4566

Some context on who this nusr_ett guy is. I’ve seen the meme before but didn’t know the “story” behind it.

4567

The most traumatic incident in my life occurred when I was 20. Years later I talked to someone who was also there and they described my behavior during that event as quite different from what I remember. I thought it was seared into my brain but I think actually I only retained certain details.

/random data point

4568

Ten years ago, I was at a poker game got that got robbed. This was a reasonable high stakes game that had been going on most of the day so there was likely $5,000 or so. Guys, wearing ski masks, came in beat Perry, the guy running the game bloody cause he wouldn’t give the money. They left when Perry’s wife screamed that she had called the police.

I have a vivid memory of a big Samoan guy having Perry in headlock and beating the shit out of him. The guy had blue ski mask on a green polo shirt, blue jeans, new but not brand new white running shoes. My memory is not as vivid of the 2nd guy, white guy thin build and below average height staring down the rest of frozen at the tables.

I also know for a fact that nothing I wrote in the 2nd paragraph is likely to be true. There were 2 poker tables running so we would have had ~12 guys and 3-4 girls playing. By the time the cop arrived probably within 10-15 minutes (it was an illegal game but Perry told us what to say to make a legal poker game, the cops could have cared less), it was obvious that we all saw things differently. Everything from the basics how many guys were there. Most everybody thought there were two but several said there were 3. Ethnicity (based on skin color from their necks and short sleeve shirss, was the big guy black or Samoan, the small guy white or Asian. I thought they were wearing jeans but many thought they were wearing shorts. Many of us thought we recognized the big guys voice (there are several hundred folks who play at the various underground poker games) but no more than 2 of us agree on any one person. One of the most interesting disagreement did they have guns. Perry was understandably pissed that a dozen guys, include several 20 or 30 year old active duty military stood by for a few minutes while he was getting the shit beaten out of him, his face was a bloody mess. About half the people said the smaller White or Asian guy had a gun tucked in his pant, I sure didn’t see it, and that’s why they didn’t help out.

I remember being pissed that by the time the cops interviewed me they weren’t even bothering to take notes. In hindsight I understand. Be on the look out for 2 or 3 guys Asian/White/Black/Samoan one big one small, wearing shorts or jeans, green, red, white, blue, t-shirts or polo shirts, possibly armed is pretty much useless.
In fact I could be completely wrong and he did take notes. I’d also be surprised if the photograph of Perry in headlock today is the same one I had the night after it happened.

I think Professor Ford was probably sexually assaulted by 2 and more likely 4 guys. I think she is mistaken that’s Brett, because he denies it ever happened and most importantly because, as we seen there is never just one assault, it is a pattern of behavior.

4569

Would it be fair to say that your version, due to the stress of the situation, was indeed seared into memory? That the witness, not being as emotionally involved, was incorrect?

4570

Dammit, Tom, I want my cassette tapes back. I think it was Huey Lewis and the News (“Sports”) and Buckner and Garcia (“Pac Man Fever”).

4571

They were quite specific. I think I have blotted a few things out over time. I have no reason to doubt their take on it.

4572

apsycho

4573

Fair enough.

4574

It was just an incident where I got beat up, by the way. Which I suppose goes to show what a sheltered life I’ve led!

4575

Some might call it sheltered. Some might call it lucky. :)

4576

Except when it isn’t a pattern, or other victims are simply not willing to speak up.

Sometimes incidents are isolated. It could have been a one time thing. The lack of repeat incidents actually doesn’t mean much I don’t think. I can think of a couple of highly illegal things I’ve done only once…

4577

What’s he going to do? Admit it? If he did it, you think he’s going to let the story of some non-male keep him from his lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court of the US? Of course he’s going to deny it and lie his ass off, if he did it. But whether he did or didn’t do it, he’s going to deny it. His denial is completely worthless in this particular instance because it’s the only thing he can do, innocent or guilty of this crime.

4578

We’ve seen plenty of other men in the #metoo say I remember the incident much differently, we were at party together but I never touched her, never was in room with her by myself.

4579

Not every rapist is a serial rapist. So when someone says there is a pattern, that doesn’t have to mean there are a series of rapes. We call them serial rapists to define them from the other rapists for a reason.

4580

Do you find Kavanaugh to be a particularly credible person so far?

Also I’m curious why everyone’s referring to her as Professor Ford instead of Dr. Ford.

4581

I agree about victims not willing to come forward, but as far as pattern behavior goes. In the #metoo movement we’ve seen two distinct fact patterns. The serial predators who done something bad to at least 4, and generally close to 10 woman, and the one off like Aziz Ansari, and George Takai where there has been a single incident, which many of us is a long away from any type of crime and as often as not the accuser turns out to be less credible.

4582

From what little I’ve watched of the Kabuki confirmation theater, yes

I generally think of Dr. as medical doctor, a person with a PHd who is teaching as professor is higher status job than somebody who just has a PHd.

4583

Nice story, but remembering an incident with an assailant that you recognize at the time and that has a role in your social circle is a completely different process than remembering an incident with masked, stranger assailants. My personal anecdote: in 5th grade, I was attacked in the boys room by two misfits at my elementary school. I can’t remember the date or even the season, and I’m not sure I’d recognize their 5th grade pictures today (much less what they look like now), but I am absolutely sure who these miscreants were and remember their names, even though it was over 40 years ago.

4584

Yes the #Metoo movement has mostly exposed serial abusers obviously. When there are dozens of victims, 2 or 3 coming forward can encourage others to come forward.

With isolated incidents (which there are sure to be a ton of, probably vastly outnumbering all the serial abusers, much in the way single homicides vastly outnumber serial killer homicides), they will only ever come to light if the victim chooses to speak. If #metoo showed us anything it’s that victims are often very very unwilling to step forward and become the center of attention and/or have painful past incidents dredged up.

I think specific crimes like rape, assault and murder are actually much less likely to be patterns of behaviour than media coverage has implied.

4585

It’s unlikely that we’ll ever know for sure what happened between these two. Memory is fallible, there is no physical evidence and the only witness was more a participant than a disinterested observer. We won’t know. Whatever you think now is likely what you’ll think after.

The hearing itself, if it happens, is likely to send some much less ambiguous messages. If it boils down to a bunch of old men calling the victim dishonest or ‘mixed-up’ (read, ‘hysterical’), the political ramifications could be significant. I don’t know how much more the GOP can do to motivate women to vote against them.

That said, if they let this get to a hearing, they’ve already decided to confirm him.