Free Republic

History was made in Thousand Oaks California on the corner of Hampshire Boulevard and Royal Oaks Street, Saturday July 12. Hundreds of illegal alien day laborers have been crowded in this peaceful city owned park area along Hampshire Road in Old Thousand Oaks. For many years, hundreds of possible illegal alien day laborers have littered this area. Sadly, this rundown area is the first thing outside tourists see when tourists exit the 101 Freeway on their way to visit the state-of-the-art Thousand Oaks City Theater complex. This Thousand Oaks city sponsored day laborer center was essentially CLOSED for that one...

You may have heard about the Triple-killing on the Streets of San Francisco by a gang member(s) purported to belong to the infamous Salvadorian gang, known as MS-13. “A suspected gang member accused of killing a father and two sons escaped prosecution in a weapons case earlier this year when the San Francisco district attorney's office concluded it didn't have enough evidence to connect him to a gun that a passenger in his car was carrying…” Read report by Jaxon Van Derbeken of the San Francisco Chronicle, at link: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/06/26/BAV711FM4F.DTL This same MS-13 gang member, Edwin Ramos, had been picked...

Ugly locutions often crop up in the promotion of ugly politics. Consider the threat of “scrutinization.” It has been made against some residents of Parker North, Colo., who expressed a political opinion without first getting their state government’s permission for political activity. Herewith another example of what is being done around the nation in the name of political hygiene, as that is understood by “campaign finance reformers,” those irksome improvers whose animating ideology is McCainism. Parker North is a cluster of about 300 houses close to the town of Parker. When two residents proposed a vote on annexation of their...

Woo hoo!! Even though Free Republic operates on a shoestring budget that is a tiny fraction of most others listed here, Hitwise still ranks us as the number one conservative site on the Net! Rank Website Market Share 1. www.huffingtonpost.com 6.12% 2. www.freerepublic.com 4.38% 3. politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com 4.17% 4. www.politico.com 4.1% 5. www.realclearpolitics.com 3.02% 6. elections.foxnews.com 2.76% 7. www.dailykos.com 2.72% 8. www.barackobama.com 2.47% 9. www.townhall.com 2.1% 10. www.democraticunderground.com 2.06% Source: hitwise.com Congratulations FReepers!! Great job!! Thank you all very much for your participation and support!! God bless.

More news from the front of the Wiki Wars, the ideological battle for the soul of Wikipedia: it seems left-wingers at the online encyclopedia site are angry that anyone would want to mention Absolut's reconquista controversy out of the vodka maker's article.How do we know this? From reading the "Talk" page for the Wikipedia entry "Absolut Vodka," where people can discuss the article and changes they'd like to see made to it. Apparently liberals there do not want the public to know that the company got in big trouble win consumers after it ran an ad in Mexico portraying that...

Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Chairwoman Sheila Bair said Monday policy makers needed to consider a more “activist” government response to prevent an escalation of foreclosures even if such measures aren’t “politically popular.” In a speech to the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association at a Washington hotel, Ms. Bair said policy makers must be “honest” with the American people about the need for such a move, adding that it would likely include some federal spending. Among Ms. Bair’s points: 1) An activist government response with tax dollars is likely needed as voluntary loan modifications aren’t working fast enough. “We’ve got a...

A Pizza Hut deliverer fired shots at an armed robber who threatened his life, wounding him and leading to the criminal’s capture by police. What kind of reward did James Spiers get for his self-defense? Unemployment: A Des Moines pizza driver who was suspended from his job after he shot an armed robber said today he has been overwhelmed by support from people who cheered what happened. “But no one had contacted me directly about a job offer,” said James William Spiers III, 38, who was sent home by Pizza Hut managers after he fired multiple shots at a man...

Things continue to slip, slide, and shift strangely Out There. Last Wednesday, a bunch of peeved mortgagees protesting government favoritism in the Bear Stearns case entered the lobby of the company's (soon-to-be-former) headquarters building in midtown Manhattan. While it might not seem like much, I view the symbolic "penetration" of this corporate stronghold as the very first sign of a much broader citizen revolt against the extraordinary protections being shown to crapped-out investment banker boyz -- at the expense of millions of equally crapped-out poor shlubs facing the default and re-po of their McDwelling places. Occupying an office building lobby...

Monk-led protests show Buddhist activism By DENIS D. GRAY, Associated Press Writer Sun Mar 30, 1:38 AM ET Buddhist monks hurling rocks at Chinese in Tibet, or peacefully massing against Myanmar's military, can strike jarring notes. These scenes run counter to Buddhism's philosophy of shunning politics and embracing even bitter enemies — something the faith has adhered to, with some tumultuous exceptions, through its 2,500-year history. But political activism and occasional eruptions of violence have become increasingly common in Asia's Buddhist societies as they variously struggle against foreign domination, oppressive regimes, social injustice and environmental destruction. More monks and nuns...

