Free Republic

This is my opus. No, I am not writing this opus because someone has offended me. Far more than anything else, I've met friends here. If Free Republic is to blame at all, it is for the sole crime of being too involving, too fascinating a place for me to spend my time. I believe in conservative principles. My time here has only reinforced that belief. It has also helped me figure out precisely what I believe about a variety of contemporary issues, and the appropriate role of government (or lack of role) as it relates to them. I believe...

<p>JACKSONVILLE, Florida (AP) -- A state Health Department employee opened fire with a pistol at his workplace Thursday, wounding two co-workers before killing himself, authorities said.</p> <p>Police Sgt. Dennis McGuire said the gunman, Wayne Horowitz, 53, shot himself in the head.</p>

<p>RAMALLAH, West Bank (CNN) -- Israeli forces have destroyed all buildings in Yasser Arafat's Ramallah compound that immediately surround the Palestinian leader's main office.</p> <p>On Friday, the day after a deadly suicide bomb attack in Tel Aviv, Israel Defense Forces continued to occupy the West Bank compound and were looking to arrest Palestinians they have labeled as terrorists. Arafat was unharmed, Palestinian officials said, and Israeli officials said he was not a target.</p>

My fellow Freepers, I've messed up pretty badly here... First, I'm already quite well in the doghouse with my wife (who phoned me this evening after going away with the kids yesterday for a couple of days) for spending so much time freeping and not getting anywhere near enough done on certain other things... you know how it is... :-/ NOW, in the middle of the late-night Florida election thing with McBride vs. Reno, I suddenly realize: I haven't seen the cat. The cat. Omigod, the cat. The cat I was supposed to feed last night, and twice today. The...

I like the "new" Free Republic, and especially like having the message-being-replied-to readable on the reply page. But here's a additional suggestion: It would be quite feasible to add to this page a "Quote" button, which, when pressed by the user, would use javascript to automatically insert into the appropriate box: <i>[message being replied to]</i><p>[plus maybe a couple of return characters] The user could then simply cut out parts of the message he/she didn't want to quote. It would make it even easier & quicker for this forum to do what it does. What do others think?

Improving on the National ASK Campaign The "Million Mom March" organization and other gun control activists are currently promoting, with the help of the mass media and various national organizations, a National "ASK ('Asking Saves Kids') Campaign," in which parents are encouraged to ask their neighbors:      1) whether they have a gun in their home, and  2) if so, how it is stored.  The goal, obviously, is to prompt participants' neighbors to make sure all firearms are stored in such a way as to prevent unauthorized access. This is a worthy goal, even if some might very seriously...

Others have sponsored a national "ASK (Asking Saves Kids) Day," in which parents are encouraged to ask their neighbors whether they have a gun in their home, and if so, how it is stored. This seems like such a good idea, we've decided to expand the concept with a new, even more intelligent program: the SmartASK program. Yes, you too can be a SmartASK neighbor -- it's easy!! All you have to do to participate is print out the following letter/ questionnaire and take it to any neighbors that your children may play with. In order to help provide maximum...

PAPER: Rock Creek Park Predator Interviewed by Police Investigating Levy Death Thu May 23 2002 12:52:01 ET D.C. Metropolitan Police Department officials investigating the death of Washington intern Chandra Levy have interviewed a man serving a 10-year prison sentence for attacking two women in Rock Creek Park last year, ROLL CALL DAILY is planning to report on Thursday. MORE D.C. Metro Police investigators have "talked to" Ingmar Guandeque, who was arrested in July 2001 after attacking two females (one in May and one in July) who were jogging along the Broad Branch trail in Rock Creek Park. Levy's decomposed body...

Missouri Action Alert for Right-To-Carry! TIME SENSITIVE -- THURSDAY AND FRIDAY -- MAY 16-17 -- NOW is the time! THIS IS IT to get a bill on the Governor's desk! Please forward this to ALL pro-gun people you know in Missouri. Anti-gunners are on the march! Your help needed to counter their offensive! [Currently Missouri remains one of only SIX States in the Union where concealed carry is ABSOLUTELY PROHIBITED. Well, unless you're a JUDGE or member of another very such very limited privileged class -- in which case you can legally carry as many concealed firearms as you can...

<p>The Missouri Senate has tentatively called for another statewide vote on concealed weapons - but the measure would ban hidden guns in the state's largest cities and counties, including St. Louis and St. Louis County.</p> <p>Gov. Bob Holden has threatened to veto a concealed weapons bill that the House passed last month. So some supporters of the bill figured their best chance to allow concealed weapons was to send the measure back to voters, who rejected the idea in 1999.</p>

Well, folks. I just got back from a trip to the local shooting range, and I would like to announce that I am now a gun control advocate. This announcement may surprise some who have corresponded with me here. It may also surprise some who have met me at one or two recent gun rights events here in Missouri when I tell you that until today, I actually had not fired a gun of any kind in more than 20 years. So today I did. I fired a box of 9mm ammo from a Glock 19 into a non-silhouette type...

Gun-rights advocates push legislators to pass concealed-carry law By KIT WAGAR The Kansas City Star JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri gun-rights advocates brought a mixture of religion, anti-communist rhetoric and calls for personal freedom to the Capitol on Wednesday in their annual push for a law legalizing concealed guns.More than 200 supporters who gathered in the rotunda cheered as speakers warned lawmakers that they would pay at the ballot box if they opposed bills in the House and the Senate."If legislators want to stay in office, they have to start listening to us and give us the respect we deserve," said...

If you believe what both the U.S. and Missouri Constitutions tell us -- that law-abiding citizens have a RIGHT to keep and bear arms in defense of their homes, persons and property -- then come join the GUN RIGHTS RALLY that will be taking place in the CAPITOL ROTUNDA in JEFFERSON CITY on WEDNESDAY STARTING AROUND 9:15 A.M.To "bear" arms means to "carry" them (check the dictionary). But unfortunately, our RIGHTS are being DAILY DENIED by draconian Missouri laws that PROHIBIT the law-abiding from being armed for self-defense. ("But you can carry openly," someone will say. Yeah? Just try it.)...

A Missouri man has founded a new web site, www.GunLies.com, designed to take 'a fresh look' at gun control issues. During its first few days online, GunLies.com received several hundred of visitors, from across the United States but especially from Missouri. "www.gunlies.com sucks," proclaimed one visitor who obviously didn't like what he found there. "I'll have to admit, though, that gunlies.com is at least honest about itself. The website name says it all... gun lies." But another visitor, a retired federal law enforcement officer, wrote: "You are doing a wonderful service to the people of Missouri and the country by...