Have you ever been angrier?

[zanne]

In all of my politically-inclined 52 years, my "discussions" with people have never been so angry. I used to have reasonably calm discussions with people who disagreed with me politically. I used to have alot of Republican friends. I used to joke about politics with family members who are Republicans. Now, I think I may need Anger Management! Sometimes, I worry about this. I don't want anger to control me. Anybody else more angry?

[City Lights]

1. I'm teetering on the edge.

I could have a "Falling Down" moment at any time.

[demnan]

2. I know

I've really gotten into some heated discussions and wished I hadn't. It frustrates me that people I esteem and like can't see the truth. Most people I know are just indifferent or ill-informed. I don't think the Republicans I know would seriously support their agenda if they really knew what was going on.

Except for my cousins in Richmond, VA - they're just racist.

[htuttle]

Every single day....

...it's all I can do to keep myself from just pulling over to the side of the road and starting to throw rocks.

I might have actually been angrier when I found out about Iran/Contra (and the related scandals, such as the October Surprise), though. I wasn't nearly as cynical back then.

[zanne]

8. Your last sentence hit the mark, htuttle.

"Cynical". Yup, that's it. I'm cynical about the true principles and motivations of other people now, both Republicans and Democrats. I'm as angry at Congress as I am at Bush, because I simply can't trust them.

[AllyCat]

27. Congress, Shrub, and our horrible, horrible corporate media!

When I actually catch snipets of things they say in passing, I cannot shrug the thought "it's all lies!"

I've started thinking up freeway blogger signs and scoping out good places to put them. I've never before had bumper stickers on my car, but have purchased two in the last few months. I don't seem to be able to keep political discussions out of my daily life. Normally, I would shirk any such conversation at work, but everyone at my job feel the same way...no one tries to hide our outrage anymore!

And this dreadful media that calls itself "the press". They report on nothing of substance, they are not journalists, and they are gimps for the Neo-con agenda. Liberal media, my a**!

[aintitfunny]

3. Oh yes, I am angry

get worked up to a froth in New York Minute. I have a number of Republican friends and family and I find myself not wanting to even speak to them. If the draft really does happen, and I fear it will, I will never forgive them. They will be the people who put my son's life at risk or worse.

[Suziq]

4. I Am . . .

I am definitely a candidate for anger management. I think it is because anger and hate are what the Repukes foster.

It is disgusting . . . . :grr:

I am also 52 . . . . :-)

[G_j]

11. mmm..

I think you hit it: the seeds of anger and hate always benefit the fascists: divide and conquer.

It can be a serious problem. I am also 53 and I find the amount of anger I experience can erode my 'well-being'. It is not always healthy, though anger can prompt someone to action.

taking a deep breath and/or a calm sip of cool water can help in a pinch

it also might be worth noting that beneath anger there are often deeper feelings of grief or hopelessness

[lonestarnot]

5. Everything in moderation dude dudette... no tipp'n the scale...Too

much anger makes one sick and I'm not into being sick. Can't fight when your sick.

[seabeyond]

6. yeeee...up.

and i can take any conversation and perfectly guide it to the repug fucking htis nation. (cuss more too, lol lol) i can be in store, church, family gatherings, (all repugs).............and always something will be said, like gas prices, taxes kids today, and i always comes back to bush f*ing us

[bobbieinok]

7. lots of people are angry.....you see it all the time on DU now....a fairly

straightforward discussion gets derailed with 2-5 posters arguing ever more vehemently over some only loosely related point...someone almost immediately feels insulted and attacks in retaliation with no holds barred

[bobthedrummer]

9. I'm 55 and I've been an anti-fascist since I was 15. They're here.

Deal with it.:grr:

[blogbear]

10. Welcome to DU.. No, I've not been angrier and I also could use more..

anger management..Mother taught me when I was young that subjects of religion, sex, and politics were explosive subjects and should be avoided as much as possible..It seems that these topics are too often too much a part of our lives anymore and people have never been able to agree on these subjects..So maybie if we can find some happier thoughts where we all agree?

[OrlandoGator]

12. It's to a point where I almost consider the Bushbots to be traitors.

Yeah, I'm angry.

[bobthedrummer]

16. The neo-conservatives ARE TRAITORS!

:grr:

[holden007]

13. Anger is a Gift

Now it is time to use it.

[bluedog]

14. about same level with the stolen

election of 2000.........same ol shit....running court to court..on our local TV 24/7.......................lawmakers are making asses out of themselves.............the law is the law.the parents are dispictible...tring up our courts.....imposing on the rights of other Hospice patients.......good god ....I wish I had the guts.because I'd smother her........

[Inland]

15. I've gone from moderate dem to raving spittle-flying lunatic rage

Part of it is, I'm being lied to. I'm being lied to with a wink and a nudge telling me that the Bushbots are lying, they know that 90% of the public isn't buying it but 10% is all they need to push an agenda through with corporate money, media acquiesence, fear of terrorism, and proto fascistic tendencies disguised as patriotism.

[Wwagsthedog]

17. I'm old enough to remember McCarthyism.

Most people were engaged in the idiocy of finding and hanging "commies" as well as how to build a bomb shelter. Yes, I'm in a state of controlled anger where religion and political discussions are taboo in my family and among some of our right wing friends. It isn't easy listening to facist views but one has to suck it up and move on. Our day will come, and not a moment too soon.