Grassroots activism is essential for any organization’s effectiveness in the political world. It is the winning art of taking the issues and campaigns back to the individuals, helping them to realize the power they can possess in public policy. Make a difference in your community Whether you or your organization is trying to get an issue to the forefront or gain attention in your community, the Grassroots Activist School will make you more effective. Best of all, this amazing training comes right to you. The Leadership Institute proudly provides top-notch activist training right in your community from some of the...

Rudyard Griffiths, co-director with Patrick Luciani of The Salon Speakers Series, sent me a copy of Czech President Vaclav Klaus' address delivered at Prague Castle this week. "Future dangers will not come from the same source," said the Czech head of state, speaking at the 60th anniversary of the communist takeover of the former Czechoslovakia. "The ideology will be different. Its essence will nevertheless be identical: an attractive, at first sight noble idea that transcends the individual in the name of the common good, and the enormous self-confidence on the side of its proponents about their right to sacrifice a...

WASHINGTON, March 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being issued by Stop the Slander: What is Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW)? -- The IVAW is a tax-exempt activist organization founded in July 2004 with the assistance of older radical organizations Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW) and Veterans for Peace (VFP). IVAW obtains its 501(c)3 tax exempt status from the latter group. Source (VFP): http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6244 -- IVAW calls for the immediate withdrawal of all of what it calls "occupying" forces in Iraq, reparations to be paid, and an end of corporate pillaging by the U.S. Source: http://ivaw.org/about Who are...

NEW YORK -- Anti-immigrant sentiment is fueling nationwide increases in the number of hate groups and the number of hate crimes targeting Latinos, according to a watchdog group. The Southern Poverty Law Center, in a report being released today titled "The Year in Hate," said it counted 888 hate groups in its latest tally, up from 844 in 2006 and 602 in 2000. The most prominent of the organizations added to the list, the Federation for American Immigration Reform, or FAIR, vehemently rejected the "hate group" label and questioned the law center's motives. FAIR said the center was using smear...

You are being ‘pinged’ because I have seen your heart for prayer on one or more recent Free Republic prayer threads. This thread is for those interested in worshipping and praying for those who support our troops and our troops themselves. If this is of interest to you, please read on. If not, send me a private note to be removed from future ‘pings’. (I apologize I don’t know how to put a link for Add/Remove into my posts yet.) I have only been blessed to be part of the FR community for a few months. I was drawn to...

"...defense team plans to argue that alleged political interference cited by Davis violates the Military Commissions Act...."

Ok, I did a quick search on 527's in FR forums and didn't find a more appropriate place for this, so I will start a thread to be a reference and link repository for this idea. As of today, it appears Mr. Obama is going to be the Dem's Presidential candidate in 2008, unless the Clintstones manage to pull something out with their dirty tricks. This presents one more of many problems for true conservatives in this election, namely, that Mr. Obama is, at best, and empty suit, or worst, a flaming commie, in the arena of ideas, and our...

Now that Mitt Romney has stepped aside in the GOP presidential race, many conservatives are trying to figure out where to go from here. John McCain will be the Republican presidential nominee. Conservatives are dispirited because on many issues they don't consider him one of them. And it's true -- he is a moderate who considered leaving the GOP in 2001 ... he did think about joining John Kerry's ticket in 2004 ... and he did side with liberals over conservatives on everything from immigration to closing Gitmo. But we have no time to be dejected and have to keep...

NEW JERSEY’S political hue is not just blue these days. It’s cobalt. In the last two months, the state has become ... the second, after Maryland, to pledge its Electoral College votes to the winner of the national popular vote ....

Catholic Prolife Heartache: Prolifers Arrested at St. Petersburg Cathedral ST. PETERSBURG, Fl., Jan. 31 /Standard Newswire/ -- Two Catholic Pro-life activists were arrested at St. Jude's Catholic Church in St. Petersburg Florida for handing out pro-life literature in the parking lot. Andrea Terry, 32, and Joseph Landry, 26 were arrested on Sunday, January 20 (ironically, Pro-life Sunday) for placing pro-life literature on car windshields during the 6:00 p.m. Mass. (See news stories below.) Both spent about 5 hours in custody and were bailed out of the Pinellas County jail for $250 each. Also present: Randall Terry, Steve Pokorny, and Francisco...

