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I did a survey of the archives to see if freepers really change. It's unscientific, so, I can't draw any formal conclusions. I picked and surveyed calendar year 2004, and I counted 57 ex-freepers. This includes only confessed ex-freepers, ex-neo-cons/conservatives, and/or ex-republicans. This does not include those who voted republican once or twice in the past, self-described independents or libertarians, freeper moles and/or trolls. That's why the count is so small relative to the timeframe surveyed.
Out of the 57 confessed ex-freepers, 11 were tombstoned (19% of total), 22 inactive, defined as no recent posts (39% of total), and 24 active (42% of total). Out of the count, 58% are gone to 42% that remain. In an election, that's a clear win without a runoff.
So, what does that have to do with the price of tea in China? :shrug:
The freeper mindset is more than idiots that continue to vote against their best interests. It's a deep-seated foundational belief system that's based on fear, hate, and ignorance. That's why there are freepers that wear suit and ties for a living, and those that sweat for a living. Freepers with college diplomas, and freepers that are high school dropouts.
A friend of mine in college said this: They don't teach you, you teach yourself. The same applies to freepers. It's a moot point whether we hammer them with the truth, or try to guide them to the truth about current events; they have to learn it themselves. Sometimes, they just can't handle the truth. That means that there's a long way to go, and we can't quit because the task is hideously difficult.
The answer--only one, but the freeper has to really want to change.
Submitted for your consideration.
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