic. Freeper-organized boycotts were to Rosie O'Donnell's career what a later gay boycott was to advice-talk radio host Dr. Laura's.
But - just six years after its founding, just four years after the height of its power - Free Republic today is largely a total waste of time. As a reader commented, it isn't accomplishing anything anymore - with the giant protests against liberals formerly organized on it by Freepers over; as he agreed last week, the sole positive things it now does are to provide rapid dissemination of news, even from small-town dailies, to dissidents everywhere - and to guide dissidents to the various dissident newspapers that really are hardcore.
Some social issues are almost unmentionable on Free Republic today. More than one Freeper has griped that posted articles on immigration often just disappear. Other Freepers have been just blacklisted from Free Republic - for offending the sensibilities of founder Jim Robinson or the small clique under him that largely actually runs Free Republic now.
Today, Free Republic is every bit as handicapped as founder Jim Robinson - but by another problem. To all too many Freepers now, anyone calling themselves a Republican is God's brother - and cannot be criticized, no matter how Clintonesque their views on many social issues may be. And to all too many Freepers now, Pres. Bush really is God - uncriticizable, no matter what.
To make Free Republic great again, a number of things have to happen. First, all involved - from ordinary Freepers to "JimBob" himself - have to accept that having an (R) next to one's name doesn't make a politician beyond criticism. Second, all involved must also accept that Pres. Bush isn't God. And then, all Freepers must commit to doing again what made Free Republic great - hounding any politician at odds with Red Nation's masses on social issues; if that means picketing Pres. Bush everywhere he goes if he hints at amnesty for illegal aliens or tacit support of racial quotas, that's what it takes.
Free Republic didn't become great by being a Chinese-style "Democracy Wall" for dissidents to post articles from "mainstream" newspapers to and then discuss them. It can only became great again the same way it originally got great.
This is nonsense. President George W. Bush said in his Inaugural Address January 2001 that he wants Americans to be "active citizens, not spectators".
And, this is precisely what the FREEREPUBLIC.com offers, a spirted, robust, boisterous forum for vitally active discussion. No nap rooms here and no lollygagging in the cyberhallways!
Let me ask you something. When you care about someone, do you hold them to a higher or lower standard? When raising my kids I didn't give a darn how other children turned out, mine were going to toe the line.
We have the President, House and Senate we want. Now we don't care what they do? Right? I can't believe it, but the anser is "yes" for some who call themselves Conservatives.
Immigration out of control from the middle-east? No problem. Immigration out of control on our southern border? No problem. Folks actually try to pass off that they believe this. I know they don't. They couldn't. But they can't be honest enough to admit we have a problem. What a sad time in America this may turn out to be if our opportunity to correct problems passes with no action taken.
I guess you don't quite understand, do you? Most of us are not racist bigots like you are. We actually are offended by you and your agenda.
You say you stand by what you wrote:
Well, I'd like to know what the HELL kind of person felt the need to write
Today, Free Republic is every bit as handicapped as founder Jim Robinson
Why don't you explain to us all how THAT CRAPPY REMARK raises the bar of discussion on this forum?
I stand by what I say. Your "newspaper" is nothing more than your bigoted opinions.....and you most certainly do NOT reflect the sentiments of the people of Alamance County.
And I still cannot get over your trying to compare yourself to the Rhino. Truly delusional. As I said before, in your dreams.
Yes, one more. Why do you think there were only 17 hijackers?
Did you support Bush in the 2000 election? If you did not, have you come to believe that he is the president you want?
That's vile, loathesome & disgusting. Of course, someone who calls children from a racially-mixed marriage "mutants" IS vile, loathesome & disgusting.
Not so fast there...... :-)
...Either the President is ignoring Saudi transgressions (which I do not believe) or he is working behind the scenes to get them to do something about this...
...I can't prove my opinion...but neither can you prove yours. We will just have to wait and see what happens. Diplomacy and warfare conceal many things from the public,...
You hit the nail squarely on the head, MM. Those around here who do not trust President Bush seem to fall generally into two categories: 1)Libertarians and extreme conservatives who are suicidially inclined to espouse untenable "solutions" the public would lynch their political leaders for; and, 2)Otherwise level headed people who were so demoralized by the antics done by politicians of all stripes apparently in defense of the 'Toon that they have not been able to trust any mainstream political figure. In either case, they are unable to draw on reserves of common sense and wisdom and see the virtues of prudent preparation before action is made public. The 'Toon was famous for doing that, re.: HitleryCare and MilitaryGays. President Bush clearly prepares.
They think there is nothing happening with respect to the war in Iraq since we don't see daily action? Dream on! The progress on the many other fronts the president has to deal with is even more subtle, but no less momentous.
I, like you, MM, write my letters in hopes that the administration might see things my way, but realize they may have different parameters for success. In most ways I trust that, but I would be lying if I denied that on some subjects I fear the solution they may propose would scare me.
No matter, though. I know of no other public figure I would place more trust in on the full gamut of issues before us now than this president and his administration.
You're Al Gore, aren't you?
No, I am takenoprisoner with no relation to Al Gore. Do you really want some of me? Are you sure? What do you have? Bring it on cuz!
He seems to have a lot of issues, one with Hispanics, and one with Volvos.
I wonder what he's going to say when I tell him I lived at and belonged to Alamance Country Club?
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