I found out from Gateway Pundit yesterday about a protest planned at the Israeli Embassy in DC this afternoon, so I packed up my cameras and took a half hour off from work and slipped across town to Embassy Row.The first people I found was a small group of counter protesters, part of the same bunch that counter protest at Walter Reed every Friday night.They told me that before I got there, the protesters were pretty quiet, but the counter-protesters broke out their bull horn and got them all worked up;So they got their own bullhorn out;An arms race...

Reposting this Announcement, because I posted it wrong the first time, so the mods pulled that thread and told me to fix it and repost.... From the National Review: McCain Making Nice at CPAC? [Mark Hemingway] After skipping the event last year, I just heard that McCain purchased a booth at CPAC, the annual conservative gathering in Washington coming up two weeks from now. CPAC attendees are pretty hard core conservatives — not exactly McCain's base. Romney won the straw poll there last year, and at one point, McCain was actually booed by the crowd when they announced the poll...

Voddie Baucham advocates Christians pulling their children out of government-run schools. He has a response for those who say they can't afford private education or home-schooling -- find a way.

HOUSTON -- A northwest Harris County teen in trouble with the law is in even bigger trouble with his mom after running away to avoid learning a lesson, FOX 26 News reported Tuesday. Denise Utley said her 15-year-old son, Bradley, stole prescription drugs from her and got caught selling them at Klein High School. To teach her son a lesson, Utley wanted her son to stand in front of the school wearing a sign apologizing for what he did. That's when her son ran away. Shortly after Utley put up "wanted" signs in her search for her son, someone saw...

Unifying GOP/Conservative bases, expand our base and bring and and activate new youth action groups. We can counter Obama-ism this way and fight Team Hill-Bill slime machine better too.

Westminster Rally 12/29/07 Bob, Chris and I arrived a little after 1PM to be greeted by ProudMarineMom, her son and LurkerBill. LurkerBill was kind enough to step in since Trooprally had other commitments after the Olney FReep. It was great to have PMM back in attendance and see her all smiles with her Marine son by her side! We were ecstatic to have him standing with us also. Captain Nancy Yeager of the Westminster City Police Dept. was discussing rules about where to stand so that drivers could see the crosswalk better. We abided by the rules and the Rally...

10 yrs. A decade. 1/10th of a century. Been a long time. I found this wonderful place exploring the Internet. Looking for info on the disgusting second administration of the Klintoons I followed a link on Drudge (Whitewater) and, bingo, there was FReeRepublic. I didn't lurk. I went right for it.....signed up 12/31/97. What a great ten years it has been. Billy's BJs, Y2K, 9/11, 2000 election, 2004 election, Swiftboats for Truth......what a fascinating ten years it has been. Looking forward to my next ten. Happy New Year everyone!

VetsCoR is in the process of re-organizing and re-directing its focus. Below is a draft of our new Home page text. We would like to invite all the Patriots of Free Republic to give VetsCoR their input. Please feel free to condense, expand, eliminate, and/or modify as you think it should read. VetsCoR Home page with Lorraine cemetery photo that includes the below. LEST WE FORGET: Lorraine American Cemetery & Memorial, Saint Avold, France HERE WE AND ALL WHO SHALL HEREAFTER LIVE IN FREEDOM WILL BE REMINDED THAT TO THESE MEN AND THEIR COMRADES WE OWE A DEBT TO BE...

Greenpeace has released its updated Guide to Greener Electronics and, ohhhh...Nintendo...not doing so well. In fact, Nintendo has received the first score of absolute zero that Greenpeace has ever handed out. It's almost as if, as soon as I really start to like a company's products, GreenPeace just HAS to slam them. But the story behind Nintendo's 'zero' has a lot more to do with the way it reports its practices than its actual practices. The Wii might not have any brominated flame retardants in it...but Nintendo has no policy against using BFRs and doesn't report whether or not it...

In response to an email plea to scores of organizations strongly opposed to illegal immigration, and the presence of illegal immigrants in our nation, asking these organizations to pool their resources and take our grievances to Congress, many responded. The suggested strategy was simple. Have a single nationwide petition campaign, with all petitions written exactly the same. Have a nationwide day when Citizens will assemble peaceably at district offices of all members of the House of Representatives. Present the petitions of grievances to the Representative, or duly appointed staff member for a redress of grievances. All response were positive. Most...

BERKELEY, Calif. -- On Sunday evening a Memorial Oak Grove tree-sitter fell from the supply-line that is used to ferry food, water and people into and out of the tree-sit protest. The traverse-line was created after the university erected a fence around the tree-sitters and spans from a tree inside the fenced in area to a tree outside the fence. Nathaniel Hill, the fallen tree-sitter, was moving on the traverse line to meet his father, Carl Hill, who had come from the east coast to visit his son. Hill was taken to Highland Hospital where he was treated for a...

