A Freeper No More

Time to move on...
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For six years, your editor has been a Freeper, an association I was once proud of. No more. The site has been going downhill for a long time, and it has finally lowered itself to a level I just can't abide. Some pretty reprehensible things have been posted on Free Republic -- some of it which got FR labeled a "hate site" -- but I simply chalked it up to the usual extremes of opinion one is likely to see on a forum. But then it began to get troublesome.

A small band of anti-Palin activists on FR just about had me ready to bail, but then one of them went too far with a very crude comment, and the site's owner, Jim Robinson, kicked him off. For a short while there, it seemed like the climate at Free Republic was improving. But then other troubling tends indicated things were just getting worse there. One of these is the dominance of the birthers at FR. The place has gone full birther. We've said it many times. Whether Barack Obama was born in Hawaii, Kenya, or on Planet Giedi Prime, the best way to make sure that he doesn't get four more years to destroy our nation is to hit him on pocketbook issues. "It's still the economy, stupid." Tilting at his birth certificate like so many windmills is simply too... well, quixotic, and the Obamunists just love it. That's time spent not holding the president accountable for the financial disaster he's fostering on everyday Americans, and it hands leftists the paintbrush they need to portray all conservatives as loonies.

A second small band (isn't it always a minority who screws things up for everyone else?) of Freepers have become prominent on the site. These people are the anti-bloggers. The anti-bloggers believe that bloggers should cross-post their op-eds in their entirety on FR if they post them there at all. As writers and publishers, our work is subject to the same copyright laws as articles published in other media, such as newspapers. We believe that if we share our work with FR, we should be allowed to publish excerpts. The anti-bloggers call us "blog pimps," even though many of us don't have much of a revenue stream for our sites. This blog has no paid blog ads, and regulars here can testify that I don't hit the readership up for donations often. We usually don't rattle the tip jar unless we have a crisis of some sort, such as when the old laptop died in December. If we're "blog pimps," then we're not very successful ones, as blogging is far from a lucrative undertaking. It's more of a labor of love.

As a rule, bloggers freely link to one another. Although there are a few who don't want to share either credit or readership, most of us don't mind driving traffic to the sites of other bloggers we feel are worthy of it. With our Quote of the Day and QOTD Honorable Mention posts, regular features of this site, we've provided thousands of links to other websites. That doesn't even take into account many more thousands of links in our other posts and in our sidebar. We've always felt that such link love generates a synergy of sorts which is good for bloggers on both ends of the hyperlink transaction. As JFK said, a rising tide lifts all boats. Although he was talking about an economic tide, the principle is the same.

What finally drove home the reality of the sad state of Free Republic was this post by Marc Schenker on Warner Todd Huston's Publius Forum. By way of disclosure, I used to be a contributor there, but I no longer post my articles at Publius'. Warner was an occasional contributor here, but he's apparently kept so busy by all of the other sites he writes for that he no longer posts here. I don't agree with everything Marc has to say in his post. I believe, for example, that he should not have played the victim card. Marc and other bloggers are not the victims of FR's slide down the pipes, but rather it is the cause of conservatism that suffers. We have other issues with his post, but Marc is right that FR sure ain't what it used to be. It has changed, and none for the better. The voice of reason is heard on FR with much less frequency these days than in the past.

It's a shame. Jim Robinson is pro-Palin himself, although he had allowed the Palin bashers free reign in his playground for a long time. Just as he tolerated the Palin-haters, we believed that he was just tolerating the blogger-haters. But Jim showed, by way of a comment on FR, that he shares their opinions of bloggers. Jim, it seems, considers whatever traffic is driven to FR by bloggers to be such small potatoes that bloggers don't deserve to have their copyrighted material treated as such by FR. The website has had copyright issues in the past, and as a result, there are several publications from which FR is prevented from even publishing excerpts. For a conservative website, FR's "what's yours is ours" attitude about copyrights and intellectual property rights is disturbingly "progressive." FR's hostility to bloggers comes right from the top. That's something we can't abide.

