It's been a blast but it's time to say goodbye (GOPcap's opus)

4/20/04 | me

[GOPcapitalist]

I'll keep this short and simple. After six years of membership on FR I've decided to resign from the forum today. I'll keep checking my freepmail for a few days and wind down my posts here, so if any of you wish to contact me please do so there and I will provide you with a means to do so. I hope to continue future posting activities elsewhere - perhaps a blog - but only time will tell.

It's truly been a blast and left me with many fond memories, but all good things had to come to an end. My favorites comprise a long list, the most noted being the exposition of Rathergate, leading freeps of Algore in the 2000 recounts, protesting Hildebeast's book tour, and giving her impeached husband a freeper's welcome to Texas on several of his visits. Thank you to all who made these events fun and entertaining. Unfortunately the past few months have made it clear to me that FR and I are drifting apart on key issues of conservatism. I'll spare the details, pausing only to state that it isn't just the usuals like illegal immigration, but also things like religion, the culture of political correctness, an overall decline in reasoned civil conversation that used to flourish here, and the purposes and uses of the site in general. More concerning, for the past few months I have been unable to even obtain rational discourse and commentary on many routine threads and issues without being personally maligned and attacked - many times out of the blue and on topics unrelated to the given thread - by a small, petty-minded, and vitriolic group of posters who conduct themselves in a manner unbefitting of what this forum used to be when I joined in 1999, and do so with apparent impunity.

I also find that I simply don't have the time to post as much as I once did, and regrettably so.

I'll leave it at that, as my fond memories outweigh the unpleasant ones. A time arises when parting courses on friendly terms is best before something less desirable arises. Therefore I have volunteered my resignation. To everyone who has made my FR experience enjoyable, I thank you and wish you only the best.

[anniegetyourgun]

Laz is a doozy....in and of himself, eh?

[eskimo]

Are there actually people on Free Republic who feel they MUST pay attention to threads or posts they do not want to read?

Sure there are! All those political party propagandists and other sundry party groupies who intentionally make fools of themselves, at times, clumsily trying to defend the indefensible.

[Coop]

Somehow we'll manage to carry on without someone who can't even get the correct year into his/her lame opus.

[thefactor]

You, sir, are a punk and have no business being so disrespectful. Posters such as GOPcap are part of the reason FR is what it is today. You should be thanking him or at least wishing him G-dspeed.

[Admin Moderator]

JR needs to add a new feature allowing people to click a button and report frivolous, idiotic or any other type of inapporpriate response. A database could keep track, and after a certain number a look-see could be made and the offender eliminated. It is impossible to read and monitor ALL threads, but when one person gets number of 'hits' it can then be checked out..

Pssstt! It's already there.

[MOgirl]

Hello,

Sorry to hear that your Mom got poor treatment when she signed up. I had lurked here since the Monica story broke (found FR via Drudge) and was worried that I would get the "newbie treatment" when I finally signed up to post last fall. I was thrilled that FR was kind and considerate of a new poster/old lurker. For everyone that greeted me with kindness, thanks!

As to the current situation, this has happened before. Many times, in fact. There have been times in the past that I stopped lurking for awhile, because the stress of all the fighting and name-calling was too much. FR has always managed to come back, despite this, because there are good, decent people here. The ones causing problems will tire of the game, because they will ultimately be ignored.

The Terri case did pit many fine Freepers against other fine Freepers, based on which side they took. Does that mean that we give up on this forum? I think not. For those that are thinking of (or have) decided to give up on FR, I would simply suggest that a break would benefit you more than quitting forever. FR will recover, and we need you all here to continue the good fight.

Respectfully, glad to be here, MOgirl

[artifax]

Robert, are you from Houston?

[SerpentDove]

"Well, you seemed to think it was important enough to mention weeks later, as a way of demeaning others."

If i wanted to demean others, I would have named names.

I'm through wasting my time with a lightweight such as youself.

[Coop]

Am I a punk, too, because I have no respect for people craving attention and spewing falsities (or at least misperceptions) about the forum?

[Lady Jag]

You and I have been here a long time and that means we've weathered all the storms and adapted to the changes.

There is no other forum that I have found that comes close to the quality of Free Republic and I'm as serious about my politics as I am about my humor.

It's politics, folks! Thin skins need not apply.

[unbalanced but fair]

I believe that's why people are leaving. It's not just the name-calling. It's something more inherent in the ways the site is evolving. I lurked for a wile and joined to post replies. I tend to not get responses to alot of my questions from some of these posters. LOL! But I did get a response to a question that I think opened some eyes.

I know that people can be very emotional about certain issues, and I can understand that. But when the debate becomes one-sided it is no longer a debate. What's the point of saying anything when no one will listen?

[dennisw]

So you didn't like the Terri Schindler-Schiavo business. QUESTION: How come so many capitalists are godless libertarians? Can you explain this to me Mr. GOPcapitalist?

[Xenalyte]

You can't go! In whose arms will I seek solace if Xena's Guy turns liberal?

[Pillows]

Thanks MO....when I first joined I went through an initiation too....but am still here. Guess you have to develope a skin...I agree that in the end, we are all on the same side of the big picture....so hopefully it will all work out.

[thefactor]

Saying goodbye to friends you have had for the past six years does not constitute craving attention, sir. Further, doing so in a short, concise manner without ranting like so many others have done recently shows restraint, respect, and etiquette.

[Dead Corpse]

Amen...

This place is more than just fun and games for me. I've made friends. I've made enemies. And there isn't any other way I'd have it be...

[Chad Fairbanks]

Yeah, far be it for me to ask for proof of an assertion you made. What the hell was I thinking? I should have just accepted your unproven word as gospel.

You're right. My failure to just accept what you say at face-value makes me a lightweight. Thanks for pointing out the errors I've made. I will endeavour to be more like you in the future.

[dennisw]

Thanks classy green eyed capitalist.

[Liberal Classic]

How come so many capitalists are godless libertarians?

What's your point?

[Non-Sequitur]

Bye.