SF CHRON ON FR: FReep This -- How The Right Wing Is Making Itself Heard

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | January 30, 2003 | Joyce Slaton

[L.N. Smithee]

Something strange happened during the 2000 Gore-Bush election fiasco you may have missed.

CNN, which was running 24-hour special election coverage, hosted a program with conservative columnist Bob Novak shortly after the disputed election results were returned. Novak was adamant that Al Gore should quit trying to steal the election and concede. To bolster his point, he brought up the results of CNN.com's public-opinion poll "Should Al Gore concede?" Poll results showed that a full 89 percent of the thousands of people who had visited CNN.com and voted had agreed -- Gore should give up the ghost.

[William McKinley]

Were they concerned I would misrepresent their views because they feel the media has a liberal bias?

Bingo. For example, do we see any of the following:

1) Proof that Freepers were doing the Steele things?

2) Proof that the person who posted the Chuy's personal information (and was then banned) was an established Freeper and not an agent provocateur?

3) Traffic statistics to compare DU to FR, so as to give perspective on if it is our counterpart

4) Any attempt to see if such things such as harrassment as alleged here are done by members of DU as well? And any attempt to see if they are discouraged by that sites' management as they are here by Jim Robinson (by both word and deed)?

5) Any attempt to get Jim's original political persuasion right?

6) Any attempt to show David Allen's political connections?

7) Any attempt at balance, at all?

This was nothing but a hit job. An attempt to cause people to fear us. However, I bet all it really is going to do is get a bunch of people who would never like us to not like us and a bunch of people who never heard of us but would like us to sign up and a bunch of people in between who are now curious to come take a look-- and what they find will damage her credibility. Good job by the writer.

[PJ-Comix]

"The FReepers represent a narrow fringe within the Republican realm," says Pitt. "And all the people who believe what [FReepers] believe are now running the government. I don't know if that makes them powerful, but they sure have the home-field advantage right now."

Nice contradiction of yourself in just two sentences. First Pitt claims that the FReepers "represent a narrow fringe within the Republican realm" then in the VERY NEXT sentence he claims that people who have the same beliefs as FReepers are running the government. Make up your mind, Pitt. Are Freepers a narrow fringe or an all-powerful group running the government?

[Musket]

I have NEVER seen or heard of a Freeper throwing a garbage can through a businesses window. Likewise for burning buildings, spiking trees or spray painting slogans on other peoples property, or spraying paint on people wearing fur, or laying down in the street and going limp so that the cops have to carry you to jail, or shouting obscenities into pedestrians faces. These are common practices of the Left. Show me one instance of a Freeper doing this stuff and I'll shut up.

[moyden]

Speech is tolerated there that wouldn't be elsewhere Every liberal despises freedom of speech.

[William McKinley]

I agree. I think that the things I listed above, at a minimum, would all have needed to be in the article for it simply to reach the level of "unbiased". What do you think?

[PJ-Comix]

Why is that? Were they concerned I would misrepresent their views because they feel the media has a liberal bias?

You pretty much proved that point Ms Slayton with your descrition of the Free Republic as "right-wing" but the FAR LEFT (and if anyone doubts me just check out the DUmmy Forum) is described as merely "left-leaning."

[section9]

Notice that they had two lib whack-jobs, Pitt and Allen, commenting on FR, leaving us with Kristinn.

I'm not surprised that JimRob or any of the staff chose not to participate in this hitpiece.

The unmistakeable thrust of this article is that we are a gaggle of extremist goobers. Naturally, the writer chooses two liberals to tut-tut in mild condemnation.

Once again, the San Francisco Chronicle continues to underwhelm. They could have chosen to report about us. They chose to do a hitpiece instead. And they ask why we don't believe what is written in the press.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[PJ-Comix]

It's just the lunatic fringe I worry about.

Oh really, Ms Slaton? Have you ever checked out the Democratic Underground? It that isn't LUNATIC FRINGE then I don't know what is. I know you are reading this thread Ms Slaton and I CHALLENGE you to read the Democratic Underground and then write an article denying allegations that they are a LUNATIC FRINGE. I would be happy to provide you quotes from that site. Oh, and if you do check out the Democratic Underground, please say "hi" to their MODERATOR, Indiana Green, who called for "Revolutionary Justice" and ask him to explain that. I sure would love to read the explanation.

