Hogwash. The management doesn't have to respect diddly. This is a private venture, and one Jim runs for his own purposes, namely those stated explicitly on the home page. That simple English is what YOU don't seem to get.
I've seen my share of bloodbaths around here when people start dictating policy to the ownership. But feel free to add your name to the roll of martyrs who have demanded their imagined "rights." It might be good for a chuckle or two before you hie off to Zotland.
Sigh. Let me try to explain this using simple words. Free Republic is much like a corporation selling a product or service. There is no rule or law telling the company what kind of product it must sell. There is no law telling the company that it needs to listen to the wishes of its customers. Ford is free to sell a Model T Ford, in black only, if it so wished. However, Ford's customers are free to go buy from Toyota, instead.
Still with me? Okay- Free Republic is not a democracy, granted. However, it is clear that the owners do not have the resources to keep this site running without we the FReepers and our donations. In addition, if there were no FReepers because the administration had zotted or alienated everyone, this whole endeavour would be kind of pointless.
Where does that leave the owners? They have to walk a tight rope between getting rid of disruptors and trolls, on the one hand, and being responsive enough to the demands of the FReeper community so that people don't leave this site en masse, on the other. They seem to do that job pretty well, since they seem to get the point I'm making here- none of us "need" Free Republic. There are other conservative websites out there. We could all go post elsewhere. However, FR does a very good job of adapting itself to the needs of its constituency.
I've seen my share of bloodbaths around here when people start dictating policy to the ownership.
You miss the point, again. One FReeper cannot change policy around here. If enough people are unhappy though, the owners have to listen to their concerns- not because of any law or rule, but for the same reason Ford has to listen to car buyers. No customers= no Ford. No Freepers= no FR.
The owners here seem to understand these issues, even though you may not.