I personally do not want to be associated with FR any longer. I never thought the day would come when I didn't want to be a Freeper, but today is that day. I logged off of Free Republic for the last time. Some of the people who have been driven away from FR include Matt Drudge and Lucianne Goldberg. Talk show host Sean Hannity commented about Free Republic, "Everyone I knew basically left because of so much childish immature personal attacks, the propensity there to eat their own." So I figure I'm at least in good company. When it comes to pushing back against the left and its lies, don't Conservatives have enough on our plates to keep us busy without trying to eat our own?

Our policy here at Texas for Sarah Palin, as well our other sites -- The Book of Sarah, Blogs 4 Palin, and Brazos Valley Pundit -- remains unchanged. We will gladly cooperate with other blogs and bloggers if doing so is in our opinion positive for Gov. Palin and for the larger cause of Reagan conservatism as well. That includes the exchange of links, promotion of related worthy causes and events and special projects as well.

- JP

Susan Duclos: The Top 10 Sarah Palin Haters

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From the nutroots end of the Blog pool, the media, crude "comedians" who aren't funny and other Obama supporters, Susan Ducloss has compiled a list of the Top Ten Palin Haters and (language alert) published it at NewsReal Blog:

Since August 29, 2008, when Sarah Palin was first introduced as John McCain’s Vice Presidential choice of a running mate, reactions to Palin were and continue to be extreme.

The extremity of Palin hatred started within hours of the announcement, as did the hideous rumors (about her son Trig for instance) that were passed from one leftist website to the next without one shred of evidence to back them up.

The goal, simply put, was to destroy Sarah Palin by any means possible. Being as passionate as they always are, progressive bloggers, media pundits, leftist groups and even comedians started their hate campaign instantly.

This top ten list of Palin haters was not hard to compile. All that was difficult was putting the names in the right order. After all, how does one measure levels of hatred and vitriol that many can never imagine feeling?

At the top of her list are these five moonbats:

5. David "Creepy" Letterman
4. Keith "Bathtub Boy" Olbermann
3. Maureen "The Spleen" Dowd
2. Chris "Tweety" Matthews
1. Andrew "Power Glutes" Sullivan

Read the full story at News Real Blog.

- JP

Paul Ibbetson: A Rich Assessment of Palin Hate

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Author and former police chief Paul A. Ibbetson has written many times about Palin hate. His latest op-ed dismembers a Frank Rich hit piece on Gov. Palin which appeared in the February 13 edition of the New York Times:

For the most part Rich blindly stabs his trident at Palin like most of the frothing left that knows they hate the former governor of Alaska for some reason or another but fail to make a coherent argument. To continue a documentation of the evolution of Palin Hate, I will give you an assessment of Rich’s most overt thrusts at the Palin camp.

First, Rich does what all liberals do when they see red. He does what liberals accuse conservatives of doing; he bashes women. Out of the gate and in defiance of every feminist who ever voted democrat, Rich frames Palin as the evil, maniacal plotting female...

[...]

At this point, Rich’s attack echoes the usual subliminal and overt liberal talking points of the left which include intolerance for financial success, anti-capitalistic spew, guilt by association, bathroom yardstick talk of who has the longest “conservatism,” perpetuating the one-dimensional view of the Tea Party movement, Americans being brainless cattle, and finally the always popular liberal slap at Christianity.

[...]

It is important to remember that Frank Rich is playing the best cards that he has against Sarah Palin which when placed on the table appear to depict that Palin is a tricky financially successful woman who believes in God and has hordes of Tea Party followers. This is the best that a New York Times columnist can do after examining everything from the palms, knuckles, and fingertips of the Palin crib note incident.

In the end it is hard not to take at least some pity on Rich who is reflecting not the death of real journalism but the death throes of a liberal ideology that has been exposed and is being rejected by the American people.

Read Paul Ibbetson's complete opinion piece at TCUnation.

- JP

Are Dodd, Dorgan and Ritter quitters?

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Surely the lamestream media and Palin critics on both the left and the right will now affix the "quitter" label to Chris Dodd, Byron Dorgan and Bill Ritter, three Democrats who have all announced that they will not seek to retain their offices in the midterm elections.

