Thanks for getting back to me. Are you Russell on the live Zoom? There are a number of members I keep in touch with on the chat and I have seen your posts for a while. At this point in my life, I want to support those who give a shit . Beside our Populist Plank , I want to see those people younger than me that have the fire to fight the status quo . Today , I watched a young woman running for Congress on Kyle and Friends , and she beautifully expressed the failure of the Democratic Party and most importantly, what to do to remedy and fix our problems. Let’s hope that a groundswell will rise and get this country more stabilized . Take care , brother. Jack
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Ya know something, I’m not sure if I’m Russell or not. I think referred to myself as Russ, but I’m not positive. Unfortunately, I was only able to attend a couple meetings before I had to pause.
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I’m sorry I didn’t get back to you right away. I’m just unsuccessfully trying to process everything and letting myself be a bit down this weekend. My cardiologist said the scans showed that there hadn’t been any healing, and the dissection should have healed by now. He wants me to start increasing my activity very slowly, which has been tiring, intimidating, and painful–and also a really good thing. I’m just trying to figure out how to dance the fine line between helping my heart start to heal (so I won’t need open heart surgery) and not ending up in the ER (or worse). I went to Minneopa State Park today and saw the bison, which was awesome! I even strolled from the car to see the waterfalls, which gave me chest pain, shortness of breath, and a handful of zone minutes, but I got to see the bison and the waterfalls in full force! I finally got a haircut on Friday and realized that was the first time in a month that I’ve even left my house for something other than a doctor’s appointment, so I’m counting this weekend as a win! On Monday, I will start Somatic Yoga, finally use the steps in my house, and then build up as my body allows. Anyway, I’ll be fine; it’s just kinda lot. I appreciate your checking in, and I hope you are doing well! 
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I appreciate your saying that about women. Many people, including women, don’t understand the viable threat we face daily. I also think a lot of White girls and women have an implicit racism they might not even fully realize that makes them believe they are safe because most or all of their male friends and acquaintances are White. I have to tell you, I’ve been beaten, had guns pointed at me, knives pulled on me (and at my throat), drugged, and then some, and every single one of these instances in my life was perpetrated by a White guy. And usually by one who I knew. Sorry to go off, but it’s just nice to hear a guy say he gets it, you know?
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Wow, I am so sorry that happened to you. Jesus, really, no one should ever be able to say that. It’s so heartbreaking and foreign to me, as a man. I don’t understand wanting to do that, and yes I’ve been extremely angry with a woman, but never did it occur to me to physically impose my will. Well, honestly it may have briefly occurred in a flash, but never an actual option for me. They don’t realize the lasting scars they leave, either. Trauma echoes for years.
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Yeah, I’m fine. And hearing that you had a good weekend, I’m even better. I’m glad you’re taking the win!
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Same here, brother. Could never do that. But a few years ago, during a sexual harassment training at work, I found myself thinking about the women in my family. I realized that, of the 8 women who are most important in my life, at least 5 of them have been physically and/or sexually assaulted multiple times. And who knows? Maybe the other just never shared their story with me.
It makes me admire the strength of women. I don’t think for one minute most guys could have overcome such experiences, let alone having to deal on a daily basis with situations that put them in danger of having it happen again. Then of course, I get pissed at the guys who do this shit. Many of them have done it so often they have learned how to spot those most vulnerable. How cold-blooded do you have to be to do that?
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Id rather share this offline, but I think I can do it here. True story, I was in downtown St. Petersburg, FL. for lunch on a weekday afternoon, in November. That’s germane because St. Petes is super busy in November. It has a bangin’ downtown for food, drinks, entertainment, etc. Traffic was heavy and I was walking back to our building with two co-workers. One was a female and we were crossing a busy street where the cross light had just changed. A distracted driver came barreling thru, and did not see us. No big deal, I stepped in front of her, out of an ill advised instinct. I thought dude was gonna cream us both and definitely me, but he didnt. When I turned around I must’ve had a look of terror on my face, cuz right then she goes “now you see how women feel all the tiime”. Of course she didnt mean they all walk around terrified, but you get the point. It kinda crystalized the idea for me. I only tell you this as context for how I came to better understand vulnerability. Prior to that, since I am not a fucking animal, it never made sense to me that women would feel that way, that often. I guess some of it is the men in your life, but even then, IDK. Women “seemed” to have it easy that way. I thought, sure there’s like 1 in a million dude who rapes, beats, whatever, but thats not correct and not the whole story. Violence and threats thereof exist on a spectrum. IDK, yeah it came home that day for me.
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