Laga, why does he have to respect you? I mean, he's a dick, he doesn't get who you are and that's totally his loss. His respect wouldn't mean much anyway, given that he clearly has a limited sensibility.
Simon: I'm trying to put this as delicately as I can... How do I know you won't kill me in my sleep? Mal: You don't know me, son. So let me explain this to you once: If I ever kill you, you'll be awake, you'll be facing me, and you'll be armed.
'Serenity'
Spike's Bitches 37: You take the killing for granted.
[NAFDA] Spike-centric discussion. Lusty, lewd (only occasionally crude), risqué (and frisqué), bawdy (Oh, lawdy!), flirty ('cuz we're purty), raunchy talk inside. Caveat lector.
Scrappy - Oct 15, 2007 5:15:07 pm PDT #9857 of 10001
Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.
Laga - Oct 15, 2007 5:16:29 pm PDT #9858 of 10001
You should know I'm a big deal in the Resistance.
I've just never heard anyone say, "I will never respect you and there's nothing you can do to change that." That's a big leap from, "I don't like being around you when you're drunk." (which my Mom told my ex and I thought it was good of her to say so)
Laga - Oct 15, 2007 5:17:09 pm PDT #9859 of 10001
You should know I'm a big deal in the Resistance.
I think he has to respect me because I'm his family.
edit: Or at least give me an opening, you know? I didn't respect my other sister's husband but if he had asked me what he could do to change that I would have been able to tell him explicitly what was unacceptable about his behavior.
re-edit: but yeah for now I am not talking to him.
-t - Oct 15, 2007 5:23:44 pm PDT #9860 of 10001
I am a woman of various inclinations and only some of the time are they to burn everything down in frustration
There's no magical right thing that you and your family can do to either make him not be a jerk or make your sister leave him. People are gonna do what they're gonna do, and sure we effect each other's behavior but trying to guess how is just crazy-making.
You need to do what's best for you. And if that's not being around him at all, do that. It's hard to believe that hiding your feelings from your sister is going to be what's best for you, but only you can figure that out.
sj - Oct 15, 2007 5:26:25 pm PDT #9861 of 10001
"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."
{{{Laga}}} I'm sorry you have to deal with such an asshat.
Laga - Oct 15, 2007 5:47:56 pm PDT #9862 of 10001
You should know I'm a big deal in the Resistance.
It's hard to believe that hiding your feelings from your sister is going to be what's best for you
That's a very good point. I do think a cooling off period is a good idea for me right now. PMS might be a factor in how upset I am at the moment.
Steph L. - Oct 15, 2007 5:54:13 pm PDT #9863 of 10001
Unusually and exceedingly peculiar and altogether quite impossible to describe
I think he has to respect me because I'm his family.
Laga, I wish that were so, but I have to disagree.
Your blood family doesn't even *have* to respect you just because of the shared DNA. Family may give each other the benefit of the doubt more easily, perhaps because of a long shared history that provides a context for actions/beliefs which might otherwise lead to a loss of respect.
But still -- if my mom, or my brother (who I adore more than almost anyone in this world) did something massively assheaded and insisted it was a commendable thing they did, and intended to keep doing it, I would feel no compunction to respect them for that, just because we share DNA.
Take one step further to in-laws, like your sister's asshat husband. Just because he married into your family doesn't mean he has to respect you. And I might add -- it goes both ways. It surely sounds to me like *he* is most definitely NOT deserving of *your* respect. I mean, just because he married into your family, are you saying that *you* ought to respect *him*?
Because I think your statement --
I think he has to respect me because I'm his family.
has to work both ways (i.e., if he has to respect *you* for no other reason than marrying into your family, then it's a little unfair of you to not adhere to the same criterion).
When it comes to family, respect isn't automatically granted no matter what the person's behavior. At least, not in my family. Maybe that makes us heartless beasts, but I don't think so.
I don't mean to come off as lecture-y -- you're in a really tough position, and it sucks, and I really feel for you. I just wanted to throw in my .02, as is my wont.
Typo Boy - Oct 15, 2007 5:54:15 pm PDT #9864 of 10001
Calli: My people have a saying. A man who trusts can never be betrayed, only mistaken.Avon: Life expectancy among your people must be extremely short.
Cooling off is good. But it might be good to keep some regular contact with sister after that period, just so asshole does not succeed in cutting her off from entire family, isolating her, and really be in a position to become physically abusive.
Pix - Oct 15, 2007 6:01:44 pm PDT #9865 of 10001
We're all getting played with, babe. -Weird Barbie
Cooling off is good. But it might be good to keep some regular contact with sister after that period, just so asshole does not succeed in cutting her off from entire family, isolating her, and really be in a position to become physically abusive.
Very much this.
Laga - Oct 15, 2007 6:17:32 pm PDT #9866 of 10001
You should know I'm a big deal in the Resistance.
How worried should I be? Once she was in a relationship with another total sponge but during one argument he pushed her and she ended it right there. I feel like that is the one bit of assholery she would never tolerate. And when asshate thought he had lost Meg he turned to our sister-in-law for advice. (Turns out Suz's advice was what prompted the apology-writing-campaign.) I hope this is not the behavior of a victim or an abuser. On the other hand I sure don't want to risk it. On the third hand she has other people she can turn to. On the fourth hand she's not talking to any of us. Gha! I'm rambling when I should be working. Work sounds good. Right now I will do that.