Freep Gawker Writes to Chicago News Bench

Rosanna Pulido is in trouble for posting offensive comments a popular conservative website, Free Republic, under the pseudonym "chicagolady." She apparently felt comfortable posting anonymously. Her cover was blown, however, by a blog called "Rosanna Pulido is a Freeper." What they exposed were disturbing comments that a person in her position should have known better than to post, even anonymously. In response to my post "About Rosanna Pulido's Troubled Campaign" today, the operator of the blog, who calls himself "Freep Gawker," wrote this email this evening: Hello Mr. Mannis, Just wanted to drop you a line and say thanks for your linkback to the Rosanna Pulido is a Freeper blog, and your kind words. A number of people contributed the research that gathered her posts together for focus on the blog, but I write only representing myself, the individual who put the blog together. You are correct in your assumption that our politics differ; however, I would far rather have a Republican Party in opposition made up of individuals who, like yourself, are able to take measure of the more radical and divisive elements within their party and publically decry them. For this country to work we need political parties that are ethical, rational, and speak out against bigotry and racism when it comes cloaked in idological language, regardless of what wing it originated from. I'd like to note that, while I have poured over countless pages of Free Republic in a manner befitting a rubbernecker at a 10 car pile-up, I have often seen the handful of rational posters on that site attempt to steer the worst of the lot back to less questionable waters. It is to the conservative movement's misfortune that their efforts tend to be ignored or decried as liberal trolling. Nice work on the rest of your post as well, especially the information regarding Ms. Pulido's campaign manager and his ties to Alan Keyes. I look forward to reviewing your future work, and wish you a pleasant evening. Sincerely, Freep Gawker My response to Freep Gawker: Thank you very, very much for your kind email. What a breath of fresh air you are. I suspect that you and I both enjoy a spirited but civil discourse. 99 percent of my liberal commenters are so insanely unfocused and cannot get beyond simple obsenities that your cogent, civil email made me smile. Thanks. Your blog is brilliant; I commend you again. It is so true that the fringe elements in any movement or organization can spoil the argument and steer it away from where it should be, and that's finding a solution to our common problems. I confess that I am guilty of often using ridicule or "focused absurdity" to either make a point or mock an opposing one. However, I like to temper that with tongue in cheek humor, albeit sharp. I'll engage in name calling, but not hateful name calling. Last week I defended Alderman Ricardo Munoz, a Democrat, because he was being attacked unfairly. Fair play is fair play, I say.... Tom Chicago News Bench RSS Feed Cool Stuff...