Posted on 09/24/2002 10:51:10 AM PDT by Texaggie79
Well, it was a fun ride and I made a LOT of great friends on Free Republic... including one who came to my wedding. But nothing lasts forever, and maybe in a way it's a *good* thing, 'cuz there's no convincing some people that no increase in power makes that power any more pure.
JimRob has drummed me out of Free Republic. Here's the reason he put on the screen that popped up on my end:
Your posting privilege has been revoked.
Reason: Democrat
Now, I'm not a Democrat. Haven't been one since 1994 when I changed to Republican, and haven't changed that (yet).
If JimRob is now banning people because he believes they are Democrats, he's obliterated any credibility that Free Republic has as a *conservative* forum. Conservatism espouses a free marketplace of ideas. A dissenting idea isn't something a conservative tries to muzzle: a conservative will articulate why it that idea is wrong, make his point as convincing as possible, and let the chips fall where they may. It's LIBERALS who shut off people they disagree with from entering into debate.
I've been accused of being a Democrat, an agitator, a disruptor... any number of things. I've done my damndest to promote this site in what meager ways I've been left with these past few years. Hell, I stood for four hours - for the most part alone except for an hour with another fellow Freeper - on a summer day when the mercury hit 102, to protest an UN-Constitutional practice by a nearby city. On my sign was "FreeRepublic.com". My own money, my own principles, and no one ever asked me to do it. I'll wager that that as small a thing that was, it's a helluva lot more than what most people have done in their time on Free Republic.
Today, I presented an idea - one that wasn't Republican or Democrat, or any other party's notion - that is apparently unwelcome on this forum. My belief is this: that we cannot trust a political party - ANY political party - with any great amount of power, because political parties are about nothing but power. Given enough power, the Republicans would become as corrupt and evil as the Democrats. Maybe it was my comparing the Bush-bots to the Clintonistas. Maybe it was my stating that Free Republic is fast becoming as wildly extremist as Democratic Underground. Or maybe it was my admission that, yes, I *will* vote for Erskine Bowles for U.S. Senator from North Carolina. Between the two major contenders, Bowles is the only one who is a real resident of this state... and my sentiments for North Carolina far outweigh the "needs" of any political party.
For whatever reason it was, JimRob banned me... but if it was for the crime of *once* being a Democrat, that demonstrates how shallow Free Republic is becoming. I've no love or loyalty for the Democratic party and the Republicans have given me no reason why my trust should be placed with them.
I suppose there's no room at Free Republic anymore for those of us who see America's freedom as a gift from God's grace rather than man's pride.
Sincerely, Christopher Knight "Darth Sidious"
A perfect solution, IMHO.
Either you are with us, or you are with the Terrorist DemonRats.
It's clearly become, by admission of the owner, an R party site dedicated to R party advocacy.
Which, I think, is the opposite of 'conservatism', in my analysis.
Jim runs a great piece of software. And I believe he's a patriot, with the best of intentions.
But I think this is how our country has gotten *so* collectivist. *Both* parties are collectivist.
Perhaps I'm out of place here, as a non-R conservative.
Dang it, I can't tell the players here without a scorecard. ;-) Who's on who's side? It's a good thing happy hour is fast approaching...
Clean house Jim.
Right now, I'm one confused individual without much importance to anyone but my kin. But atleast I ain't no Aggie!
To me, what ever that means, I want this site to define the conservitive movement through arguement and reasoning, we are the future, if we shut out counter arguents we are emulating the Rats, whom I hate from the very depths of my soul.
In her case, residency was the least of the disqualifiers. I wouldn't vote for a democRAT if my life depended on it.
I had thought that the citizens of the United States had delegated to them whatever power the Senate [or any other government body] might wield.
Wouldn't that make the citizens the most powerful? Am I a dreamer?
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