Good-Bye Cruel Free Republic

6-16-02 | wasfree

[magnum opus dejure]

Well, it's been 4 years since I first found Free Republic. I have always felt like I belonged here and have really enjoyed the banter back and forth between us members. I am afraid all this is now over. I am really suprised and shocked at it's suddenness. Before I leave I want to thank a freeper from Michigan who sent me a DVD player last year to give to my kids for Christmas. You reaffirmed my faith in humanity.

I know this thread will be deleted before many people get to read it, but I just can't go without saying a final word. Every since 911 the 'vibe' here at FR has been decidedly hostile. I guess it was a matter of time before the newbie moderator got around to weeding me out for my sometimes unpopular views. So I join the ranks of A+Bert and so many others who gave FR a interesting flavor. I will miss coming here 20 times a day and keeping up on things. But without posting priviledges there is just no point. I must go find another conservative group to try to be a part of.

In the future, when a freeper who has been a loyal member since August 1998 crosses the line, how about a note instead of banning? Would that have been too much? I may have gotten out of line, how is beyond me, but if such a tresspass would have been pointed out I would gladly have refrained from doing so again. It is just not right to just ban an account with no explaination. Especially when the freeper has been here 4 years. I have no idea what I am going to do with my days now that I no longer have FR. Well, I guess I have said my part. It is a sad day when one has to leave family and friends. I feel like some of you were just that. But apparently I am no longer wanted around here. I bid my good day to you all and hope that karma pays it's respects to those who do injustice.

[Freedom2specul8]

"he wrote to tell me that he was up to his ears in people hitting the abuse button. He was hot under the collar, and not a little fed up with people who cannot handle things without hitting the abuse button. "

That's important for EVERYONE to know..

[paul51]

I'm not sure why I see these kinds of posts every so often. If your coming, good. If your going, that's fine too. Either way, just do it.

[Kevin Curry]

High-brow racism, to my continuing surprise, is tolerated here all the time.

If so, it still isn't a patch on the blatant racism that festoons liberal sites such as DU, e.g., affirmative action, reparations, hate-crime legislation etc.

[pyx]

To characterize the way Jim and John Robinson ...

I have not mentioned either of these fine gentlemen's names. Good try at expanding what I said, though. :)

I will admit I am not always in agreement with some of the varying "moderator's decisions.". Some seem arbitrary. Some appear to show complete bias. For example, revoking posting priveleges because someone offers a political opinion that did not involve any vulgarity, any threat, any hostility, any racism or any advocating of violence on a political website. (I can hear a collective gasp about the thread at this very moment. :) ) But instead of engaging in civil debate in these cases, it appears the moderator simply bans someone or revokes the posting priveleges. That's there perogative, I suppose.

As far as your accusation about my not being here for any length of time, I respectfully disagree. If you try clicking on my nickname and reading, you'll observe that I've been here under one name or another since 1998.

As far as my "issues" (the term reminds me of feminist drivel) are concerned -- I am indeed convinced that contrary to prevailing opinion, civil debate, humour and active discussion SHOULD BE encouraged and are what make FreeRepublic thrive, in my not so humble opinion.
Again, you may deem my opinion as heresy and that will simply be your opinion.

I really have to wonder what Leftists think of normal people when normal people become like the Leftist hypocrites we claim we despise and allow no room for dissent or varying opinion. Instead of debating the MERITS or lack thereof in someone's arguments, some claiming to be on the right instead call, for QUOTE bitch-slapping UNQUOTE or QUOTE banning UNQUOTE those they disagree with. And in case you are wondering, have I ever been intemperate in my views ? Absolutely. I'm not a machine. :)

[pyx]

"there" should be "their"

[sneakypete]

This is the last post that I had censored by FR.

And a FINE post it was! You are either a free citizen,or a subject. You can't be both. If YOU don't have the freedom to worship as you choose,*I* don't have the freedom to NOT worship if the government wants to insist that I do. It's not possible to take away MY freedoms without endangering your own. Why is this concept so hard for people to understand?

[A Citizen Reporter]

"Nearly all of his replies were made to either himself (so only he would see it unless the thread was loaded) and to JohnHuang2 (who gets so many replies that there is no way he could see them all)."

I've noticed this habit of late, and wondered about it. Thanks for the explanation.

[Miss Marple]

Well, why is it that I have been here since 1998 and have had the same screen name the entire time? How come you have multiple screen names? Why was this necessary?

My objection to the comments about the Dose are this: the inference made by sneakypete that the reason we support President Bush is a sexual attraction, and that is the only one, and it is because we are women.

Not only is his comment vulgar (using masturbation in his statements) but it is anti-woman.

I am quite capable of supporting President Bush because I agree with most of his ideas. I am quite willing to debate those ideas with most anyone. I am NOT willing to be insulted with vulgar statements because someone doesn't agree with me.

And I would like someone to tell me why you think that comments like that will win supporters to your side of the opinion. Take it from me, it only infuriates most of us and makes us doubly determined to stand up for the President.

[Rebelbase]

If all of the quotes in post #59 are from you, I say good riddence you bigoted pig. Your racist stain will now fade away into the obscurity it deserves.

