Self delete... Ancient history. Well you can read it, but it is from 2002.

[mom cat]

The Bell Tolls for FreeRepublic.com
by Todd Brendan Fahey

On Monday, February 11, the 9th District Circuit Court of Appeals, San Francisco, will convene to hear oral arguments in re: Washington Post and Los Angeles Times v. FreeRepublic.com LLC (a limited liability corporation), in what is perhaps the most important 1st amendment case of the new millennium. At issue is the propensity of FreeRepublic.com and its owner, Jim Robinson, to allow the posting of whole-length articles from news organizations nationwide – a policy the Post and Times, respectively, assert infringe upon the intellectual property rights of both the news corporations and of individual writers. At stake is a tort complaint of $1,000,000 lodged against Mr. Robinson, and the very future of FreeRepublic.com. The Supreme Court recently refused FreeRepublic.com's writ of certiorari, effectively denying any hope that the nation's highest court will hear the case, following a judgement for the plaintiff by the 9th District Court; FR's claim was also denied a mediation hearing.

In simple terms, a judgement against FreeRepublic.com in the coming months will spell an Error 404 message for a Web site that is credited by many news organizations as ushering in President George W. Bush over Al Gore.

Mr. Robinson's defense rests on his claim that Free Republic operates under "Fair Use" provisions of the copyright law, as an educational resource. Attorney Brian Buckley, for FreeRepublic.com, offered to a lower court that, "The political views expressed by the majority of participants are congruent with the goal of rooting out corruption in government, though no censorship is made and all views are permitted." (Emphasis added)

Further, Mr. Buckley presented to the U.S. District Court, Central District of California:

"Defendant Free Republic (freerepublic.com) is a not-for-profit politically-conservative internet web site begun as a hobby by defendant Jim Robinson ("Robinson"), a disabled wheel-chair bound victim of Muscular Dystrophy. Free Republic is a "bulletin board" type of internet site which allows visitors to the site to "post" articles and commentary to the site which can be read and commented upon by other visitors to the site. Robinson created Free Republic in 1996 out of shear frustration. He was dissatisfied with the current Presidential administration (the "Clinton Administration") and with the "mainstream" media coverage of its policies and activities. Robinson was frustrated with the inability on other internet sites and alternative forums to engage in a completely free and open discussion of news and politics – especially by dissenters to the current Presidential Administration's policies and activities and dissenters to the "mainstream" media coverage of same. Before creating Free Republic, Robinson frequented other internet discussion sites and was frustrated by their censorship and restrictions on free statement of ideas.

Much more to delight you at:
http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig2/fahey1.html

[MrMonk]

1. True story - but it's from 2002

[stop the bleeding]

2. Is this 02/11/02 or 02/11/06??? - cause I would love to see this here

In simple terms, a judgement against FreeRepublic.com in the coming months will spell an Error 404 message for a Web site that is credited by many news organizations as ushering in President George W. Bush over Al Gore.

[liberaltrucker]

7. 2/11/02, unfortunately

2/11/06 is on a Saturday:(

[mom cat]

10. Oops... I stand corrected.

[stop the bleeding]

13. No problem I posted an article from May 05 two weeks ago in LBN

caught some flack for it but the administrators still put it on the front page of DU- It was a story from USA today on how Abramoff had 195 contacts with the Bush WH. I was so excited about finding it that I read everything but the date.:toast:

[mom cat]

17. Thanks for helping me wipe the egg off of my face!

:hug:

[brokensymmetry]

3. Kicked & Nominated.

:) :bounce: :) :bounce: :) :bounce: :) :bounce: :) :bounce: :) :bounce:
:) :bounce: :) :bounce: :) :bounce: :) :bounce: :) :bounce: :) :bounce:
:) :bounce: :) :bounce: :) :bounce: :) :bounce: :) :bounce: :) :bounce:
:) :bounce: :) :bounce: :) :bounce: :) :bounce: :) :bounce: :) :bounce:
:) :bounce: :) :bounce: :) :bounce: :) :bounce: :) :bounce: :) :bounce:

[blonndee]

4. "free and open discussion"? BWAHAHAHA

oh, and note the blatant, Hallmark-y appeal to pathos:

"a disabled wheel-chair bound victim of Muscular Dystrophy."

