The Kitties are NOT handling it well. At least I have pictures to remember that once, they were very calm...
}:-)4
Posted on 12/30/2004 12:26:25 PM PST by K1avg
For the past several months, fate has conspired to keep me away from the computer. I haven't posted nearly as much on FR as I used to. With the holidays, though, I've had an opportunity to catch up a bit.
What I found on my return is a bit disconcerting. While there's always been an element here that refuses to reason and does little more than insult Democrats and RINOs, it seems that this mentality has taken over a large portion of our membership. I've encountered more shrill, radical nonsense in the past couple of days than I had in the months before my absence.
Certainly it's acceptable to gloat a bit after our enormous gains on November 2, but I do believe it's about time to get back to normal business.
Referring to Democrats as “Rats” or some variant thereof may be somewhat amusing, but seeing the reference in nearly every other post really gets annoying at times. Pet names for Democrats and RINOs may be funny the first time, but quickly get old. It's one thing to respect someone, and it's certainly acceptable to not do so for one reason or another, but it's never alright to be downright incivil.
Just the other day, I was in an argument here with some other members who were supporting Yanukovych over Yushchenko because Yush had pledged to remove Ukraine's 1600-some-odd-strong force from Iraq and was *gasp* more liberal than Yanukovych. Seriously, that's absurd. I'd be happy to debate with you here, but anyone can tell you Yushchenko as president will be much better for the Ukrainian people, our interests in Iraq be damned.
But I'm getting away from the subject at hand. These are just a few examples of the devolution of discourse here. While everyone is certainly allowed to have their own opinions, there is a certain level of civility that should be maintained, regardless of the context.
This is the sort of stuff you find at DU, not here. I recognize there's plenty of good, civil users here, and I'm thankful for that. To those guilty, though, it would be nice if you could tone it down a bit.
I love being here. Things like the Undead Thread, Daily Dose, and crushkerry's Lib Pundit tournament, along with the usual daily banter of normal news, makes FR like no other political site on the web. Let's keep it that way. Thanks for your time, and have a lovely day.
Ummm...is it true that you are 16 years old? Come on. Fess up. If you are--then fine. Great. But don't preach to your elders.
I think it will die down after a couple of months. The forum tends to get a lot of traffic during and immediately after an election. I lurked here for years (I found FR back in 2000 and decided to register/post back in 2002. I have seem a migration much like going to the gym right after the first of the year.
The Kitties are NOT handling it well. At least I have pictures to remember that once, they were very calm...
}:-)4
That's what I was thinking, if he thinks we are uncivil now wait till the Rats or RINOs do something that really pisses the forum off!
You are joking, right?
BUMP!
A most excellent statement...the descriptive power of that one sentence is surreal, as well as informative and motivating!
Zot bait...I gotta work that term into a few of my posts.
Well, I hope everything works out ... we've moved into places sight-unseen a couple of times. I hope never to do that again!
And best wishes to the poor kitties!
Newbie complaint ping...
A bit of advice -- you might wait til at least your 1 year anniversary as a FReeper before waxing poetic about how "it used to be around here." Trust me, pal, you ain't seen nothin'.
I would leave here and a minute and never come back if everyone was civil and sweet. That's just putrid.
I hear those go well with fava beans and a nice chianti.
I find that when dealing with raving lunatics I just pull out the facts. It tends to shut them up...
Please. The notion of guilt presupposes wrongdoing and since this isn't your site, you don't get to decide even what is objectionable.
Your comments require salt.
Well said, I agree. I hate it when I'm debating from other boards and people can rebutt my points about Democratic looniness by pointing out 'I can find stuff just as bad on the Free Republic'. You may have to look a lot harder than you do at the DU, but it's still there.
I love this forum, but I wish that we were all more civil. We are the moral values party after all.
I know...how boring would it be around here? YAWN!
Just sit back and laugh at the newb.
If you think it's bad now, you'd have been curled up in the fetal position, sucking your thumb and crying for your mama a few years back.
I'm off to get beer and popcorn!
You don't believe in global warming, do you?
The RAT Al Gore invented global warming...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.