Don't let FreeRepublic become DemocratUnderground.

11/18/2010 | Me

[Democrats hate too much]

Free Republic is a pro-life, pro-family, pro-liberty constitutional conservative activist web site. Those who cannot live with that should simply stay away!! (saves wear and tear on my zot button - bitterly clinging redneck, Jim)

Romney is an unrepentant abortionist/statist lying political whore! Just to be absolutely clear, there will never ever be a RINO Romney campaign on FR!! If he somehow becomes the nominee, FR will be running a full-time campaign to DEFEAT him!! If you wish to support him then I suggest you sign off FR and onto Wankers for Mitt!!

Those statments make me worry that FreeRepublic is moving toward a DemocratUnderground kind of stance toward their users. Romney may have done some mistakes like Health Car but I have constantly heard him say that universal helath care was a mistake. If I'm wrong, so what. Lets not kick good Republicans off this site because of their views on abortion and Mitt Romney. Look, if someone says something good about Romney, fine. State your point and try to change that person's views. We are not kicking them off the site! That is DemocratUnderground style dumb. It's what they do.

[CharlesWayneCT]

Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. Otherwise, we’ll all have to barf at our own tag lines.

[WilliamHouston]

I enjoy a good debate. Flip can be discredited on the merits.

[Servant of the Cross]

"Gee whilakers dad, remember when we walked alongside Martin? Oh, wait.”

[dead]

[LonePalm]

FR is a private site.

I'll back Jim on this one.

If Romney means that much to you, please, go elsewhere.

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

[Diogenesis]

Romney: "Thank ME that my faithful, blind but not too bright,
RomneyBOTs like "Democrats hate too much"
who keep working FOR ME, ignoring
my covering up my fake endorsements, my fake troopers,
sporting fake badges, ‘illegal’ security tactics, bizarre staffers,
hatred of the military, release of unrepentant murderers, receipt of AIG Contributions in 2008 ,
my imposition of gay marriage by usurping the Mass. Constitution,
my infliction of socialized medicine without a vote to impose European "healthcare" (except for me),
my abuse of Seamus violating Massachusetts's animal cruelty laws,
most say were uncalled for
for making me a presidential candidate of distinction. in many ways leading to
TIME's 200 comments from readers complaining of animal cruelty
which did unfairly expose me,
like the Globe about my Belmont illegal alien sanctuary,
or so many about my team secretly criticizing and attacking Gov. Palin
and the other GOP candidates who otherwise might have won."

[CanaGuy]

So, going to ZOT everything to do with the Mittster, huh? Hmmm......Free Republic......not so free after all. I’m all for the exchange of ideas, no matter how awful or coiffed or well-dressed they happen to be.

[EyeGuy]

“There is no room for differences of opinion, or discussion.”

####

Even under Mr. Robinson’s highly welcome exclusion of the Leftist “perspective” , I have had plenty of heated disagreements with conservatives, both genuine and thespian, here on FR.

There is plenty of latitude afforded on this Forum. Most of us welcome the business model developed here(and this is private property after all); few of us want to waste our time, in refuting Leftist drivel and propaganda.

[CaliforniaCon]

RE: “Romeny is attacked for his pro-abortion statements when running in 1994 for senate in Massachussets, and for statements made running for Governor of Mass in 2003, and as governor of Mass.

But last year FR allowed public support and posts encouraging donations to elect Scott Brown to the Senate, even though he was pro-abortion.

And the argument made was that we couldn’t expect any better from Massachussetts.

Romney is evil for what he did in Massachusetts. But we allowed active support and financial help for a pro-abortion senator running in 2009 from the same state.

I do believe a lot of people are coming to regret their support of Scott Brown; my point isn’t to defend Brown’s support (I could not send him money — I don’t support pro-abortion candidates).

However, the most recent dust-up (prompting the pro-life/pro-family statement) was not about abortion, it was about GOPProud and others pushing the tea party to ignore social issues and focus on the fiscal conservative issues that spawned the movement.

This site is run by a man who finds that unacceptable, and doesn’t want his work to be used to push that agenda, or Romney. If I had put decades of my life into something, I wouldn’t want it used to thwart my own agenda either.

