22 Comments
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Kelley Smoot's avatar

Superb writing, thank you! You capture what it feels like to grow up in house run by a gaslighting narcissist. While I am by far the only woman who has experienced similar familial-abusive situations to those you have described I am so inspired by your words. I’m not alone! Others have experienced similar general nuttiness and lived through it; I can too! Thanks for helping me find my courage. It’s so important in these times.

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Liz Burton's avatar

Anyone who has survived an abusive relationship, I’m sure, felt the hair on the back of their neck twitch. Maybe we should schedule a chat or something and share notes.🙏🏻

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StillJootz's avatar

You're not alone. There are a LOT of us that know exactly what you lived through, because we have too. And we recognize exactly what's going on here. It seems the U.S. patriarchy has created generations of twisting reality about a LOT of things, and will continue to double down on it if we let them. We need to all join hands now, and stop this abuse once and for all.

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Kelley Smoot's avatar

Hell, yes! Where do I sign up? I live 30 miles south of Austin, TX, outside of San Marcos. I am ready to organize a group of hell-raising Texas women to stop our local team of aspiring (and achieving) misogynist dictators, including Abbott, Paxton, Patrick, along with Cruz, Chip Roy (who is my US rep! 😩) and Cronyn. Let’s go!

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StillJootz's avatar

If you're in TX, you've got your hands full, for sure! I'm in PA, so only about half of the state is living in an "alternate reality", but it's gonna be work just the same! Stay strong, and good luck to you!

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Kelley Smoot's avatar

I never thought my birth state would turn against women in the manner it has, reducing females to lower class citizens with less rights than men. It's incredibly revolting to think I've devoted my life to a state that doesn't give a shit about me, my contributions, and believes I'm little more than owned property of my nearest male relative.

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StillJootz's avatar

And sadly, half the states in this country feel the same way. Hopefully, IF we ever make it to another election, we'll be able to turn this all around. We need to elect WOMEN to every office possible now, and put these mediocre white guys, who can't achieve anything unless they are grinding their heel into someone female or brown or Black, out to pasture! Women look out for "the family" and their community, not just themselves. And we don't think with that "other head" leading the way. Time for a huge change, not just in this country, but the world. The males of the species have had thousands of years in control, and have done nothing but make a mess of everything!

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Liz Burton's avatar

I’m in Austin (waves to Kelley) and I lived my first half-century in PA (waves to StillJootz), and there’s an organizing mailing list for "radical elders". Nothing says we can’t have one called "Broads Against Bullies" or "White Rose Too" or some such. I can set one up on my company domain in 5 minutes.

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Kelley Smoot's avatar

I like the “Broads Against Bullies” idea! 💡 Or something similar. We should organize.

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Liz Burton's avatar

I’ll set it up and we’ll see if anyone salutes. 😂

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Liz Burton's avatar

Okay, somebody see if they can get on the list—I named it Garden of Maat: http://lists.irresponsiblereading.com/listinfo.cgi/garden_of_maat-irresponsiblereading.com

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Beth Fitzpatrick's avatar

Superb!!!!!!!

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Priscilla Poupore's avatar

Terrifying

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Ken Fisher's avatar

The very best ..... Ever grateful. Facing the utterly menacing.

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SomeNYDude (he/him)'s avatar

Great call out on DARVO by 47. Thank you, Terry Moran for fearlessly calling out 47’s lies and turning DARVO on his face.

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Cynthia Phillips's avatar

I guess ABC is going to be sued for making Trump look bad now.

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Susan Beebe's avatar

Thank you for the Trump DARVO breakdown. Thank you also for your brilliant stream of descriptors, in this case, fetid racoon breaking into your attic again. Reading the news can be so dry, but when I come across a line like that, I remember I'm not reading just any news, I'm reading Alisa. Bravo!

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Britta Neinast, LCSW's avatar

Perfectly described. I love how you differentiated those who could see the truth, and those who somehow still justify Trump. It’s astounding.

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JTRiver's avatar

Millions of lines of reporting have been written about this “Maryland Man” with MS-13 symbols on his fingers than the few sentences regarding the 320,000+ children trafficked and lost during the Biden administration. But no moral outrage for them. Isn’t it clear to all that this has little to do true investigative reporting and more to do stopping Trump. Honestly, it’s hard to trust their heartfelt pain for this man, when there is zero for the hundreds of thousands of defenseless children lost to unspeakable harm.

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What’s He Thinking's avatar

Yes, the Key here is that T. Moran said NO..! The truth matters , always, everywhere, every time…!

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Rachel C's avatar

My problem is that in Terry Moran’s situation, I would have lost all semblance of control and blasted him with obscenities. I admire Mr. Moran for his professionalism and restraint. 👹

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BlueHarridan's avatar

A little story that may provide some hope: back in the day, I had a boss who was expert at only one thing, and that was gaslighting. I had the job I had literally because no one else wanted it. He called me up one day, he wanted to do a thing, I did my usual spiel, which was to tell him how much it would cost, and who he was going to have to send his approvals to, because I was too junior to approve it. For whatever reason, that day he got mad at me, whined something about “why can’t you ever just agree with me?“ And hung up on me.

As I recall, the thing did not get done. But within a year, he was fired for gross incompetence, and I transferred into another department where my boss actually appreciated my opinions.

We can survive these current days. We just have to keep going.

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