‘Free Republic’ Now A Safe Space for Donald Trump Supporters

Source: The Federalist | May 12, 2016 | Robert Tracinski

Apparently you have to stifle debate in order to protect freedom.

On the right, we’ve grown to pride ourselves on our greater openness to debate and ideas, on having no need to toe a Politically Correct line or crawl into a “safe space” like pampered college kids who just can’t handle hearing from anyone who disagrees with them.

For myself, I am so personally dedicated to this ideal that I even perform the great personal sacrifice of reading the comments field beneath my articles.

Yet somehow I wasn’t surprised to see Donald Trump supporters, those swaggering tough guys, turn one of their favorite Internet forums into a safe space where they no longer need to encounter criticism or opposition. Earlier today, Free Republic proprietor Jim Robinson announced that the discussion board would no longer tolerate opposition to Trump’s candidacy.

….

His rationale? Because Hillary Clinton is a communist, which gives you an idea of the degree of hyperbole that is normal on the site.

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But those of us on the right should take a deep breath and wonder whether adopting a policy of political uniformity—in this case, not loyalty to an ideology or even a party, but loyalty to a single man—is importing the same illiberal habits of thought that we denounce when we encounter them on the left. And the same hypocritical preening about how independent and free-thinking we still are.

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  • Discussion
  • Consistent #6085

    Consistent #6086

    Woodcutter #6089

    As KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle said, “If you can’t follow JimRob’s rules, … then stay out of JimRob’s house.” This is fair enough (since it IS his privately-owned site), but it certainly is not “the premier online gathering place for independent, grass-roots conservatism on the web” nor “to champion causes which further conservatism in America.” And what about “And we always have fun doing it?”

    mostlyhomebound #6094

    Sad.

    EVERYDAY #6095

    Back in 2012, I posted that I wasn’t going to vote for Mitt Romney. Received some grief from other Freepers, but nothing like the hate being spewed there now.

    It’s too bad FR did not make a strong effort early on to get behind a true conservative, Ted Cruz. Perhaps if FR had done so, we would not have Trump. I thought FR was an activist site. This time, it waited till the nominee was set, then said, either support him, or you’re persona non grata. That’s not activism.

    Well, I’m not a sheep. I refuse to be cowed into voting for someone I can’t trust. I refuse to be threatened, called unpatriotic, or be accused of supporting Hillary. I am so done with FR.

    By the way, last I looked, the Freepathon stood at 57%. In the old days, the Freepathon would have been done by now.

    tlcrisp60 #6097

    It’s way more than a safe place for Trump supporters it’s full blown Trump train…..chooo choo. Noticed that they don’t post articles about Trumps comments this week about ‘printing more money” They can’t defend that.
    I commented once to an article from C. Edmund Wright about voting for Mitt Romney and got booted. How things have changed.

    Victoria #6105

    In my years there, I didn’t see this ban/zot happen just for a well written opinion. Now, it is “praise be to Jim” worship site with a companion, “praise be to Trump” worship site.

    The above article title is true, it is a “safe place” or “safe space” for Trump supporters. What is the point of wallowing around in a safe room, patting each other on the back and drinking kool aid? Is that going to get more votes for Trump? No, because only Trump people are welcome. No Cruz person could be persuaded to vote for Trump since no Cruz person can post. Perhaps Trump himself could post and give money to the Freepathon, if he hasn’t already.

    Jim owns the place so he makes the rules. He took away free speech just as I think Trump wants to take away free speech – he wants to be able to sue newspapers and news outlets if they speak or print something about him he doesn’t like and his opinions change every day. In my opinion, he is schizophrenic, meaning his brain bounces off the wall continually.

    I’m am seeing right now on TV, the publicist in the early 1990s, calling news outlets and praising Trump and it is Trump himself using two fake names. That is his schizophrenic “other” self speaking. He is saying he doesn’t know anything about that and it isn’t him. That is bovine scatology, sure it is him. He knows not the truth and lives in an outer space time warp. I am not voting for someone I consider a mental defective.

    ConservativeGranny #6139

    It won’t be long and FR will not even be remembered. It certainly is not even close to “the most conservative site on the web”. Quite the opposite. And as much as they rip on the GOP they ARE the GOP. They are supporting the Repub nominee no matter who it is. If that isn’t establishment politics I don’t know what it.

    At best they are a fan club for a huckster. Not worth the bandwidth they are hogging.

