Banned Websites

I think it's time to add Free Republic to the list of banned websites.

IMO, anything posted from there is by definition is a violation of DU rules. And, rules aside, it's just plain wrong and totally against everything DU stands for.

Thoughts?

Echo chambers suck.

How many people here have advocated secession?

Do we have anyone here like Ann Coulter or Michelle Malkin.

Secession, either in the "we should leave" sense or the "they should leave" sense, is one of the perennial topics here, and while FR may have the controlling share of bigots as regards major political websites, DU's far from free of them.

Freedom of speech is a sacred right and should not be quelled. The freepers are just showing how f'ed up they are by the insane posts over there and most of the general public has caught on, at least those who have heard of "free republic".

Not that I agree with that, of course. I mean, how can we make fun of the hilariously stupid stuff that is said over there, if we can't mention them?

...from being referenced on DU.

it's deeply and obviously wrong, imo.

However, I think there may be some instances in which it's wise to not allow certain sites to be used as a reference. I saw a few instances in which someone would link to an anti-semitic website as 'proof' of something. Those posts were usually promptly removed, which I don't think is a bad move...

Why impose this desire on everyone else?

If I were someone who wanted to advance Free Republic, I'd talk about them and post about them on the DU board. I'd pretend to be a DUer who loathed them, but would post threads and talk about them all the time.

There's a small group of people here who care about Free Republic. I don't get their fascination with the site. It's news when one of the freepers is caught doing something bad, but other than that, they're a bunch of latter day Neanderthals who can't spell.

If I can, I read the posts that people copy to DU but for the most part it is such nonsensical babble that it is hardly worth the effort.

Hate is out there; we ought to have the stomach to face it.

but people with less than 100 posts shouldn't get to propose rule changes. how about that?

If you saw the other sites, you'd understand the distinction.

There are subforums dedicated to us, with daily comments.

Free Republic mentions us from time to time, just as we do them.

:patriot:

Unfortunately they have plenty of publicity. Linking to them would not really do much to increase that.

Certain comments at FR are over the top, but FR is not a hate themed site (like some) and it is not one that stalks DU posts and posters (like another site banned here).

I don't mind the occasional freeper post.

oops...

The ban is on giving publicity to several sites (two from the right and one from the left) that have little purpose but to attack Democratic Underground.

I can take a guess about the two from the right, but I have no clue about the one from the left.

I see I'm fighting a losing battle here.

I do think Free Republic is a hate site, though.

I'll just starting ignoring those posts. Thanks for your thoughts anyway.

:wow:

or any other form of expression is helpful for anyone. If you are going to take a stand in opposition to what someone says or writes you have to be able to refer to it in order to make a credible argument.

Also it is too close to book burning and censorship for me. I don't like what they say. I think they are a bunch of thugs, but nothing ever changes if you hide it and pretend it does not exist. I think it is enlightening in the way that it shows how debased and inhuman neocons can be. Whether or not you go there or read what they write is always your choice. but please don't ask to make the choice for others.

the stated purpose of free republic is with in the guide lines of du. although they are more vile than say stormfront, stormfront is banned here because it stated purpose is promotion of the white race. if one went to stormfront one would find posting guidelines in the most popular forums. posting guidelines that far stricter than free republic.

i read stormfront at least once a week and i find even with their hatred they are saner than free republic

And they have more agreeable things to say on some topics than FR ever does!

What gives?