[gonzo]

"...Though many may not know about them, FReepers are members of a small but growing and vocal right-wing movement who are making a name for themselves...

Geez, I hope so, Alan. I'd hate to think that I was doin' this for nothing!

Happy New Year, pal............FRegards

[William McKinley]

Let's see. $4000 at 25 cents a pop.

That would be about 16,000 fake donations.

Methinks it should have dawned on the author, if she had been using any thought processes at all, thinking critically and objectively and without bias, that this is obviously balderdash.

[PJ-Comix]

Yoo-Hoo Ms Slaton! I just went to the "left-leaning" DU site and the very first thread I saw had this quote about removing Rush Limbaugh from the radio:

"Flush Rush
This is excellent. If Freepers and their ilk want to wallow in hate and lies let them remain in Freeper-land. We don't need their schlock on the air-waves."

Gee, Ms Slaton. Where is the tolerance here?

[PJ-Comix]

I wonder if Ms Slaton would describe A.N.S.W.E.R. as "left-wing" or merely "left-leaning?" Since you are reading this thread, Ms Slaton, what is your A.N.S.W.E.R.?

[chief_bigfoot]

Talk about the pot calling the kettle black... "Most of them are decent human beings, but there's a violent underbelly."

EDITORIAL
Keep the protests peaceful

Wednesday, January 29, 2003

---

WHEN HUNDREDS of thousands of peaceful demonstrators gathered in San Francisco the weekend before last to denounce the idea of a U.S. war against Iraq, they were joined by a small band of supposed allies whose methods fell short of the Gandhian ideal. These were the few dozen black-clad vandals who broke away from the march to break windows in the Financial District, spray- paint slogans and trash news racks as their anti-war expression.

This was in the familiar pattern of nonviolent protest marred by a destructive splinter group whose ugly brand of attention-getting sullies the public imagery of the whole exercise. The "black-bloc" tactics observed here were said to resemble the work of anti-globalization rioters in Seattle in 1999.

The mainstream sponsors of future anti-war demonstrations (including a planned Feb. 16 event in the city) need to be on guard against such counterproductive sideshows. They should disown the vandals, and let them know their presence is offensive to the vast majority in the anti-war movement. Don't let the thugs muddy the message.


http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/01/29/ED143309.DTL

[ASA Vet]

Thank you comrade Joyce.

You've inspired my new tag line.

[PJ-Comix]

Here, here! She says she actively "monitors" us; if she does, then she sure as heck is reading *this* thread, so hey, Joyce, why can't we hear YOU on here? Post up. WE would like to contact the Chronicle. Anybody there? :-)

Ms Slaton won't register and post here for the SAME REASON why liberals are not successful on talk radio. They just can't the give in take of a two-way forum.

[E Rocc]

"Whenever a poll is posted on Free Republic.com, everybody goes and votes the right way, and there's nothing wrong with that,"

Unless its about the drug war, religion in government, Israeli settlements, Moslems in America, immigration, trade, or one of those other issues where we :gasp: disagree

Liberals are far more likely to play "follow the leader" on the issues, so they'd miss this nuance.

-Eric

[PJ-Comix]

This means that conservative, right-wing, media outlets and exchanges of thought are on the liberal watch-list. They tipped their hand with Daschle's rant against Limbaugh; they decried the lack of a liberal Limbaugh; they feigned surrender of liberal bias in the elite media to conservatives.

There is now a "Flush Rush" effort by the lefties targeting the advertisers of the Rush Limbaugh show. Of course, you WON'T read an article by Joyce Slaton decrying that effort as intolerance of other viewpoints. Oh, and you won't read her describe such groups as "left-wing."

[PJ-Comix]

whomever finds it first -- and, to be honest, that's never us liberals. It's always them.

Interesting that they admit that they also try to find polls to "Freep" but are whining that they can't do it fast enough.

[William McKinley]

The Bay Area often is hit with rioting, and many times it is for absurdly trivial reasons, such as this past weekend's loss by the Raiders in the Super Bowl.

I am sure that most Bay area residents are, in fact, law abiding citizens. Still, incidents like them show a certain scary side to Oakland and San Francisco residents. The fact that it happens at all is troubling.

[PJ-Comix]

You've inspired my new tag line.

Watch out. Joyce will actually take your tagline seriously and nod sadly about the "dangerous elements" in the FR.