As one FReeper put it:

"I mean, didn't the State Run Media call someone else a 'quitter' when she left the governor's office to move on with her life and expand her horizons, both political and otherwise?"

Ah, but we wouldn't bet the farm (or even an arugula plant in the garden) on any Palin haters giving up their oh-so-convenient double standards.

- JP

Paul Ibbetson: Analyzing the Psychology of Palin-Hate

- By Thomas Lamb
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“I hate Sarah Palin, I… I just hate her!” That is not an uncommon outburst from some when it comes to feelings about one of the most polarizing figures (in “liberal” minds) in the political arena. As I write about the political happenings of the former governor of Alaska, I am continually amazed at both reader responses and callers to my radio program, Conscience of Kansas, when it comes to the level of hatred that Palin generates from some in the public. So, who are the real Palin-haters? Is there a common factor that binds people who find their blood boiling when this woman’s name is mentioned? Is their argument for Palin-hate justified? I hope to create a discussion that may illuminate why some politicians just appear to be “hate-magnets.”

Read Paul Ibbetson's full opinion piece at  Red County

- Tom

Thomas Lamb is the editor of It's a Kwazy Life and is a Red County contributor.

S. E. Cupp: Palin-Hating 101

S.E. Cupp, in a Townhall.com op-ed, comments on the recent rise of Sarah Palin and How it has made her dtractors "apoplectic":

Anyone witnessing the spin job being furiously whipped up against Palin in a desperate effort to stanch her book sales and cauterize her acclaim is in for a real treat. It is a truly acrobatic and dizzying display of agility -- but unlike the Flying Wallendas, these stunt men and women of the liberal media aren't fooling or wowing anyone. Their cheap sideshow parlor tricks are so transparent we should all demand our money back.

[...]

Regardless of all of these tired wheezes and coughs at trying to suppress Sarah Palin, she seems totally immune in every way. She'll make a fortune on this book; she'll continue to grab headlines; and she'll remain an influential figure within the party. The liberal media just hasn't realized it yet, but when it comes to Palin, there's no such thing as bad publicity. It sure is fun to see them try, though.

Read the Cupp column in full at Townhall.com.

- JP

Palin Detractors: Are They Fighting Sarah Palin or a Mythical Creature?

- By Special Guest Blogger Lisa Graas

There are some conservative pundits out there who don't particularly care for Sarah Palin. They know who they are and so do Sarah Palin's supporters. It's time for straight talk on why these pundits, some of whom are popular bloggers, have the aversion to Sarah Palin that they do.

The slams against Sarah Palin remind me greatly of the kinds of slams against the Catholic Faith which I am also all too familiar with as a faithful Catholic convert. There's a quote from the late Archbishop Fulton Sheen that Catholics are familiar with that exposes the same kind of animosity that people have for the Catholic Church that Palin's detractors have toward her. Sheen said:

"There are not over a hundred people in the United States who hate the Catholic Church. There are millions, however, who hate what they wrongly believe to be the Catholic Church, which is of course, quite a different thing."

Although statistically speaking the numbers may vary somewhat, substitute "Sarah Palin" for where it says "Catholic Church" and you'll have the same reality.

Those who demean and attempt to derail Sarah Palin really have no idea who Sarah Palin is. None whatsoever. If they did know who she is, they could make an informed choice about whether or not she is the person we need to get behind to pull this country out of the mess it's in. As it is, there are four points that I firmly believe the vast majority of people are missing either in whole or in part, even sometimes among her own supporters... and they are huge points. Further, it is my belief that if you don’t get all four, you have no business doing political analysis regarding Sarah Palin. I ask your consideration as I offer a brief summary of these four points and then some rather blunt elaboration on each of them.

