My personal decision is to go find something productive to do. A few people may have noticed that I haven't posted as much lately. I don't care for the shrillness and insults, either. I think it will give fodder to those who call us extremists for a very long time.
However, I have never found another site which gets as much discussion and information up in such a quick way. I also know that this site is read by the media (which is why I find the venom about the Terri Schiavo case, from BOTH sides, so discouraging).
I choose to stay and post my opinions when I think I can contribute.
hchutch, I hate to see you leave. I learned so much about younger people's ideas on culture and self-sufficiency from reading your posts. You were a good Freeper. Go with God.
A few people may have noticed that I haven't posted as much lately."
Of course people have noticed. I certainly have.
"I don't care for the shrillness and insults, either. I think it will give fodder to those who call us extremists for a very long time."
I agree completely with what you've said. Sometimes I've found it kind of odd, because I suppose I'm "middle of the road" in terms of the debate about Terri. I never wanted to argue with people and I always tried to be polite. I suppose that comes across as wishy-washy.
I wanted to save Terri, though I didn't want to subject her to reinserting the feeding tube if she had no hope of not having it taken out again, if any action taken by GW or Jeb would ultimately be pointless.
I also didn't like arguing with people I knew and respected about such things as whether or not GW Bush should send in troops to rescue Terri (a terrible idea, imo). I just generally said, "we'll have to agree to disagree."
It is true that this site is read by the media. Either despite that or because of that, I sincerely hope people will continue to speak from the heart, try accept each other, take a break when they cannot be civil, and then return to the public conversation.
Including you, hchutch.... :)