A Conservative Website for Rochester, NY, Launched Today, RochesterConservative.com I'd like to invite all Freepers to come on over and visit RochesterConservative.com, the Conservative website for the Greater Rochester, NY area. Our country is currently in the midst of a cultural war between the left and right, liberal versus conservative, athiest versus Judeo/Christian. Anybody who’s been following or participating in blogs and internet forums has probably taken note of this. RochesterConservative.com is a grassroots effort to spread the word that smaller government is good government and self reliance and love of God and Country is still considered a virtue in...

(October 22) Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has invoked Senate Rule XIV on S. 2205 -- Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin’s (D-Ill.) new stand-alone DREAM Act amnesty bill – which means it can be brought to the Senate floor as early as Tuesday (October 23) without ever having been considered in committee. It is imperative that NumbersUSA members contact their senators to stop S. 2205 dead in its tracks.

A new front has opened in the war over the war: zoning regulations. Last week, the conservative grassroots organization FreeRepublic.com held its second protest outside the Northeast Washington house that serves as a base of operations for the anti-war group Code Pink. Along with other groups, FreeRepublic.com alleges that Code Pink has set up a “corporate lobbying office” in a residential neighborhood. According to a Free Republic release, neighbors have “complained of Code Pink-affiliated buses being parked on their street, increased traffic, loud gatherings, unkempt trash and strangers going in and out of the house at all hours of the...

"Hunter's Rangers" Internet Radio Show - THURSDAY NIGHT OCTOBER 18th 9:00pm EST Posted by CalperniaUSA at 10/18/2007 9:38 AM and is filed under Hunters Rangers Join us Thursday night October 18, 2007 beginning at 9:00pm EST, 8:00pm CST, 7:00pm MT and 6:00pm PST for The "Hunters Rangers" Internet Radio Show sponsored by the following: Hunter's Rangers Raising the Bar of Integrity http://www.barofintegrity.us Get Acai of Relief Independent Distributor of MonaVie http://getacaiofrelief.blogspot.com This show will provide insight on the Grassroot efforts for Supporters of Duncan Hunter as well as sharing your thoughts and ideas in an effort to educate volunteers, supporters,...

Congresswoman Diane Watson (D-CA) responded to questions regarding impeachment at a Town Hall on Iraq hosted by California Assembly Majority Leader Karen Bass and the People’s Council Sunday, October 14th in Los Angeles, California. She spoke to an audience of approximately 150 comprised mainly of anti-war activists from local organizations. The audience responded angrily when Watson responded to a call for the impeachment of President Bush by saying, "We simply don't have the votes." After the audience reacted with groans and boos and at least one cry of "At least do something!" Watson went on to say, "Right now, Speaker...

What with James Dobson threatening to support a third party candidate and others questioning Mitt Romney's faith, I thought it might be relevant to post some thoughts about who or what a Christian is and who gets to determine this definition by a man who was one of the greatest apologists for Christianity ever: C.S. Lewis. What follows is an excerpt from just the Preface of the book "Mere Christianity".

With the Supreme Court resuming its work this week, and with presidential primaries on the horizon, it is an opportune moment to reflect on the importance of the President's power to nominate federal judges. An independent and impartial judiciary is the very bedrock of our justice system. As John Adams put it in the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights: "It is essential to the preservation of the rights of every individual, his life, liberty, property and character, that there be an impartial interpretation of the laws, and administration of justice. It is the right of every citizen to be tried by...

A speech by a "parental rights" activist in Gloucester has been canceled after a gay marriage advocacy group threatened to protest what it deemed "hate speech." Cape Ann Marriage and Family, which characterizes itself as "pro-family" and has been active in advocating for a popular vote on gay marriage, had planned a meeting at a Main Street pizza parlor featuring a lecture by David Parker of Lexington. Parker is suing the state for the right to be notified when issues of sexuality, including gay marriage, are discussed in his young son's school. The case was initially dismissed but is on...

PHILADELPHIA, PA, September 25, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - As is the custom in the United States, the first Sunday of October will be honored by US Catholics as Respect Life Sunday.  In honor of this, Cardinal Justin Rigali, the Chairman of the Committee for Pro-Life Activities of the United States' Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), has issued a statement to be made available at all parishes nationwide.  The statement calls for US Catholics to "again pray for - and renew their resolve to bring about - a culture of life and an end to the killing of innocent human beings, especially...

