Posted on 04/01/2005 9:51:33 PM PST by Bob J
For those of you who don’t know, Jim and the mods treat old timers a little different than newbies. They get a little more slack, a few more mulligans than those who signed up in last four years or so.
I always wondered if that was a good policy. After all, why should the crusty buggers be treated any differently than someone who signed up last week? Are they more intelligent, are their arguments more cohesive…persuasive? Do they have any more or less to contribute to this community we call the Free Republic? Not necessarily.
But they do have one thing new participants don’t and that is perspective. In a way us curmudgeons can help provide a sense of continuity and historical perspective to events that newcomers cannot. Sometimes, we are the glue the bridges Free Republic from one crisis to the next. I believe the recent Sciavo issue is one of those times so I am going to ante again and prove to Jim that his investment is worthy of it’s returns. I ask other old timers to chime in and pull their weight as well.
The Forum has a history of going through upheavels in terms of political philosophy and/or cultural standards, this is not unusual for a community such as outs. The first thing we need to understand is that the conservative movement is made up of many individuals with different motivations. For example, some are economic minded, some are culturally based, some are second amendment supporters and others view their vision on religious principles. Sometimes these differences can cause us to reevaluate our alliances. But that would be a mistake. The left is counting on us tearing ourselves apart from within for that is the very philosophy upon which their strategy is based…foment division and hatred then attack at the breach. It has worked well for them in the past and they count on it working again for them now and in the future.
My humble opinion and suggestion to all is in these times of contention and confusion, that we remind ourselves who the real enemy is and where the battles ought to be fought. On more than one occasion I have had firefights on FR with individuals who later I found myself sitting next to in a foxhole when we were fighting the real enemy…the militant left. I berated myself for some of the things I had posted and wished I could take them back. For here was my true brother or sister, sitting in the foxhole with me, taking hits with me, helping to lead the bravest charge at our direst moment. How could I have been so thoughtless in my moment of indulgence?
We may divided, on occasion, but let’s not lose sight of the fact that we are all brothers and sisters fighting the good fight against those who would enslave us and our children into bondage for generations. Argue the good argument, stand on principle, but let’s not forget we are all ultimately on the same team. The man or woman you trash today might be the brave soul who saves your behind tomorrow.
Let’s keep out eye on the ball.
How do you know that? Those who dote upon The Sean presumably trust his assessment of FR, and include themselves out of this febrile microcosm.
Just as TBLSHOW has discouraged many academics from registering here.
So . . . unscathed?
No . . .
Rather:
BLOODIED BUT UNBOWED!!!
I sometimes wonder if I would still be here, absent my tenure. One never knows. I do think one thing about old timers still here: they tend to ignore the noise, the ups and downs, and just carry on, because they value and enjoy the neighborhood, and draw pleasure from it, and want to nurture it, each in their own way. And of course because they have made friends here, whom they want to continue to "meet." That in fact is the real glue.
Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.
No, I missed a bunch while working yesterday. My favorite is when they destroyed the camper trailer while in the woods. They were the masters.
200,000+,
Fair enough for me.
Thanks! got it! Never knew that. hehehe
So I might be an old curmudgeon, eh? :)
Thanks.
My husband and I LOVE "the boys" and we have all of their movies and almost all of their shorts on film and/or tape. Do you belong to a "tent" of THE SONS OF THE DESERT, their fan club? It's only for men, but women were/are allowed in to see the movie. If you would like more info on this, just let me know. :-)
How smart can they really be if they allowed a single whackjob like tblshow to influence their course of action?
That's like me not watching any tv for a week because my fat cat is sitting on the remote.
If you're happy, I'm happy!
I'll jump in and say NO!
You have to be without brains to vote for Hillary.
We got the WH, the Senate, the House, the SC...basically.
No one ever gets 100% of what they want. If we get 75%, I'm calling that a win.
Mine's a little out of sequence. I used to be "leadpenny1" and then realized that I had signed up earlier as "leadpenny." Jim gave me back my old handle but my sequence # is up in the 40,000 range. You and I signed up around the same time.
I was actually lurking back in 97 when my son showed me what a computer was. Found FR via the old Whitewater files on Drudge.
"Usually, when people say they're not a "full-blown conservative" it means they're liberal.
Being a little bit socialist, is like having a little bit of cancer."
So, "usually", I'm a liberal? Oh, and "a little bit socialist"? Do you really believe there aren't people in the middle? Wake up.
That is why as one of the few Democrats around these parts everyone keeps right on loving and respecting my kind thoughts and happy face.
Private Reply comin' at ya.
You may be a lib, but you're a reasonable lib.
Who doesn't love reason?
Thank you, Bob...VERY well said. And advice for all of us to heed.
I DID think of this these last weeks. The left is LOVING it that we're tearing each other down, when it's WE who should be continuing to tear them down. Bit by bit.
I stand with ya.
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