I've loved Free Republic since 1997, and I don't understand why it still begs for money just to keep the lights on.
Care to step in, Jim?
Thank you all very much, but going commercial (selling ads, subscriptions, membership fees, posting fees, merchandise, etc) opens us up to more scrutiny and more lawsuits. We’d have to get very strict (a lot stricter than we are now) on excerpts and even posting images. As it is, we’re non-commercial, non-competitive and non-threatening to anyone’s commercial revenue streams. And we’d probably also have to dump our archives for the same reason. No thanks, we’re doing fine and I’d rather not tempt the hands of copyright fate. We’re not trying to get rich or to make big profits, we’re just trying to cover our costs and we’re happy at that.
I wouldn’t expect anyone to donate unless they really enjoy using FR, think it’s a worthwhile endeavor and would like to help us keep it going... and they can afford it. FR is not for everyone. We are a very independent, stubborn grassroots lot, stuck in our traditional pro-God, pro-life, pro-family, pro-constitution, pro-gun, patriotic American ways and are not going to change. Wouldn’t expect everyone to agree with us, much less donate to our cause. Those who don’t like our traditional American conservative stance (we’re not libertarian and not progressive) certainly should not donate... and probably should not post here either.
As to zotting, those who suddenly decide to start pushing abortion, homosexualism, amnesty, government healthcare, big spending, big government, big taxes, etc, are bound to get the zot at our moderators convenience. For example, FREEP YOU MITT ROMNEY (FUMR) AND THE GOPE RINOS YOU RODE IN ON!!
Trolls are zotted on sight unless we decide to let the kitties play.
Profanity slingers and FReeper bashers put their posting privilegs at risk.
And thank you very much for this great thread. And thank you all very much for your support. This thread really livened up our fundraiser and has this FReepathon cooking with gas!!
FReepers are the absolute greatest!!
God bless.
Because 95% of the users are FReeploaders.
Now, I realize inclusion on any of the published donor lists that on occasion appear on FReepathon threads is purely voluntary and that the absence of a name does not necessarily indicate that the non-named FReeper is a FReeploader but don't you think it would appear a bit odd for someone to state they have been loving FR since 1997 and yet be mysteriously absent (as your name is) from the published donor rolls?
You're not just a noisy opinionated FReeploader, are you?
You can easily clear up this possible misconception by clicking HERE and following the prompts. Answer 'yes' to the question of displaying your name on the donor list.
Walla!! No more possibly unwarranted perception that you are a FReeploader.
Correct??
Obviously you haven't. If you love Free Republic, then you would contribute to it. Put up or shut up.
People who love Free Republic love the fact that the screen is not cluttered with Viagra ads and pop ups and all the miserable crap that jumps out at you at every other site. Further, when you take in advertising the companies that put their ads on your site basically own you. If people here say things that are politically correct (which is just about all of us all the time) then advertisers will not place ads and those that do would be the targets of boycotts.
If you love Free Republic, then stop being a Freeploader and pony up $5 a month. That's basically a Happy Meal at McDonalds.