Blog Entry of the Day.

[kalibex]

"Watch Dan Rather apologize for not getting his facts straight, humiliated before the eyes of America, voluntarily undermining his credibility and career of over thirty years. Observe Donna Brazille squirm as she is ridiculed by Bay Buchanan, and pronounced irrelevant and nearly non-existent. Listen as Donna and Nancy Pelosi and Senator Charles Schumer take to the airwaves saying that they have to go back to the drawing board and learn from their mistakes and try to be better, more likable, more appealing, have a stronger message, speak to morality. Watch them awkwardly quote the bible, trying to speak the new language of America. Surf the blogs, and read the comments of dismayed, discombobulated, confused individuals trying to figure out what they did wrong. Hear the cacophony of voices, crying out, “Why did they beat me?”

"And then ask anyone who has ever worked in a domestic violence shelter if they have heard this before.

"They will tell you, every single day."

Comments

[sunfell.livejournal.com]

Very interesting article. Into my archives with it!

I realize that I am not a 'pleaser'- no Warrior can be, and still be a Warrior. I will be a peacemaker, a mediator, a buster together of heads, but I will not abide bullies of any sort. I've been a victim, and one day, in a fit of introspective 'why did they do that to me?' insight, busted that victim paradigm and realized that they harmed me because they were afraid of me. The fault was not mine- it was theirs- I was simply the closest- and scariest- target.

I understood at that moment that fear causes violence- both physical and emotional, and that I couldn't do anything about that fear- that was their problem, not mine. But I could watch out for its signs, and become proactive in squelching it in the bud. I am not a violent person. But... I will stoutly and thoroughly defend myself from all bullies- be they religious, emotional, physical, social, etc. I will use the rage gained from being a victim as a precise tool and weapon to drain them of their desire to inflict harm. I will be swift, just, and merciful in my application of countermeasures. And to quote Dune, I will let the(ir) fear go around me and through me, but not affect me.

Sunfell

[kalibex.livejournal.com]

For me, the article's most telling paragraph:

"Even if you do everything right, they’ll hit you anyway. Look at the poor souls who voted for this nonsense. They are working for six dollars an hour if they are working at all, their children are dying overseas and suffering from lack of health care and a depleted environment and a shoddy education. And they don’t even know they are being hit." [emphasis mine]

Funny, isn't it, how some people automatically decry 'victim labling' - that is, go ballistic when someone points out victimization.

Thing is, before you can fix a problem...you have to realize there's a problem.

The last thing 'abusers' want is for those they're dumping on to see the problem. (By far the easiest way to 'win' is for the 'other side' to never realize it needed to fight to begin with.)

Because then the problem's one step closer to getting solved...and the dominators won't get their way anymore. (God forbid they should actually have to grow up some more instead of relying on their old 'bad habits' as always).

[sunfell.livejournal.com]

True, true! I think that the realization phase is the toughest part of the problem solving cycle. And the fight that the abusers put up to keep the status quo the way is is is very telling. Again, it's fear based. They don't want change.

How to apply this tactic to the greater country and culture will be an interesting challenge. It is clear that in many ways, our democracy is circling the drain, yet people are unaware of it, or if they are, they're too paralyzed with their own disbelief -Totalitarianism? Theonomy? Here? No! It can't happen here- we can't be oppressors- this is America!- to do anything about it. But to survive, we must.

Strange times we're in...

Sunfell

[samantha2074.livejournal.com]

The thing I find off about this analogy is that Democrats/liberals/whoever are trying to placate voters, not the administration. I don't see how we're getting bitchslapped by people from Kansas or wherever. Yeah, I don't think Dems should roll over just because the reigning political party tells them to, but I also don't think that's quite what's happening.

It's your journal, and I feel hesitant saying this, but I kind of miss the days when it was about you and your opinions, rather than links to someone else's. I hope I don't offend you by saying that. I would never suggest you're obligated to write anything to please me, and I can always go elsewhere. It just seems like a long time since you've talked much about school, your life, your latest purchases, your cat, your family, you know, the stuff that's you. Yeah, this stuff gets the occasional mention, but *sniff*, it's not quite the same.

[antikythera.livejournal.com]

I miss you too Bex!!

[audioboy.livejournal.com]

Amen.

Ditto.

I second that.

*holds up huge banner: "WE MISS YOU, BEX"

:/