I have been a minor participant at Free Republic, the Internet’s leading conservative forum, since September 2004. An online friend referred me to a discussion where members of Free Republic were talking about the 1952 and 1956 presidential elections, and using my maps from this page to make a point. I had to join FR to introduce myself to that group, and thank them for visiting. Because that was right after the “Rathergate” scandal, I thus became one of the “Pajamahadeen” that had just brought down the Sauronic eye of CBS.
Being a “Freeper” has been an interesting and fun experience, but I am disturbed by a current trend on those boards. For the past few weeks, at least since the latest fundraising drive ended, I have noticed that every new thread begins with a picture or video reminding us that Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor and presidential candidate, supports abortion. It doesn’t matter what the topic is, the anti-Mitt material pops up.
Personally, I think our current priorities ought to be making sure President Obama and his leftist pals don’t force their health care plan down our throats, and defeating as many moonbats as possible in next year’s congressional and gubernatorial elections, especially Harry Reid, Barbara Boxer, Chris Dodd and Slobbering Barney Frank. Then in 2011 or 2012 we can fight over who we want for the presidency. Consequently, yesterday I posted the following on the Kentucky board:
Is anyone else getting sick and tired of the Mitt Romney bashing that goes on at the beginning of each new thread? Granted, he may not be conservative enough for most of us (my first choice for 2012 would probably be Sarah Palin or Duncan Hunter), but he just HAS to be better than the Chicago mob that rules Washington now. Somebody ought to tell Jim Robinson that BHO and his cabal are the real enemy, not Mitt. Sheesh, an outside observer looking at us now is probably getting the impression that Republicans eat their own. And as for Mitt Romney being a Mormon, well, I’m more concerned about Harry Reid’s Mormon faith. Does he HAVE any?
Four replies have appeared since then, and only one agrees with me. The others just said we ought to do whatever we can to make Mitt Romney unelectable. I guess I’m going to take a timeout from Free Republic. Hopefully the Freepers will be acting more sensibly when I return. ’Bye, see you guys next year.
We are simply telling the RNC not to waste time shoving Mitt to the top but to concentrate on finding a real Republican to head the party.
Our Constitution is under attack, but this seems to be of little interest to Mitt Romney and the RNC. It is time for this to change!
You probably shouldn’t have confined your comment to the Kentucky board.
You now have an entire thread about your blog post. Of course, you aren’t doing much better there than you did in the Kentucky thread.
FR is a lot like Lord of the Flies these days. But if you understand that, I don’t see why you’d have to take a break from it.
You just have to ignore the things that don’t really mean anything.
Yes, it is irritating. But more than that, it is small-minded, mean-spirited, and ultimately counter-productive. The “Mittbots” were few in number at FreeRepublic even at its peak and the relentless hammering of a moot point only reveals how increasingly unhinged the site owner is.
It is said that “no one ever spent their way to prosperity” and similarly no party ever won an election by driving away its constituents. The current tendency towards some sort of ideological purity is short-sighted and guaranteed to doom the GOP (and conservatives) to bridesmaid status until they learn the folly of it.
I hope jimrob pulls his head out and returns to positive advocacy instead of this dead-end approach…
Will someone please tell me just which republican principles Mitt Romney supports?
I just got back from Free Republic. The other Charles is right; I stirred up a hornet’s nest, when I didn’t think any “Freepers” would notice I was reposting my FR comment here.
In my five years at Free Republic, I never started a new thread, preferring to just add my two cents worth to existing discussions. Now somebody has started a new thread for me, and when I checked, it had 433 messages on it! Is one of you that fellow who uses the screen name “pissant?”
Even Jim Robinson has seen the thread, and he called me a “RINO blogger.” For the record, I haven’t been a Republican since 2006. I left the GOP because it was no longer conservative enough, or showing much willingness to fight the Democrats. Since then I have been an independent conservative, like Michael Savage.
On the other hand, I also noticed that some threads now begin with Ronald Reagan speeches, instead of the anti-Romney messages. Perhaps FR got the message, meaning that little ol’ me won after all.
Why does everyone assume JR is a conservative? He is doing more to divide us and create chaos than a liberal could dream.
Back when JR created Free Republic he was a registered Democrat. He was discovered two years later and made a big show of switching his registration to Republican. What makes anyone think his values magically changed? Have you noticed FR chooses the losing candidate every election cycle and bans anyone who supports other candidates, particularly posters who provide good arguments?
Have you wondered why JR’s positions on the issues change, often 180 degrees, and he periodically purges his posting population for little reason at all?
Have you asked yourself how he raises his freepathon monetary requests in an ailing economy and manages to meet those monetary goals at a time when people are losing their jobs and homes?
Have you asked yourself why it costs over $300,000 dollars a year to run a website?
Have you noticed the hypocrisy of a man who rails against government socialized medicine (free healthcare) while getting his medical care from the VA healthcare system which is free, government funded socialized medicine?
Have you asked yourself why he allows vicious bands of cyberthugs to verbally abuse other posters? Have you noticed these cyberthugs post all day everyday and seemingly don’t work yet accuse everyone in sight of being paid operatives for _ _ cause? (hint – that’s called projection)
Do you think a “God fearing Christian” would treat people in the manner that JR does? Have you ever heard him mention a specific belief system or attending church?
Do you really believe JR and Free Republic provide a positive image of conservatism to the general public?
Answer these questions and you solve the mystery of Free Republic.
How can you claim to be conservative and support Mitt Romney? How can you fight the democrats by supporting Mitt Romney? Mitt is Mr. go along to get along! I have no problem with Mitt’s religion and I don’t doubt that he is a good man, but he is not a conservative. He is further to the left than many democrats.
It is pretty obvious that you don’t want to discuss issues here, are you just looking for a choir to preach to?
