40 Comments
User's avatar
Brooke Teegarden's avatar

By the way, as an American I have to start every conversation with how are you. Then we both say fine or good without giving a fuck what the other person says. Then we can move on. It’s our culture.

Bec Keegan's avatar

Some Aussies say "good enough to be here". Some Norwegians say "up and not crying". I'm not sure either is appropriate here and now 😕

Greg's avatar

I typically respond "Surviving." If someone says, "That doesn’t sound good," I reply, "It's better than the alternative."

It's depressing how many people ask, "What's the alternative?"

NM's avatar

Same rules as Brits. A few years ago as part of my recovery process I started answering honestly, with varied & interesting results.

Greg's avatar

I typically respond "Surviving." If someone says, "That doesn’t sound good," I reply, "It's better than the alternative."

It's depressing how many people ask, "What's the alternative?"

John Boyd's avatar

I do much the same. When people ask what the alternative is, I respond "I'm on the right side of the dirt." That usually paints them the picture.

Greg's avatar

I typically respond to "What's the alternative?" with "Not surviving."

V. Moore's avatar

My reply: "Adequate. You?"

Brooke Teegarden's avatar

For another dad his child’s name only lives in his mouth in his cries of dismay while the state speaks in verbs that refuse to carry blood or fear or love. His grief comes tangled with rage, because this death had uniforms that walk away intact. He is left holding memory against power, knowing exactly who took his child and watching them insist it was necessary.

Writing that made me so emotional.♥️

Wayne's avatar

David accidentally learned empathy! I consider that a small but significant win.

Brooke Teegarden's avatar

I wish I could have made him feel it towards all people but yes

Jamie Stoyanoff's avatar

Jim deserved every agonizing second of those 40 minutes. Unfortunately it will probably only result in him doubling down on his ignorance and hate, but one can always hope……

Brooke Teegarden's avatar

Absolutely he did

Abbie's avatar

I cackled at "she's dead Jim". I don't have the words to describe how disgusting those comments are. He deserves a lifetime of believing his daughter is dead. And no, I am not wishing her ill at all.

Traci Joseph's avatar

I’m mother to a 19-year-old and I could immediately put myself in their shoes and feel their horror. It’s palpable. I can remember the one time I thought my son might be in danger. My sister, who picked him up from school (I was working) called me one weekday afternoon right about the time she’d be driving home with him. She never called me at work, unless it was urgent, so I picked up. Her voice sounded funny. Like she was struggling to be calm. She asked me if I could come home, and I asked why. Something bad has happened, she said. And in that span of literal seconds, my whole world stopped and I asked, “Is it my son? Has something happened to my son?” It felt like years before she replied, no. It’s James (our brother). Something happened, and he’s not OK. I knew by that strangled undertone that what she didn’t want to tell me over the phone was that he was dead. And he was. I was close to him, loved him, it was unexpected. He was only 48. But I have to acknowledge that my body, while remaining highly attuned and set to horrified, was at least able to unfreeze. See, I knew by the tone in her voice that it was a big awful thing. She would have just picked up my boy. My mind immediately leapt to what I knew before but really KNOW now, my universe. My whole world. My child.

And it is with this knowledge that I now say: Well done 🙌☺️🥰👍👏👏👏👏

Brooke Teegarden's avatar

I have four kids. I cannot imagine the fear. And yes, these men needed that fear.♥️ I’m sorry about your brother.

Mark Hayes's avatar

Brooke, it's a tragedy that you have to do this work. If I was a religious man, I'd say that you're doing God's work. But as I am, all I can say is that's what you're doing is critical and necessary. Some people who read this and laugh and say to themselves, "Brooke really owned MAGA" but it's not about that. It's not about naming these troglodytes. It's about showing a mirror to all of us.

"Three new holes to use" is chilling and horrifying.

Thank you for being tough enough to wade through these exchanges and the filth. You're kinda my heroine.

Leviathan Bodice's avatar

That was by far the most disgusting thing I’ve read from these trollish sad men. What sort of damaged brain connects gunshot wounds to a sexual act? I hope Jim does us all a favor and creates a new hole in his own skull.

Lauren A's avatar

This is perfect

Colin Stewart's avatar

This is awesome. Great work.

Scott E. Crain's avatar

Your other posts have been hilarious, but for me, this one takes the cake so far 👏

I have scrolled past a myriad of disturbing comments about Renée Good’s death authored by these egregious psychopaths. It has made me sick to my stomach.

This was not taken too far. They deserve every bit of this.

Esme's avatar

They got away with a slap on the wrist for the things they said and the cruelty in their hearts.

Anonymous's avatar

They deserved this

Jamie Stoyanoff's avatar

David’s “statement” smacks of conditional contrition. I ain’t buying it. He’s very much still a shitheel in my eyes.

Leviathan Bodice's avatar

Men act repugnant on the internet then act hurt when retaliation happens. I hope Jim vomited from panic.

ReadingRainbow's avatar

“There’s a hollowness there”

You don’t say.

Maisey Lyons de Valle's avatar

Morbid indeed, but I laughed out loud multiple times and almost spit out my chili when you told David “I am only a woman. How could I possibly?”

John Passadino's avatar

I find this post more sad than funny because it reminds me of our sick dysfunctional country led by a malignant narcissist.

Sorry to be a downer. 😔