I don’t share Sarah Palin’s theology on many levels because I’m a diehard and unapologetic Catholic... but I am a Christian and I know a Christian when I see one. Now, before you go off thinking I’m hailing Sarah as a saint, let me assure you, as a Catholic, I know good and well what a saint is and Sarah isn’t one (not under the Catholic definition anyway), as far as I can tell. But a FAITHFUL Christian she is. She believes strongly in the tenets of her faith and they generally rule her life, although we all fall a little short now and then. You have to know how Christians think in order to understand what Sarah’s plan is just as you have to know how Catholics think if you want to understand who Saint Joan of Arc was. You also have to understand what her character is beyond the Christian aspect in order to understand what her plan is. Third, you have to actually listen to what the woman says in order to understand what her plan is. Finally, you have to understand what her views about political power are in order to understand what her plan is.

As far as I can see, the reason there is a huge disconnect between those doubting Sarah Palin’s political aptitude and/or viability as a candidate for President and those of us pulling for her is that the former know NOTHING of these four things and may know only slightly more than nothing about the current political climate of the country, namely the degree of viability of the Republican and Democratic parties today.

1) The Christian factor — Like it or not, Sarah Palin is a Christian. It’s not what Sarah Palin wants but what she believes God is calling her to do that Sarah Palin will end up doing in life. Agree or disagree with whether or not there actually is a God or whether or not He’ll reveal that to her in some way (before you go off the deep end, I'm merely referring to what we call an "epiphany"), that’s who Sarah Palin is. Deal with it. Don’t like Christians in government? Don’t get behind her. But at least do us all the favor of reporting accurately who the woman is.

2) The character factor — Palin says some things repeatedly. "Ramping up oil production", "hungry American markets" and "culture of life", to name a few. Perhaps the thing she says most often is “politically, if I die, I die”. News flash, folks. It’s really no skin off her nose if she doesn’t end up in the White House. Remember the Christian thing? It's consistent with that. Various belief systems, be they Christian, Muslim, Jewish or even atheism, have some sort of thread of consistency that holds one's beliefs on individual topics all together whether tightly or loosely. Palin's thread of consistency is so tightly ingrained and woven together in her individual tapestry of character, criticisms about her not having a Beltway staff are rightly described as being utterly devoid of thoughtful political analysis.

3) The communication factor — Forget about analyzing her beyond the things she actually says. Guess what. She really did step down from the governor’s office because she’s fundamentally opposed to the waste of taxpayer money on frivolous charges that will now go away with her gone. It’s your own idiotic fantasies that she did it to run for the White House that is the garbage upon which you build your theories such as what kind of staff she needs to get there. I openly laugh about these arguments because they are based in the same kind of uninformed "reasoning" I hear out of my kids when they try to second-guess the things I do. It’s that immature. Really.

4) The "servant's heart" factor (her philosophy on power) — Again, detractors totally ignore what she herself said about how she can, at least in this moment in time, bring about change more readily without a title. Government, in Palin's mind, is about SERVICE, not power. It’s about getting results, not about getting titles and accolades, because the intent is to serve the interest of the people (something else she's said over and over and over again). She is the Anti-Obama when it comes to what is necessary to bring change to America. The power is with the people, not Washington, hence she stepped down and became a private citizen to (gasp) become MORE powerful. Chew on that one for a while, folks. Imagine that concept of becoming a private citizen to gain power. You don’t get much more conservative and freedom-loving than that.

That’s who Sarah Palin is as an individual and it is why she has such adoring fans. I personally don’t care one way or the other if Sarah Palin personally is ever president or not. If someone else comes along with these qualities and the policy positions I also share with her, that person could very well have my support... but the country is in a sorry condition right now and neither party is helping matters any. It’s up to citizens to work together and fight to end corruption whether it is in Washington, the workplace, or in some leftist group trying to infiltrate your parish.

I don't see anyone else who comes remotely close to providing the kind of leadership through personal service and sacrifice that Sarah Palin has shown since she began running for office. While I do not think Palin is a saint, I have no doubt whatsoever in my mind about her being a Godsend. She's not only got what it takes to be president. She's got what it takes to put the country back on track as a solid Democratic Republic.

Disagree? Fine. But at least know who you’re talking about before you start analyzing. Disagree with who the woman really is. Lay out all of your disagreements with her policy positions and her public record in the open.