SWAMPSNIPER
I never said I supported Mitt. I said Sarah Palin and Duncan Hunter were my first choices for 2012, remember? It’s just that when the presidential election is 35 months away, there are more productive things we can do with our time, like stopping Obamacare and Cap & Tax. Somebody else on FR said this about the Democrats: “Neuter them in 2010, kick them out in 2012!” I heartily agree, and derailing Romney this early won’t help us achieve those goals. Like I said, that can wait until 2011, at least.
As for where I stand on the issues, read any message on this blog tagged “Random Acts of Thought,” or go to this page on my main website:
http://xenohistorian.faithweb.com/holybook/kup3.html .
I think you’ll find I fit the neo-conservative mold best.
The RNC needs to use time constructively and stop wasting resources on RINOs. They are crying about the low level of contributions and don’t seem to know why people aren’t sending them money. Joe wilson raised over a million bucks overnight when he demonstrated his committment. Most of those contributors wouldn’t send that money to the RNC on a bet!
There are “republicans” in the senate trying to stay on the edge of the health care band wagon, they may not work for it, but they are careful not to make any democrats mad at them.
The conservative base is in the mood to trample democrat crops and sow salt on their fields and we have “republicans” in congress being careful not to offend.
The original neocons were liberals, they wanted the economy to put money in their accounts but individual liberties weren’t all that important.
It’s an elitist philosophy, as long as you can stay on top you don’t care about the lower levels.
Do you know that people are still posting against your thread that you posted back in December on Free Republic .
As an FR-Troll, I agree with you as to how FR does not like people who disagree with JR.
I got thrown off the day after I said I thought JR cared about the truth. This was in the thread by JR about how he thought some Mormons were out to get him.
“It is not a question of JR or Greg West. I believe JR and Greg West are both for the truth.”
(New Mormon anti-freeper site and campaign to bankrupt FR; post · 1,400 of 2,019)
Gred West only wanted FreeRepublic to show some consern about the untrue things being said about his religion. Seems like JR took it personal and he backed those who are not careful about using untruths to help back up their beliefs.
I have wondered if I would have been given more freedom to say what I wanted to say if I had been a paying member.
fred
Arguments about who has the most valid religion do not belong on Free Republic, my opinion, anyway, and I’ve waded in several times with this opinion. No one ever called me on the carpet about it.
If we don’t get this nation back on track all the petty little religious arguments are going to be moot anyway, socialism is a religion that can tolerate no rivals.
I believe that Free Republic is exactly as the name implies, it is a forum dedicated to preserving our republic, and our Constitution, not a place to preach your particular flavor of faith. It is enough for me that most Freepers do seem to be people of faith, Jew or Christian, it makes no difference if they will defend our Constitution.
I don’t believe that Mitt Romney’s religion has much to do with his low ratings on Free Republic, his political history does, however.
I can’t speak for JimRob or any other Freeper but the religion card disgusts me just as much as the race card. They are both divisive and counterproductive at a time we should be battling our common enemies.
I have noticed that the hate that is spit apon my religion is repeated often by freepers whan they speak against anything they dis like. It seems to ba a growing way of communicating.
One of the problims about consirvites that I can see is that we all want to conserve something different. And we fight over what should be conserved.
fred
Dear Fred and Swampsniper,
It looks like I haven’t missed much. I haven’t posted on Free Republic since this fracas started, 5 1/2 months ago. I’ve been busy elsewhere, especially on Facebook, so I extended my self-imposed exile past the beginning of this year. At least on Facebook I can see pictures and videos of my grandchild, who was born last March.
Charles/Berosus
fproy2222, are you claiming that Mitt isn’t in favor on Free Republic because of his religious beliefs? If this is the case I can see why you’re taking flak.
Mitt Romney simply is not conservative. I don’t don’t his high moral standards or that he is a man of faith but he is forever tainted by his liberal history.
swampsniper
Romney is not my canadate of choice, and I do not think that JR is against him just because of his religion, even though a lot of freepers have said they would not vote for any Mormon as president.
My comment is about a few freepers that repeat half truths and misleading statements to prove my religion is wrong. It is alright that they disagree with me as to which religion is correct, I just feel they should be careful about the truth of the background material they use prove their case.
On top of the few who bash my beliefs (as apposed to conversing about our differences) I have found many posters in other topics use the same kind of bashing language when they speak of anything they do not like.
Check it out, look for the use of disrespect by many of the freepers.
Does it seem good to you?
fred
Ps. And yes, it still bugs me that JR trolled me because I think freepers should tell the truth and be responsible for what they say.
As I’ve said, I don’t believe Free Republic is the place for religious arguements, we’d best take care of our common foes. Some people just can’t resist picking a fight, so I avoid any specifics about my personal take on things religious. Best just say you are a Christian or a Jew and that you honor God and Constitution.
Every organized religion has members who pick fights for a hobby, don’t do it yourself and don’t let yourself be dragged into it.
The most Christ like man I’ve ever known was a devout Jew, he lived his faith 365 days a year and demonstrated it with his actions. That beats argueing any day.
Don’t lower yourself to level of the muslims, they hate all of us equally.
swampsniper
“Don’t lower yourself to level of the muslims, they hate all of us equally.”
Do you know you statement to be true, or are you just one of the mob, repeating what someone else has said.
You seem happy to lump ALL the people of one group togeather and put them down with sweeping statements.
I find this habit by freepers to be a good way to cut comunications with others.
Having lived amoung the Muslims, I know first hand that your statement is untrue. Yes many Muslims dislike us, and your kind of remark helps others to join that group.
The bad guys are thanking you for your “Ugly American” form of speech and for how it helps them convince new recruits that we are to be hated and killed.
fred