    I was just reading and posting on the WI pages lately but it’s been a good month or more since anyone posted there. They were mostly Cruz supporters. I’m done with them and will never be back. Could care less what happens to them.

    slhancock1948 #6212

    Not only is FR lost to me, so is Fox, Rush Limbaugh, Hannity, Laura Ingraham, and many more. David Webb, Breitbart, et al. Ido have to say that I am disappointed with Limbaugh. His program was often entertaining, but now I will not support him. I hope that many wake up and do the same. We can make a difference ourselves by protesting the ones who should’ve and could’ve made a huge difference.

    Pray for righteousness to be restored and for the peace of Jerusalem

    slhancock1948 #6214

    I was thinking that there are really several quite good radio show hosts who have local programs, but fill in for the “big” names when they are away or at conventions. Mike Slater, Steve Deace, a couple young ladies out in the CA area, the guy from Wisconsin, and I’m sure there are others. It would be nice to give them a bigger audience.

    Pray for righteousness to be restored and for the peace of Jerusalem

    ConservativeGranny #6222

    At least one of the “conservative” talk show hosts in WI is settling for Donald Trump even though he was very much against him. I don’t listen to any talk shows except Levin now but my husband told me that Mark Belling, who occasionally subs for Rush, has said that Trump is better than Clinton so will support him if he is the nominee.

    Another conservative talk show host in the Milwaukee, WI area is Charlie Sykes. That may be the one you are thinking about who did a very hard-hitting interview with Trump back in March.

    He said he was a never trump guy. We’ll see but it doesn’t sound like he is rushing to back Trump. He just did an interview with Megyn Kelly. Boy did he tell it like it is about the Donald. Check it out.

    http://www.rightwisconsin.com/opinion/daily-takes/charlie-sykes-on-megyn-kelly-you-embrace-donald-trump-you-embrace-it-all

    Part of the problem with some of these talk show hosts that claim to be conservative is that when it comes down to it their first priority is remaining loyal to the Republican party. They will eventually back whomever the party puts forth as the nominee. It’s a big problem and why I find myself only able to tolerate listening to Levin now.

    rgintn #6422

    The trumpkins have ruined FR. It used to be a safe space for Christian Conservatives.

    Well since I stopped visiting it I’ve found more time to do other things. Amazing how that site became a time waster.

    CA Surveyor #6426

    Rgintn, the “Christians” at FR are mostly followers of Nicolaitans.

    Matthew Ch 5, and Ch 7, and John’s first epistle, are not in their very limited bibles.

    Victoria #6427

    The trumpkins have ruined FR. It used to be a safe space for Christian Conservatives.
    Well since I stopped visiting it I’ve found more time to do other things. Amazing how that site became a time waster.

    Now, I post here and on The Briefing Room. When I left FR, I had more time, so started learning how to draw, we already had a class on Monday night studying the early great philosophers/poets, and St. Thomas Aquinas. I have probably 15 new books covering the drawing, the philosophers, plus the whole set of 8 books, St. Thomas “Summa Theologies” ($300) and am studying all of that and started writing poetry. I don’t have enough hours in a day to do all that.

    As far as Trump is concerned, I still think he is mentally disturbed and have decided to vote for the Libertarian presidential candidate and their national convention is this coming weekend. I will vote down ticket for the conservative Republican candidates as I always do.

    I haven’t been banned on FR but there is nothing there for me anymore. I have read on there recently and all that is left there for the most part are less than smart people.

    Some of you know 2ndDivisionVet there – he has been in the hospital with a wound on his heel that will not heal. That is why he stopped putting threads on FR. I live no more than 10-15 minutes from his house and he now knows he can call us if he needs anything. We took groceries and other items to JRandomFreeper when he was sick with cancer and Vet knows we will do that for him if he needs something. I did notice he posted an article on there yesterday or the day before. He is non-Trump but knows he cannot post an article that is critical of Trump.

    rgintn #6428

    I shall add 2nddivvet to my prayers. I wondered if he still posted threads since he was a Cruz supporter.

    When hillary’s donor advocated for taxing the rich did the trumpkins at FR support it? I just wonder how far from Conservatism it’s sunk!

    CA Surveyor #6433

    If it is Jims house, why does he want others to make the payments?

    rgintn #6566

    I heard mark Levin mention fr last week. He noted the Levin thread there. I wonder if he knows it’s a trumpkin site now and he will get trashed for not blindly supporting their “daddy”.
    It will be interesting if JR zots levin cause he responded to trumpkins on fr

    Victoria #6568

    CA Surveyor, you said, “If it is Jims house, why does he want others to make the payments?”

    That is a good statement. I was helping him monthly making payments on his house. My house is paid for, no mortgage. Jim will never get his house paid for as he has dumped those paying for it. Unless Trump pays for it, it’s sunk.

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