Opus de Darth Sidious

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[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Your posting privilege has been revoked.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"

[sweetliberty]

"MurryMom is still here, right?"

Target practice.

[sweetliberty]

"Sounds like some thin-skinned moderators."

I could be wrong, but judging by Jim's tone on the thread in queston and the fact that others were banned too, I'm inclined to think this was Jim's doing.

[Congressman Billybob]

This is NOT about "dissenting opinions." No one gets banned merely for stupidity. Nor for being obnoxious. Nor for being repetitious. But when one combines all three of those defects in one series of posts, why that's an enemy of paid bandwidth for sure.

I have reasoned with Darth, argued with Darth, and finally ignored Darth. But he was still there with the same drivel. It was like having a barking dog at a Beach Boys concert. I come to FR to hear the music, including the "music" of those who disagree with me, but use logic and facts rather than shouting and pounding the table.

The Internet woods are littered with websites where yelling and calling names, and saying things that any sentient being who can walk and chew gum at the same time would recognize as dumb as a hoe handle, are business as usual. Darth will be welcome at one of those that suits his politics.

I, on the other hand, fully support JimRob's efforts first to make this forum a better place, and then the even harder work to keep it that way.

Congressman Billybob

Click for "Til Death Do Us Part."

Click for "to Restore Trust in America"

Click for "I am almost out of ideas"

[Jim Robinson]

You are correct. I am the guilty party. Always have been. Some people refuse to recognize that.

[Senator Pardek]

Done!

[MadIvan]

With all due respect to the Dark Lord of the Sith, that is not entirely the case. In Britain as in America, we have a situation in which one party bases itself on the aggregation of power, believing itself to be wise enough to sit in government buildings and dictate to the rest of us how we are to live, what we are able to say, what schools we can pick and so on.

It is necessary that the socialists who wish this are turned back, and feeble, faulty and faithless the opposition can be, it needs to be supported to the hilt. We conservatives engage in too much petty squabbling about purity of ideology to win this battle. But it is this battle upon which we should be focused.

Regards, Ivan

[Uni-Poster]

Clearing out troublemakers in time for the Dupe-a-thon?

[wimpycat]

To DarthSidious: I'm sorry you're gone. There are a lot of loons and nutbirds who deserve to get the big boot a whole lot more than you do.

So much for FR business. As for your public declaration to vote for Erskine Bowles, with all due respect, that is the most bone-headed and idiotic thing you could do. Thankfully, though, MY vote FOR Elizabeth Dole and the votes of other right-minded and pragmatic North Carolinians will more than cancel out your little temper-tantrum "protest" vote.

Damn, buddy, if you don't like Dole, then vote for whatever fringe candidate is on the ticket, or just stay home. Your reasons and motivations for voting for Bowles need no discussion, debate or analysis for anyone to conclude that it's just plain dumb, kid.

[Congressman Billybob]

I do not see FR as a cabal of "lifelong registered Republicans." I'm a regular here, since almost the beginning. I have been a registered "independent" since I worked as Gene McCarthy's General Counsel in his 1976 run for President as an independent.

No one has ever made me feel uncomfortable because I am an independent. I will say, though, if I ever decide to run for public office again (first time was in 1971), it will be as a Republican. Independents seldom win any partisan offices, though I'll be pleased if Tim Penny pulls it off and is elected Governor in Minnesota this year.

I have no objection if anyone is SO disgusted with the choices in a particular race that they refuse to vote for either (or any) of them. Not voting is a valid choice.

But as long as one is going to be involved, it must be by supporting whichever candidate offers the greater commitment to the basic ideas of America -- and that begins with the Constitution. (The Constitution is my particular hot button, and that's why I so much appreciate FR.)

Well, that's my rant, and I'm stickiing to it.

Congressman Billybob

[BluesDuke]

It was like having a barking dog at a Beach Boys concert.

Now, I don't know about that. I've been to a Beach Boys concert or two in which a barking dog might have been an improvement. (Sorry, but the Beach Boys live over the last 20 years don't even belong being mentioned in the same county as the Beach Boys live through about 1976-78...) ;)

[sweetliberty]

Well, personally I will be thankful when this election is over. Tensions are running high, and understandably so. We have a lot at stake and I agree with you at this time anyway, about giving Bush his majority so he can actually get something accomplished. Tiny Tommy and his obstructionist tactics have gotten really old and we need to be able to get some conservative judges on the bench. There is a lot of leftover Clinton trash that needs to be taken out and we can't afford to risk more like him. I think it is going to take a lot more than that to effect long term change though. Our representatives and senators have been getting away with too much for too long and we have to hold them accountable.

[sweetliberty]

"Why do you still post here? I thought you hated the whining...."

But he loves the whiners.

[Focault's Pendulum]

I still like this kid.

[Willie Green]

This was it.

Between that and voting for Erskine Bowles, ol' Darth certainly went off the deep end.
Gotta admit, I could never bring myself to vote for Libby Dole...
But Bowles??? Sheeesh!
Shoulda just exercised his right to write-in a conservative candidate of his own choosing, whether running or not: perhaps PJB or Tom Monaghan or even Joe Paterno.
I'm sure ol' Darth coulda come up with SOMEBODY better than Bowles or Dole.
Yep, Darth lost focus and went over to the dark side.
I'll pray that he eventually recovers from this emotional collapse.

[gratefulwharffratt]

She didn't stay in DC when Bob went home to Kansas -- she lived in KANSAS with him. I still want to know why if she was so hot and bothered to be a member of the US Senate, she didn't run for the seat from Kansas, not NC

I am SURE that I don't need to explain to you why a woman would move to where her husband is from.

Also, didn't the RNC contact her about running for the seat?? I KNOW that Jesse Helms has endorsed her, as has "W" -- those are two opinions that I hold in HIGH REGARD.

So far as I know, the RNC never contacted her about running for a Senate seat in Kansas. Also, she wasn't born and raised, and didn't attend college in Kansas. She had no connections to Kansas.

The Hillary-Libby analogy couldn't be more wrong. Hillary had NO connections to NY, so that analogy is fallacial. EVERYBODY in NC associates Libby Dole to NC, and she is VERY popular here. This whole carpetbagger thing is thrown up by people who think she is not Conservative enough, and who are LOOKING FOR A REASON TO OPPOSE HER. (Et tu, Bruté ??)

Too bad she is a Methodist, and is not a Baptist, or she could have avoided the Dookies. She could have gone to Wake Forest instead. :-)

[Jim Robinson]

See ya.

[copycat]

IMHO, his comment that FReepers were becoming "worse than the clintonoids" was a capitol offense at a forum where opposition to clitonism is exactly what made the forum what it is today.

And anyone who says R's are no different than D's has his head up his duodenum.

[Jim Robinson]

Amen. Thank you.

[Bobby777]

I didn't think he'd be here too long after that statement ...

[justshe]

~~~Other than those brief months before the Jeffords switch...~~~

IIRC, 2 months. A scant 60 days. Whoopty doo, huh?