I just had a conversation with a right-winger at acupuncture.

[ZeroSomeBrains]

A down ballot republican, the receptionist and I were having a conversation about Ford and Kavanaugh. The other two were women, I a man and we were all in general agreement that Kavanaugh had to go and that we believed Ford.

A man walked in during our conversation and he started going hard for kavanaugh. I mostly stayed out of it and allowed the female republican to make the case but the right winger started yapping about how she should've remembered everything and I jumped in there. I told him that I didn't remember the day my attempted assault happened or what he was wearing. I told him I remembered the look in his eyes and how I had to pin a chair against the door to keep him from breaking into my room. He didn't really say anything about my experience but after a while he told the female republican that he didn't care that the she would vote down ballot dem if they pushed him thru and I was silent but couldn't be more disgusted on the inside.

The female told me she was sorry the attempted assault happened to me eventually after she finished her conversation and I said that it's hard to talk about sometimes but it's needed. It was difficult to bring up my experience but it didn't seem to hit the right winger at all when I brought up my experience. It seemed very illuminating at how one of these cultists view sexual assault. It's just a power game to them and it is just such a fucking disgrace.

[Beakybird]

1. Lack of empathy is a cornerstone of their ideology.

[ZeroSomeBrains]

2. Very true

He only cared about the balance of power to the supreme court. It was very sad.

[LiberalLovinLug]

19. Yup

I never understood how their minds could hold both the view that they were God fearin Christians, and yet despise anyone different with mistrust and suspicion. That they can say they follow a religion who's basic principle is humblness, sacrifice, and not only putting up with people you think hate you but trying to empathize and even love them for who they are. Whether its the whore at the well, the cast out leper, the thief beside him on the cross, Jesus the Christ, which figure their religion is based on, is the example they are to live their lives by. A world where money lenders are chased out of the church. Where the least amongst them is to be cared for.

Instead its the mega scam churches like Joel Osteen's that are thriving. Prosperity gospel where the richer you are, the closer you are to the golden one. No not Trump, the other guy. A cult like that can't even be broken by his brazenly turning his back on flood victims in Hurricane Harvey. Its amazing the power in the combination of the gift of the gab + pretending, or otherwise convincing yourself, that you are some kind of important messenger of the God of the universe....because...you can. And it pays pretty good too. Who doesn't want to get a little payout on this planet at least while they wait for their golden mansions to be ready for them?

[Initech]

23. If you haven't seen Bill Maher's new rules from this week do it.

For the longest time I had never figured out why the people who claim to be on the side of morals and values could support the most ungodly and immoral man who's ever been elected president. But then Maher pointed out that the Old Testmant god is just as much of a raging asshole as Trump is. It was brilliant!

[LiberalLovinLug]

28. I'll check it out

I don't always agree with everything he rants on about, but I really enjoy his take downs of Trump and Republicans in general.

I just wanted to add though. Speaking as someone who grew up in an evangelical fundie house, but left that all behind, the whole point of the New Testament was, in part, a rejection of the Old Testament, or at least a new phase of the religion. Christianity came from his name "Christ", who preached a new way through him. It was now all about love and doing good to those that harm you, turn the other cheek etc...

Its not like these fake Christians are saying they follow ancient Judaism. If they call themselves "Christian" then they are supposed to be following Christ's teachings, not the old Testament laws.

[pangaia]

3. Right winger getting acupuncture?

Stick them up his nose.

[ZeroSomeBrains]

4. Haha

I wish. He seemed to be new but I doubt he will be back. That would be too good tho.

[lunamagica]

5. Off topic, but can you tell me a little about acupuntre?

I've been wondering if it is effective in helping with insomnia and anxiety.

Anything you cen tell me about it will be appreciated.

[DemocracyMouse]

8. Acupuncture can help stimulate cascades of nerves, blood, glands, etc (what some call qi or energy)

It can be great for anxiety and a reboot of chemical flow.

[lunamagica]

11. That's good to know, thank you

[ZeroSomeBrains]

9. It's really helpful for my back

The place I go to has a heating pad for my low back, a heat lamp for the upper back with needles and a heat table for the front while your lying down on the table. It makes me feel really great after doing jiu jitsu.

[lunamagica]

12. Sounds heavenly, thank you

[Richard D]

14. As an acupuncturist of 35 years . . .

and counting, I can say yes, it can be helpful. Make sure to go to an acupuncturist who has a good mastery of herbal and nutritional medicine as well.

[lunamagica]

17. I'll keep that in mind, thank you

[Richard D]

21. One thing about acupuncture

is that it's corrective, not palliative. It does take some time to take effect, usually. I've seen instant results, but that is more rare.

[lunamagica]

22. After years of insomnia and anxiety which has worsen these past couple of years

I could be patient.

However, I'll have to wait until I can afford it. From what i hear it can be expensive.

[cally]

25. Acupuncture helps me tremendously

My insurance covered a few sessions for lower back pain and it relieved it. It's come back but less than before.

