Jeepers Freepers!

I've written small blurbs about the far-right blog, Free Republic before, but it is time I said a little more on them, and why I think they are worth discussing. It is one of the most popular political blogs, and also one of the most influential. And that is what scares me!

Free Republic is sort of the blog equivalent to right wing radio, without the "dump" button. I am compelled to check in on the site every once in a while, by the same masochistic impulse that drives me to watch or listen to Sean Hannity on occasion. On one hand, it gets my blood pumping, and inspires me to write here, on the other, it lets me know what the "enemy" is up to. And make no mistake, if you are a liberal/progressive/Democrat, you will absolutely feel like you are their enemy. The people who post there like to thump their chests about their love for America, but that love simply does not translate to any love for the left half of the American populace. In fact, if you are to the left of Ann Coulter the FReepers will practically declare you an enemy combatant.

I quite simply have never encountered a web site (short of one run by Rev. Phelps) that dripped with as much venom toward whatever it is that they're energized against. If you've ever read George Orwell's 1984, you've had your blood chilled by the children who turned in their parents for disloyalty to the party. Well, Orwell's kids have grown up since 1984, and they're all FReepers now. There is no liberal cause they won't assail, and no conservative indiscretion that they won't excuse or flat out ignore.


FReepers would tell you that left-wing sites, like DailyKos and Democratic Underground are just as vitriolic, and rabidly partisan, but I disagree. Any well travelled blog, particularly political ones, will attract some foam-at-the-mouth participants. But nothing compares (that I've seen) to FR, in this regard. As I said in a previous post, if you go to their site, and click on their Homosexual Agenda link (for example), you'll get a good sampling of just how nasty a FReeper is. And shockingly ill-informed, immature, and oh so many other negative adjectives.

I hate to even encourage people to go there, as it will raise ad revenue for them, but I think a visit would be illuminating to many. To give you an impression of what sort of person you'll be dealing with over there, let me share with you a graphic that pops up regularly on their site, as a header for their gushing White House Press Conference threads. If this doesn't illuminate a frightening attraction to power; a demented need to belong, I'm really not sure what else would. . .

When I first saw this picture, I couldn't help but marvel at just who some people are willing to be groupies for! To say nothing of what sort of mindset would encourage a graphic artist to create such a thing. Can you picture someone creating the same title card for Dee Dee Myers? 'Nuff said. . .