[sneakypete]

Mostly ignored. That is one of the problems (if it can be called that) with the newer software that allows one to see the replies to one in the self-search.

I really,really,REALLY hate this latest update. Somebody screwed up and "fixed" something that wasn't broke.

[pyx]

Why is this concept so hard for people to understand?

The concept in of itself is not at all, hard for people to understand.

None-the-less, it appears there are some who WISH that unco-operative sons of b!tches would hold still, quit squirmin' about, so they can get their jackboots on the back of their heads and control them. (NEWSFLASH: Control freaks who's raison d'etre [reason for being] is to micro-manage other's lives, do indeed exist ! :) ) Of course, I'm not referring to any one in specific. Eh, but maybe not. :)

Incidentally, I completely disagree with your decision to not worship, but that is your decision. Whoops ! Am I allowed to say that ?

[sneakypete]

that a Republican who doesn't feel morality should be legislated has no voice here.

He/she also doesn't belong in the Republican Party.

[DemoSmear]

After reading the quotes in post 59, two words: good riddance.

Nothing like taking out the trash to make the air smell better.

[Torie]

What I have observed is that there is a small, very exclusive clique of Freepers who deem it upon themselves to be part of the "in crowd", ... Anyone with a dissenting opinion from the clique is charged with heresy and immediately outcast and marginalized.

Rubbish.

Similarly, on FreeRepublic someone who might dissent with the prevailing political opinion of the clique is labled an "anti-freeper" and is simply either banned or has posting privledges revolked, all for for the unforgivable reason of being UNCOOL or UNHIP.

More rubbish.

I have been doing my own thing at FR, part of no clique, for 3 years, and have not had any particular problem. I take unpopular positions on occasion, regarding a variety of matters - gay marriage, anti privitization of social security, pro international organizations, pro the Bosnia and Kosovo intervention, pro McCain once upon a time, etc. I have dumped on Bush on steel tariffs, the education bill (to a degree), the farm bill. I am still here.

[sneakypete]

What you say would be the same as me saying many male Freepers get erections everytime Buchanan, Rush, or Keyes speaks.

No,it would be the same as saying male Freepers get erections over Ann Coulter (stickfigure woman) or Bo Derek.We ALL know that would never happen,right? The ONLY male Freepers who would get erections over Buchanan are the homosexuals.

I don't want to be the one to break this to you,but there are differences between boys and girls.

[Dan(9698)]

You are jumping the gun. Unlawful Combatants are spys, sabatours & assorted bad guys.

In that case the Supreme Court traced the history of the Rules of War to show that is how they were treated since the revolutionary war.

The news accounts stated that he was doing "reconnasence" this time. That is another word for Spying.

The Court also said that the Constitution is not a suicide pact. Law enforcement is not set up to deal with these guys. The Rules of War are. The Rules of War were passed by Congress back in the 1800's. Have also been modified a few times according to the case cited.

Durring the Civil War a lot of Southern Spies and such were hung.

It is not a new thing.

[sneakypete]

It's quite an insult to Jim and John Robinson, not to mention the moderators, to imply that the ONLY reason your "friend" was banned was because he was on the Dose.

I hope you have some idea of what you are talking about,because I surely don't. I don't even have any idea what "he was on the Dose" means.

[IronJack]

What I have observed is that there is a small, very exclusive clique of Freepers who deem it upon themselves to be part of the "in crowd", much like one might find in a highschool

And, like high school, there is a group of klingons who run around badmouthing "the clique" that they're dying to be part of but can't because they're inveterate losers. Of course, "the clique" is just a figment of their imagination, and a perfect foil for their own inadequacies.

A clique of people who have taken it upon themselves to include or exclude others based on what they perceive as "hip", "cool" or "in".

Yeah, Jim Robinson is quite the social butterfly. His every move is dictated by the caprice of trendy fashion.

Such a clique, typically elects itself to a position of authority. And yet, others have not ceded authority to the clique. Anyone with a dissenting opinion from the clique is charged with heresy and immediately outcast and marginalized.

Ooooops! Nobody in the Free Republic power hierarchy was elected, because this is not a democracy. Jim Robinson owns this little corner of Camelot, lock, stock, and windmill. I would suggest that if you find yourself "marginalized" (an adjective so overworked it should be paid time-and-a-half), you might want to re-examine your views or the manner in which you express them. Your opinion is a lot like your anal sphincter; the fact that you have one doesn't mean anybody is interested in it.

[sneakypete]

a cheerleading squad for neo-conservative globalists is quite another

Bingo! The thing is that if you look closely and think about it,this is easing off and even reversing. Every move Bubba-2 makes to the left is the final straw for more and more posters,and there are people posting on FR today who were radical Bubba-2 supporters just a few short months ago.I used to be a Bush supporter myself,and voted for him.I predict this will continue,and he will eventually have a following here smaller than either Buchanan or Keyes. Like Bubba-1,the women will be the last to leave his sinking ship.

[ofMagog]

Well, why is it that I have been here since 1998 and have had the same screen name the entire time?
How come you have multiple screen names? Why was this necessary?

My daughter changed her email address and tried to use her old FReeper name to register the new address. She was told there was already such a FReeper and thus changed her log in name. I suspect, however, she could have continued to log in using the old name.