Anger management & stolen election question.

[Shakespeare]

Has anybody else just snapped yet? If so, what happened? If not, are you worried about just losing it if you have an encounter of the "get over it" variety?

I am sincerely concerned that whichever random freeper idiot out there makes the mistake of saying anything to me about the election may find him (or her) self in a world of hurt.

I'm rather laid back in my DU postings (however, I'm an "original" DUer who used to be much more in-your-face with my posts--I decided to mellow out here, thus the new nick). But in "real life" I'm rather confrontational and utterly unafraid of getting in someone's face if I'm challenged. In 2000, while we were all going through the recount debacle, I had to be physically pulled away from an idiot who'd decided to join a conversation about the recount to which he was not an invited party. "Al Gore is a whiner" is all it took for me to just completely lose it--and the guy was roughly twice my size.

I was angry then, but I am much, much, much angrier now, and I'm a little worried about what'll happen the first time a wingnut gets in my face. I'm actually considering therapy--but would feel compelled to verify the doctor's political leanings before making an appointment.

I know I'm not the only DUer with a nasty case of simmering rage--what are y'all doing to keep things in check?

[jasmeel]

1. I watch NO corporate media and appreciate what I do have in life

right now. I'm also really angry. Luckily I already have a therapist! I assume she's a democrat because she's reasonable and thoughtful.

[MadAsHellNewYorker]

2. Punch holes in the wall....break china....

no, not really.

Its been hard for a lot of us, I can imagine. Luckily I'm in NYC, so I don't need to deal with too many gloating repukes. About two days after the election i did see a group tourists berating John Kerry quite loudly on the street and I let them have it good ole NY fashion.

Other then that, Ive been internalizing a lot of stuff which is bad. I don't really have a place to vent my anger, except to like minded people who want to bitch too...so can someone PLEASE HELP ME TOO!!!

[billyoc]

6. I'm a tour guide in NYC

you've seen the red double-decker busses riding around, that's me. I'm in CONSTANT contact with red staters. It's difficult to deal with them, I just treat them all like small children, it works.

It sucks, but it works. :grr:

[MadAsHellNewYorker]

8. I'm sorry you have to deal with them EVERYDAY

At least you may give them a better impression of NYers then I did.

[skygazer]

3. I've watched NO network news since the election

I'm fortunate to be in a progressive area of California so I'm mostly in contact with sympathetic sorts but I do have some Repug family members. I'm thankful that I'm on a surgical leave from work because I don't know if I could handle it being in contact with so many people on a daily basis.

It's hard. I don't know that I have any advice to offer. I'm just trying to avoid those situations because I don't trust myself if they occur. Hang in there. It's gonna be a long four years.

[Shakespeare]

9. Same here-limited news viewing, and live in CA.

We do have our share of freepers here, though (hell, they're HQ'd in Fresno).

My husband, bless his heart, "screens" the nightly news for me. He gets home before I do in the evenings, and if there are stories worth watching, he records them for me on our DVR. Filters out all the infurating garbage. The only thing we watch with any regularity now is Olberman, and occasionally the Daily Show (but when he has a wingnut as a guest, I can't stomach watching it).

We'll be visiting my family in the south sometime in January or February, and as much as I miss my parents (dad voted Bush, mom voted Kerry), I'm dreading going down there.

[Francesca]

4. Yes I can relate, have always had

a temper problem.. I am a very tiny woman but have been pulled from many near physical confrontations usually with men who weigh 2 to 3 times what I do... I started having a hard time at work late summer as am surrounded by Republicans and Born Agains and completely broke down (I mean this literally) in August and went to my physician for help.. she prescribed me Lexapro and some other stronger short term solutions and even though this is an antidepressant it has really helped me with my temper. am still considering counseling but have improved enough so that it is no longer urgent...
Good luck whatever you do..

[AndyTiedye]

5. Counseling????

Calm... down...

drink... the... kool-aid...

[Francesca]

7. yes I am sure if I just drank the kool-aid

it would all be easier...

[Plaid Adder]

10. I had to tell my Republican brother the other day

that I can't talk politics with him any more.

The thing is that for him it's a game. He likes to argue and it's fun and he doesn't *really* care about any of his positions. To me, it's life and death, and it is not fun now, not fun at all.

So I just told him, after he started ribbing me about how I should be happy Condi Rice got promoted because she's an African-American woman, that I just am not going to do this any more, and we started talking about something else, and that worked fine.