[Stephanie]

18. I would not consider having a discussion with a Republican

They are not my friends, I will not have them for friends. And I'm very fortunate to have a family of good Democrats. I'm sorry for you.

[oldlady]

19. it's not personal

anger any longer. I and my family have been hurt by control-freak powers in the past (our Republican ex-alder once lied about a police/school incident that sent my 8th grade son to jail for a day without my knowledge) and I was so angry I took a two-week leave of absence from work to do all the letter-writing/paperwork necessary to launch investigations-- which eventually came to nothing. I was angry and justifiably so-- but, I met the brick wall of power covering for power. Now, however, everything feels so much LARGER-- my son was a sturdy, well-supported philosophical young man & I could counter the anger with knowing that he/we grew through the experience --unjust though it may be, we would never be so naiive again. Now, the injustices are not within my power to guard and heal, they are so permanent and so large and so selfishly dismissed by those in power. I recognize that I am angrier because now I cannot even graciously handle civil passing by conversation with our ex-alder-- though I handled it in the six years between then/now. The conflict has moved from the situational to a polarized them/us-- maybe it was always that way, but I didn't know it-- these yay-hoos in government now are just so obvious about it all. It's one thing to f*ck with us and hide/lie about it; it's another to do so publicly and thumb the nose when it's pointed out. The humiliation is greater, because those in power aren't even shuffling to hide-- blatant lack of remorse, no shared perspective, complete dismissal. Isn't that what drives one to hopelessly lash out? You are not alone & judging from the other posters, in good company. Just my babbling two cents.
peace

[Toots]

20. I am more like Extremely Depressed

I sold my business and became a sort of hermit. I just cannot face any other American because of how immoral America has become. I don't mean sex either...I am ashamed of my country to the point where I can no longer participate in society.

[katinmn]

25. I go back and forth -- angry and depressed

I've also changed my circumstances in some ways so I am less a participant in society in the traditional way, and I've developed strategies for not feeding the beast.

[kiraboo]

29. Toots, I find your statement very sad!

I know that anger and depression are just different halves of the same whole. I waver from one to the other. But don't let this situation drag you into misery. Accept the necessity of surrounding yourself with like-thinkers. Avoid political and religious discussions at all costs. Act in self-defense! Remember, there are people out there who would embrace you simply because you understand the difference between right and wrong. I'm one of them. -Lisa

[Hamlette]

21. the worst part is, I won't talk to anyone who disagrees with me

they make no sense. I'm starting to hate anyone who believes in God. I dread having to be in a social setting with them and avoid it.

There are days when I can't bring myself to talk to the two religious secretaries at work. I communicate with them by email now. I'm afraid I'm going to start screaming, or sneer in disgust at them.

The sad part is, it further divides us from each other. When I look at places like Bosnia and the Middle East I think America is lucky to not have a history so we don't have those terrible divides that led to violence.

Now I see those terrible divides beginning to take root here. It's not just the republican agenda that freaks me out, its the republican manipulation of religion. Have you turned on cable news this week? The whole week is devoted to religion in America. I can't stand it.

[callous taoboy]

23. Keep it in perspective on religion-

I think we are witnessing the last dying breath of in-your-face religion in this country. Look at Europe. It is becomming very passe to be a chest-beating X-tian. A lot of religious folks such as
Jimmy Carter are becomming vocal about the nasty spirit with which religion is being used.

[Hamlette]

26. I hope you're right but

I picked up a book in the bookstore last night entitled The Right Nation which apparently says America will stay conservative forever. Religion is how the right has rallied the troops. Anyone read the book? Is it as scary as it sounded?

[callous taoboy]

22. I don't advocate sticking head in sand, but

since the election I have stopped watching the news. I continue to read the news, though usually only here or at T.O., but not seeing the images of the fuck ups who run the show or hearing their annoying voices has helped me tremendously. During the campaign I was glued to NPR and the Tee Vee and I was a wreck.

[killbotfactory]

24. no, i haven't

This isn't about differences of opinon anymore, with the MSM even basic facts are in dispute. It's inexcusable.

[UdoKier]

28. Yes. I was ultra-pissed at the start of the sick Iraq war.

By this point I'm tired, dispirited, and pretty much resigned to the fact that the US is irreversibly headed for third world fascist police state status no matter what we do.

I'll always despise Bush & his cronies, but at this point I'm just going to try to live as best a life as I can within the system, at least until we can move back to Japan.

[guinivere]

30. I haven't been this angry

or afraid.
This country has become one of those scary house of mirror, haunted house places. You never know what frightening thing is right around the corner.

[adigal]

31. I have lost two family friends

and I told my mother last night I couldn't speak to her anymore because I was sick and disgusted with republicans. And then I put my son on.

I cannot be calm about what is happening to our country, and it gets me angry at how uninformed people try to tell me "facts" they have gotten from hannity and o'reilly, loofah boy. (They don't even know about his loofah - I love telling them about that!!)

And serious, rational, intelligent people I know who are dems are getting scared for their well-being. Yes, I am angry.