Really, this totally diminishes the real problems people with disabilities/debilitating conditions face. WHAT does this have to do with the case? Even my freshman comp students know better than to resort to such irrelevant, propagandistic pathetic (in the argumentative sense) appeals.

[TrueAmerican]

5. Free Republic (freerepublic.com) is a not-for-profit

"Free Republic (freerepublic.com) is a not-for-profit"

That's if you don't count the owners travel expenses, RV and house payments made with freerepublic donations.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

15. I was wondering... How can a LLC be not for profit?

FreeRepublic.com LLC (a limited liability corporation),
and
Free Republic (freerepublic.com) is a not-for-profit"

both in the article

:shrug:

On Edit: If Jimmy-got-myself-a-new-moter-home Robinson is telling the Freepers he's non-profit.... hmmm. You'd think even Freepers would know how to Google...

What is an LLC?

Like a corporation, an LLC is a separate and distinct legal entity. This means that an LLC can obtain a tax identification number, open a bank account and do business, all under its own name. The primary advantage of an LLC is that its owners, known as members, are not personally liable for the debts and liabilities of the LLC. For example, if an LLC loses a big lawsuit and is forced into bankruptcy, the members will not be required to make up the difference with their own money. If the assets of the LLC are not enough to cover the debts and liabilities, the creditors cannot look to the members, managers or officers for recovery.

An LLC can be taxed either as a "pass-through" entity, like a partnership or sole proprietorship, or as a regular corporation. By default, an LLC is taxed as a pass-through entity, and the owners of the LLC are not subject to double taxation. This is different from a regular corporation, which pays a corporate tax on its net income (the first tax) and then a second tax when the corporation distributes profits, as the stockholders pay income tax on dividends. With an LLC, the profits "pass through" to the owners, who pay taxes at their individual tax rates.
http://www.legalzoom.com/law_library/LLCs/what.html

not-for-profit

We've all heard of non profit organizations, and likely have a general understanding of what the term means, but do feel you have a really good understanding of what a non profit actually is?

Essentially a non profit (sometimes called "not-for-profit") organization is an organization which enjoys tax exempt status as a result of being organized to serve the public interest. Generally the non-profit's primary purpose is to support an issue of public concern for non-commercial purposes. These usually fall into broad classifications of the arts, charities, religion, research, education or even politics.

As their name implies, non-profits are not trying to turn a profit on their activities. However, like all organizations they do have to generate revenues to fund their operations. The primary sources of funds for non profits are donations from either public or private donors, with the inducement for private donors being that donations to the non profit are likely tax deductible. By law, a nonprofit is required to utilize all revenues available after normal operating expenses to serve the public interest.
http://www.about-business.org/Non-Profit-Organization.php

[Marie26]

19. Isn't DU an LLC too?

Basically, any organization that's involved in political advocay can't qualify as a non-profit.

[davidinalameda]

6. educational resource?

Freeperville, an educational resource?

oh my goodness, now I've heard everything!

:rofl:

[Contrary1]

8. February 11 is on a Saturday this year...old article.

How did it turn out, anybody know?

[struggle4progress]

11. They settled. FR webpage now says not to post full articles.

[lvx35]

9. This is from 2002. google it. nt

[mom cat]

12. I stand corrected... I got it off Google but did not see the date.

[lvx35]

16. Its okay. Kinda cool blast from the past!

:)

[byronius]

14. If Only, If Only.

[Carni]

18. That's really old eom

[StClone]

20. The archetypal Freeper will slim down

Without the steady diet of fat headed fuax facts.

[yellowdogmi]

21. I would say good riddance,

except I would hate to see DU suffer the same fate. Plus while I don't want to go there and inadvertently digest any of their hateful drivel they still have the right to speak their minds. Should take about 1 nanosecond. Just count to ten.

[Warren Stupidity]

22. So Jim Robinson is disabled. Hmmm....

I wonder if he is also freeloading off of that gummint welfare program known as "disability insurance"? Wouldn't that make him a hypocrite?