Just make sure that what you are disagreeing with is something that actually exists in reality. Otherwise, you aren't fighting Sarah Palin at all. You are fighting the myth you have created for yourselves.

- LG

Lisa Graas blogs at Mommy. She also created the Palin Twibe Twitter group and the Palin Twibe Blog, where this diary is cross-posted.

- JP

Amend Alaska's Ethics Act

As we know all too well, ethics complaints can be filed in Alaska, and even if they are dismissed as frivolous, it doesn't cost the filer a dime. A group of Palin-haters, egged on by the Anti-Palin nutroots in Alaska, have used this loophole in the state's ethics regulations to run Gov. Palin's legal bills up to over half a million dollars and burn hundreds of thousand more in state money purely for political purposes.

Alaskan blogger Upinak says it's time to amend Alaska's Ethics Act to make those who file unsuccessful ethics complains pay all of the legal fees brought on by their actions instead of forcing the taxpayers to pick up the tab. this would make it more difficult for bogus ethics complaints to be used as a political weapon.

Anyone wishing to lend a hand in this effort, shoot an e-mail to HelpingPalin@gmail.com. Legal assistance would be especially appreciated.

Put the rabid anklebiters on a leash!

- JP

How to put a Palin-hatin' TV critic in his place

Warner Todd Huston, my colleague at RedState.com, where we are both regular contributors, has exposed snarky Baltimore Sun TV critic David Zurawik for using his position to make a *PDS attack on Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. One would expect Zurawik, as a TV reviewer, to analyze the actual program he used as a vehicle for his drive-by character assassination attempt, but such was not the case:

Zurawik gives us no less than one slight on Palin’s social standing, one denigration of her addition to the McCain presidential ticket, one claim she is “divisive,” as well as a few name callings and the like. Zurawik calls Palin “a hot dog” and then implies that she is a low-class individual that is perfect for reality TV.

In fact, out of the four paragraphs of the review, only one of them actually talks about the show. The rest are merely an excuse to attack Palin on a personal level.

One would also be excused if after reading the acid tongued Zurawik’s account of the show that Palin is a central part of the episode. In truth, however, only one small part of the show features Palin as she was visited by the show’s main character, motorcycle builder Paul Teutul, Sr.

The smear campaign against the former vice presidential candidate is unprecedented. The Palin haters are using every venue they can think of to try to destroy her political career before she has the opportunity to challenge The One they worship. The milieu of so-called entertainment reporters, gossip columnists and media critics is just one of the many battle fronts on which they attack.

Read WTH's full post at RedState.com. Watch a clip from the episode where Paul Sr. visits Gov. Palin in her office here.

- JP

*Palin Derangement Syndrome

"Sarah Palin controls their lives..."

An excellent post at Why Mommy is a Republican. The deranged Palin-haters, desperate smearers and serial bogus ethics complaint filers have beclowned themselves.

Here are excerpts, but read the whole thing (emphasis mine):

The first time I stumbled accidentally upon an anti-Palin blog was after reviewing my stats to see which sites were linking to me. I noticed I was getting a lot of visitors from one site in particular that I had never heard of (and it will continue to remain nameless since I am not in the business of reputation destruction). I clicked the link and got my first look at a genuine, full-fledged, Palin-bashing blog.

The blog in question had linked to a poll we had published regarding Sarah Palin. I was surprised to find that there were many visitors to this anti-Palin blog. Palin-bashers are almost always women and this place was full of them. Women were commenting with glee about the crucifixion of Sarah Palin, the frivolous ethics complaints (which they don't recognize as frivolous, of course), the trashing of her reputation by her former future son-in-law, etc. Lots of women were posting daily and frequently there about how awful they think Sarah Palin is. Simply put, Sarah Palin can do NOTHING right in their eyes.

-snip-

These poor women don't get that a person they despise is, without lifting a single finger and without the tiniest intention to do so, controlling them. Simply by being who she is, the person they love to hate, Sarah Palin controls their lives without even intending to. How ironic that they spend so much time thinking about Sarah Palin. They have devoted their daily lives to her. What irony.

- JP