Posted on 06/14/2008 10:03:59 PM PDT by Soliton
I have been a member since 1999. I have been suspended at least twice and kicked off "for good" once. I deserved to be suspended once.
I believe that FR is a force for good in the world. Debate between people who consider themselves conservative, right or wrong, is a good thing.
I believe that FR would prosper more, that more would donate, if they really believed that they had a stake in the site. The risk, that I now expose myself to, that you can be booted forever for speaking your honestly conservative mind in accordance with the rules, can be stifling.
I suggest an appeals board consisting of long-term FReepers with differing views. They would enforce or overturn suspensions and bannings upon review based on the stated rules. They could even levy a reinstatement charge. At least it would be democratic in the conservative tradition.
:)
‘Somebody’ who I think should not have the kind of power that this thread is about, wants the kind of power this tread is about.
Not good.
Jim & Friends do a great job, and anyone who thinks they should have equal power with Jim & Friends can kiss their own hairy behind goodbye.
Or they can start their own site. Bless you.
I was referring to getting booted from FR for insubordination.
But I agree with you, they certainly can do their own site.
;)
It's very important that no-one has their feelings hurt.
I agree.
I was forced on twice, the last time for good. Thanks.
They could create a new forum and mods could force the combatants to move their catfights to it.
They could call it the Litter Box forum.
“but the investors in GM have rights. Maybe more people would invest in FR if they had enumerated rights.”
The glaring difference here is that no matter how much money you contribute, you are not a shareholder in FR LLC, and therefore have no shareholder rights, which you would if you instead invested in GM.
GM investors are the owners of the company. FR contributors own nothing.
I suggested the same thing to my jerk boss at work one time.
Timing was everything tho, the following week was when they processed the annual merit increases..........
OP, have you ever contributed any money to FR?
.....scientifically ignorant.....
When considering a great host of posts and posters, the phrase “scientifically ignorant” is not only extremely accurate, it is kind.
There is only one hard and fast rule at Free Republic:
If you burn, you are made of wood, and therefore a witch.
Here’s the other side of the coin:
I belong to a sports forum site which has practically no rules on posts at all. The profanity and crudity of the thoughts expressed during debate sometimes appalls even me, but any questions to the owner are met with the comments that the site belongs to her and if I am offended, don’t use it.
However, She bans people sometimes if they oppose her viewpoint, not for their views or language, but for posting without paying her the respect she feels she is due.
I belong to another website for writers where the rulers have decreed that you can’t use the words “murder” or “drugs” in story summary descriptions nor any profanity in the body of the story because some child might happen upon it. This, despite the fact that children are regularly exposed to all these themes and profanity on TV.
There is no appeal if a website owner decides the rules, however arbitrary they may be. Since starting another competing site is usually not practical nor possible, you simply have to live with whatever rules (or non-rules) are posted if you want to participate.
It’s the internet, don’t take it too seriously.
In the past the “mass bannings” seem to have occured when folks get spun up and lose their sense of decorum and common sense. The whole Terri Schiavo thing degerated into bald men fighting to the death over a comb, and nobody’s “opinion” changed anybody elses or made a bit of difference. But a lot of good freepers burned bridges there.
When those sort of subjects crop up, it’s time to just stick your hands in your pocket and wander away. Otherwise you’re no smarter than some lefty who runs to watch people throwing bottles at the police and then wonders why they got pepper sprayed.
Maybe you think that’s a wussy way go. Ok fine, but if I decide it’s time to fight to the finish over a principle, it’s not gonna be from behind a keyboard.
Try applying your “business model” to your own business. After you publish your report on the results of a thorough study of your model perhaps a committee of esteemed FReepers will entertain your suggestion. Until then, consider yourself lucky you can waste bandwith on FR with your vanity post.
***But, he wants us to contribute. I think more would if free speech, within the rules, was tolerated.***
So, YOU want to be the one to decide what the rules of free speech are and what aren’t, huh?
From your own page on FR:
***I am convinced that evolution is fact, and that creationism has no place on FR outside of the Religion Forum.***
lol
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