I think the one thing that is top for me though is also honesty and truth about the issue.  I never ever talk about this experience and it is odd that I would choose to now.  But I felt it is the only way that I could be credible when I say that truth and honesty should not be sacrficed to the gods of framing.  

I have this really open and supportive family who helped me through that decision.  What would have been trully horrible is to have not only been embattled by my own demons, but also to have battled other people around me at that time.  No one ever said it would be easy.  They just made sure I was safe and protected.

Fondly enough my response to Markos' comment about it being "horrible" (before the firing squad) was to think that it was true and I was glad someone understood that feeling even if they can't ever really know.

The only way that the Democratic Party can win the next round is to be authentic about what it believes.  We need to be real.  I also think we have to take all these issues surrounding women and put them in one basket and fight like hell to make sure none of the affronts we face are successfully excuted.  The GOP single-issue thing has done great dammage to our country.  Items on a list out of context get paraded around and before we know it we lose not only the item, but also the founding principle.  The principle is the real loss, not the item itself because without the principle there is no item.

If we could convince every person male or female that they have a right to have the difinitive say over their own bodies, then we would be in a very good position on tons of issues.

Thanks for your diary, I thought it was well written and reasoned.