Refuse to engage where it won't do any good, that's my motto. Also, don't watch the news unless you have to--you can keep up using LBN, it's less rage-honing when you don't have to WATCH and LISTEN to the bastards--and make sure you reach out to other people who feel the same way so you can all rant together! THat's very therapeutic.

C ya,

The Plaid Adder

[rzemanfl]

11. Freaking out

I wrote this the Friday after the so-called election and have been wondering what to do with it.

That day I also called the local Democratic Party office and asked if there were support groups for people who hate Bush. The lady told me her sister was so depressed she was unable to get out of bed. Conversation was terminated when someone walked into her office.

Is this you?

Did you support Kerry-Edwards?
Did you see that choice as so obvious as that you can't understand why anyone rational could disagree?
Did you see Fahrenheit 9/11?
Did you read Richard Clarke's book and House of Bush, House of Saud, and Woodward's book and all the rest?
Do you despise Dubyah and Cheney?
Do you find "faith based politics" as scary as Bin Laden?
Do you think that Bush's religiosity is as phony as his smile and his "compassion?"
Does it bother you that the President and Vice-President have more drunk driving convictions between them than any two bikers at the local biker bar probably do?
Do you feel guilty about wishing bad things to happen to your country to show the Bush supporters how dumb they were, even though you know the bad things are inevitable anyway?
Does it anger, pain or scare you that more than every second stranger you see who voted, voted for Bush?
Do you consider Bush’s explanation of the lump on his back at the debates an insult to the intelligence of every person who ever wore a shirt?
Would you rather have your daughter marry a girl than marry a Republican?
Do you get angry when you see Bush/Cheney stickers on cars? Do you fantasize about running them off the road?
Do you find Bush's calls for unity about as attractive as having sex with farm animals?
Would you just like to punch a Republican?
Does your TV screen fear for its life when the news is on?
Do the next four years look bleak to you?
Do you wish you could just leave the country?
Are you so depressed, angry and incredulous about the election that it is ruining your life?
Are you thinking about getting professional help but afraid that you will end up seeing a Bushie who will either try to convert you or report you to the FBI or Secret Service?

IF SO, YOU ARE ME AND THERE ARE MORE OF US.

[Francesca]

12. Lovely! love that last part!

[2Design]

14. quite the list there -

Did you support Kerry-Edwards?
Did you see that choice as so obvious as that you can't understand why anyone rational could disagree?


Do you despise Dubyah and Cheney?
Do you find "faith based politics" as scary as Bin Laden? (more)
Do you think that Bush's religiosity is as phony as his smile and his "compassion?"

Does it anger, pain or scare you that more than every second stranger you see who voted, voted for Bush?
Do you consider Bush’s explanation of the lump on his back at the debates an insult to the intelligence of every person who ever wore a shirt?


Do you get angry when you see Bush/Cheney stickers on cars? Do you fantasize about running them off the road? I yell at them under my breath


Would you just like to punch a Republican?


Do the next four years look bleak to you?

Do you wish you could just leave the country?
or that they would leaver

Are you so depressed, angry and incredulous about the election that it is ruining your life?

Are you thinking about getting professional help but afraid that you will end up seeing a Bushie who will either try to convert you or report you to the FBI or Secret Service?

I took out the ones that didn't apply - don't have a daughter - but hate to see anyone marry a rethug

[Itascapark]

13. Well...

I’ve been drinking a lot. It keeps, believe it or not, the rage at bay. I avoid Wingnut cable news and publications. I have minimal contact with Neocons…for the time being. My parents are righteous, assuming Repugs who follow the trash doled out by Fox News on an almost hourly basis, so we avoid speaking of the “election.” But I still have bouts of depression and anger—pounding on desks anger, head shaking depression, that type of thing. I’ve considered therapy, but cannot afford it. I visit and post on DU; I read The Nation and The New Yorker; I debate my brother (who is open to the idea that Kerry should be in office). What else can I do?

[Angry Girl]

15. Start a blog! It's great therapy!

No, I'm serious! Why the hell do you think I did? }(

Angry Girl
http://angrygirl.blogspirit.com/

And I highly recommend the FREE BlogSpirit.com.
Very user-friendly and the most features I've seen for a FREE blog service (aside from doing it all yourself, starting at the server level).

AND they're French! :D