Master of Social Change by: Emmanuel Opati, September 26, 2007 Tufts University’s Tischi Civil Engagement Program is likely to change the approach to higher education system at U.S Colleges and Universities in the near future. Speaking at a Center for American Progress (CAP) seminar, Rob Hollister, Dean of Jonathan M. Tischi College of Citizenship and Public Service said “we are graduating students that are both accomplished and effective agents of social change.” “Faculty in all disciplines are integrating values of active citizenship and volunteering in their programs,” noted Mr. Hollister in the event sponsored by CAP, which describes itself as...

This is my first post here... hope I'm not screwing up tremendously or violating etiquette... I want to know the opinions of the people here on the concept of humanity moving out into space -- the moon, Mars, and beyond. Anyone have any thoughts to share? Do you feel strongly one way or the other? Neutral? I notice "space" doesn't even show up as a topic here... although we do have topics of "poetry" (which I applaud), "UFOs", and "Weird stuff." Cheers, Hal

Two news items passed recently without notice in The Tribune's pages. Separately, each story is troubling enough, but put side by side, the two stories illuminate a terrifying trend. The first comes from Myanmar, formerly Burma, and tells how its military junta has created civilian gangs to solidify power by antagonizing dissent. The second comes from our own country and tells how the Bush administration has also created civilian gangs, called "rally squads," to antagonize protesters and demonstrators. These civilian volunteers stand ready to block protesters' signs and to drown out demonstrators' chants, ensuring that nary a critical word is...

Tomorrow, September 11th, is the sixth anniversary of one of the most horrific events the world has ever seen, and certainly for our country's history. It should be a time that we, as Americans, join in rememberance of those we lost, and to show our resolve. Please join us on this solemn evening. Studio City, CA SE corner of Ventura Blvd at Laurel Canyon Blvd in front of the First Republic Bank 6pm to 7:30 or later We have candles, and flags, but please feel free to bring your favorite item.

Grassroots America, A Non Profit September 6, 2007 Uniting Against The Haters Of Our Nation On September 18, 2007 Move America Forward, Minute Men, Free Republic and others are joining together in Washington D.C. to visit Senators and Representatives to promote war and bigotry. Bigots and warmongers are joining forces. Why are they joining forces? Because there is power in numbers. They know it, we know it and our representatives in government know it. That is when politicians are most afraid. These organizations are on the same side because their actions are based on hate, fear and ignorance. Rev. Joseph...

Four thousand marched against the Iraq war in Kennebunkport Saturday, an event that I surely would have missed except for being in Maine, where the Portland Press-Herald had multiple days of respectful page one coverage. The Kennebunkport march isn't the kind of event that makes national news -- and indeed it didn't -- but it got me thinking: How many other similar protests and marches are going on out there? With public opinion so overwhelmingly against the Iraq war, even with crystal clear results in last November's elections, surely these protesters must see by now that the war isn't going...

Operation RACK Handbook Reclaiming America with Conservative Keyboardists I've decided to begin another endeavour here at ROTR, to fill a void which I feel needs to be filled. I'm going to start writing a guidebook to help fledgling Conservative internet activists join the fight in a meaningful way. My goal isn't to get thousands more to join the blogosphere, eventually losing focus and giving up. My goal is to have more Conservatives utilize the tools already available, to take back the net from perceived left-wing dominance. Left-wing blogger and internet mogul Markos Moulitsas, purveyor of the now infamous Daily...

The challenge was "Be the next PJ O'Rourke" If you are a fan of PJ O'Rourke, Ben Stein, Jonah Goldberg, then you KNOW that our politics are funnier than their politics! http://www.gochongo.com/#Surf!Project!448478 Please vote! They are funny.

Absolute thanx and gratitude to PilloryHillary for seeing what I saw and putting it into a graphic.

It's Not Just Scott Beauchamp By Randall Hoven "Matt Drudge's role in the Monica Lewinski scandal] strikes me as a new and graphic power of the Internet to influence mainstream journalism. And I suspect that over the next couple of years that impact will grow to the point where it will damage journalism's ability to do its job professionally, to check out information before publication, to be mindful of the necessity to publish and broadcast reliable, substantiated information." -- Marvin Kalb in 1998 Scott Beauchamp was the last straw. I realized that I need a scorecard to keep track of...

Andrew Rasiej and Micah Sifry of Personal Democracy Forum tell us (once again) that Democrats are superior to Republican online. (Oh, by the way, the sun rose in the east today.) Their piece appears in Politico and quotes extensively from a Patrick Ruffini blog post that I linked last week. Here’s an excerpt from Rasiej and Sifry’s op-ed: What all this means is it’s highly unlikely Republicans are going to turn the tide online – not until they wean themselves off their top-down habits and start using the Web more to foster community and collaboration. Right now, we don’t see...