Topic: WorldNetDaily
To "freep" something means to pad an opt-in online poll by encouraging like-minded folks to vote in order to skew results, as demonstrated by the denizens of Free Republic. Such "freeping" can also apply to other online activities like petitions.
Thus, in his Nov. 24 WorldNetDaily column, Joseph Farah engages in what can only be described as freeping the WND petition demanding release of Barack Obama's birth certificate (never mind that Farah's own employees have previously declared it to be "authentic"):
It appears to me that about 1,000 people per hour are signing this petition. I would say that is evidence indicating public interest, wouldn't you?
I tell you this because there are other judges who will be ruling in the days ahead. Even the U.S. Supreme Court is going to review this issue soon. That's why it is imperative that the public makes its voice heard.
You now have that opportunity on this petition.
I urge you to e-mail it to all your friends.
Do you know people concerned about this birth-certificate issue?
Do you know Americans who still care about little matters like constitutional eligibility for presidents?
Do you know others who will put their names to this petition and pass it along?
Then put your name to it and e-mail it to your entire Christmas card list.[...]
At the current rate, before the end of December, we'll have 1 million signed up on this petition. We can get there faster if you can help me circulate it beyond WND readers.
I would think a petition of 1 million names would be sufficient evidence of public interest for nearly any judge.
Of course, Farah fails to note that opt-in online petitions with no apparent mechanism to prevent duplicate or fradulent names -- Farah or WND have not indicated that such measures are in place on this petition -- are virtually meaningless, to judges or anyone else -- except perhaps Farah and anyone else desperate to keep this false meme alive for no other reason than to smear Obama.