That could well mean that FR is less relevant in the political arena; certainly it means that people reading here won’t be getting the full picture of what is happening, since certain points of view will be censored.

But this isn’t the Free Republic — it’s FreeRepublic, a private web site we all use at the pleasure of it’s owner and operator. Who, despite the statements quoted in this article, actually is pretty tolerant of dissenting views, if they are expressed respectfully and occasionally, and by the rules.

***************

GREAT POST! Thanks for expressing what I was thinking.... you did it much better than I could...............

[newzjunkey]

The right to ownership of one’s own life is the ultimate statement of liberty.

Indeed.

I struggle with how medically unnecessary circumcision maintains broad support on FR.

[ansel12]

More than three years of having to explain the flaws of Mitt Romney is enough, it takes too much energy and effort to continue doing it for additional years, and to little value towards our conservative activities and efforts.

Freerepublic has other things to deal with than Mitts cult like followers who don’t share FR values anyway.

[Yaelle]

This place could not become like DU because FReepers are objectively educated, not indoctrinated, think with their minds first, then hearts, and make an attempt to use proper spelling, grammar, and clean language.

[TexasCajun]

You are under the misconception FreeRepubic is a democracy!

FR is privately owned and operated and if you don't like it don't let the door hit ya on the way out.

[mnehring]

Free Republic......not so free after all.

FreeRepublic.com stands for a free Republic, of which, private property is a fundamental issue. And, this here, is private property in which the owner can decide what theme he wants to take. You wouldn't want someone to come into your home and change your TV channel your kids are watching to any thing they wanted would you? Your right to what happens on your private property is a foundation of a free Republic.

I hate to break it to you, but every website is like this- they are all private property and set the standards for discourse they see fit for their site. You won't see too many political discussions on eGullet nor food talk on Motor Trend forums.

You do believe in private property don't you?

[Bartholomew Roberts]

Funny how only the uncut want it banned. The cut don’t care what you’ve got, were comfortable with ourselves.

[TexasCajun]

For politicians like Mitt Romney, Conservatism is a political strategy, NOT a set of core beliefs.

[lakewood man]

as sort of a new guy on here I am wondering what is going to happen. As i see the race shaping up I can see Romney getting the nomination and watching many real good strong conservatives , DeMint,Thune, maybe even Gov palin endorsing him and writing op ed pieces encouraging support for him. I am wondering along with good conservatives like Hugh Hewitt will all of their links be subjected to being cleared off FR if they support Romney ?

I have some serious issues with Romney, I find him to be a little wishy washy and too slick for my taste plus the abortion issue is non negotiable to me, however I will be interested to see if he gets the nomination how far will the dominoes fall regarding the people(DeMint,Palin) who are held in high regard here that end up ENTHUSIASTICALLY supporting him.

[mnehring]

I honestly don’t think I’ve ever seen that issue come up here. I guess everyone has their own pet issue.

[Jim Robinson]

Don’t like it? You have a choice. Leave.

[KC Burke]

When you say "Let' not kick..." it implies that poster's responses produce a climate where the poster has to be banned or suspended by the Mods or Jim Robinson.

You have been registered for nine years, surely you have visited enough to know that this is a private site owned by Jim and he doesn't let herd mentality make his decisions for him.

A poster can post a stupid non-conservative opinion that looks trollish and Jim looks at their posting history and may ban them based upon the whole overview before other posters even take someone to task. Conversely, someone may stir up all manner of other posters and Jim has the history to know that poster in making a sincere nuance point and let's them be. In neither case is it "Let's" the conjunction of Let us. It happens in spite of or regardless of group-think opinion. It is simply Jim trying to run an Orderly site in the manner he has set out and most of us like it overall and only have minor times we scratch out head.

Jim is also dealing with a long site history seeing where the site has gotten off the track he intended and often wants to prevent the major fights by laying down a guideline where history shows the comment climate is making a unsuitable environment for what is to come. Primary declarations are little over a year away and after the Rudy silliness last time around here Jim probably doesn't want to have to react as hard as was needed in 2007 where many felt we were a Republican equal opportunity vetting site.

There are plenty of places that Republican big tent issues and coalitions can be promoted and discussed. This is a conservative forum and not a Republican promotion board.