Also, I go on my own to community acupuncture. It's a different type but you do not get undressed and lay in a room with others on chairs/lounges getting treatment. It is much less expensive so I can go more often. It helps.

[lunamagica]

31. I'd never heard about community acupuncture. I'll look into it. Thanks!

[NoSmoke]

30. It's not science based

so don't get your hopes up. Placebo effect is about the best one can say for it.

Here's a very good resource on the topic and others related to "alternative medicine".

https://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/acu.html

[lunamagica]

32. Bookmarking for later. Thanks!

[NoSmoke]

33. No prob..

Quackwatch is one of the best IMO.

BTW, testimonials, anecdotes and personal experience are poor indicators of the efficacy (or harm) of any medical treatment.

[KT2000]

6. the very sad truth is

it does not matter to this man or the R's in the Senate.
Horrible.

[MLAA]

7. I am so sorry to hear you had to experience the attempted assault. I can't even imagine

how scared I would be and that I would carry it forever. Thank you for being brave and sharing it. Glad you dealt with that fucking asshole.

[ZeroSomeBrains]

13. I'm going to be writing a thank you letter to durbin tomorrow.

I was violated before the attempted assault but the attempted assault was much more traumatic due to the fight and the fear of what could happen. Senator durbin is one of my US senators and I thought he really got kavanaugh rattled. The last time I wrote to a US senator it was to then Senator Obama about the war in Iraq and guantanamo but now feels a lot more personal and raw.

I was just so proud of Senator Durbin. I was also so proud of those women who confronted Senator Flake. They spoke for me and my experiences when the told him off. I got very emotional yesterday over the constant ups and downs of the week. This nightmare has to end and hopefully it ends for the best.

[iluvtennis]

10. Hugs to you. The right winger men only care that white men are the majority in power. nt

[OhioBlue]

15. When I hear or experience stories like this.... I often think about the statistics

1 in 3 women and 1 in 6 men have been victims of sexual abuse or assault at some point in their lives. This doesn't happen in a vacuum. For that many victims, there are also many who have committed those acts. I am not at all alleging that the random guy you encountered was a person who committed such acts, but it does make me think sometimes when I encounter someone who so strongly defends an alleged abuser and worry so much about tarnishing their reputation, what they might have done in the past that they identify more with an alleged abuser than the alleged victim.

[ZeroSomeBrains]

18. I know what you mean.

You never know what someone like that has done. But it speaks volumes who they defend...

[riversedge]

16. I sincerely hope you will find peace soon. So sorry for your assault.

[ZeroSomeBrains]

20. Thankfully I have a great support system.

Being a white male makes things a little easier. I could only imagine having these things happen to someone without wealth or the people around you who care about you and love you. Thank you so much for your concern.

[Amaryllis]

29. Did you see this post I did yesterday? Conversation with a male survivor. I was happy to see he felt

okay to say he was a survivor.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100211212280

I've often thought how being a male survivor has it's own unique challenges that make it so very difficult, given the cultural view of what masculiity is and isn't. As a result of all this, and things like Don Lemon talking about his assault, more people are becoming aware of just how prevalent it is and the toll it takes.

[JohnnyRingo]

24. Kavenaugh isn't the last conservative kook who can be picked

They seem to forget that, like it's a football game to them where they just want to see their arch rival team to lose. Trump could choose another one like Neil Gorsuch and just push him through. Apparently he wasn't a pervert. At least not a violent one.

This isn't supposed to be a game.

[calimary]

26. I guess they're hellbent on living in a pre-1950s America.

That’s the only way I can figure this out in any way that makes sense, at least to me. I think people like the one you describe just want that hazy misty “memory” of an America where white men were all that mattered.

Women did not matter, at all, except as decorative arm candy in public; the steno pool at work; and at home - maids behind the vacuum cleaner in the living room and at the hot stove in the kitchen; and then willing compliant whores in the bedroom after which they then become THINGS: containers and incubators. And that’s just for the “little woman” contingent.

As for blacks, the comfort level undoubtedly would be doormen, waiters, and shoeshine men. And Latinos? Hah! Who cares? Besides, the JOBS are all there for them - in the orchards and strawberry and vegetable fields. So what do THOSE people have to complain about anyway, ‘eh?

All demographic groups except for white males are to be occasionally seen and perpetually not heard. And that’s for the male demographic in each. Women in either demographic? No need even to consider those women. They don’t even matter at all.

I’m sorry to burst their bubble. But whether they like it or not, whether they accept it or not, this is NOT 1949. That’s LONG GONE. They can yearn for it really really hard, and pretend all they want. But there is no “Wayback machine” no matter how badly you want one or how loudly or aggressively you demand it. Those proverbial “good old days” are OVER. And GONE. Like that old Army uniform from decades ago that doesn’t fit anymore.

I think THAT’S what they don’t like, most.

[handmade34]

27. seems to be "Eve Syndrome"

"all women will tempt any man for her own personal gain"

...that that is what MANY people believe despite it not being a truth