my turn light is my arm

^^ The brake light circuit feeds off of a different fuse, memike. It is the emergency flasher that feeds on the same circuit as the brake lights, not the signal flasher. I think the point about the brake lighrts made by redfastback is how the brakes can work at all with the turn signal switch connector disconnected. But I don't see where the OP says that is the case; he says the brake lights work in general but not specifically when the TS connector is disconnected.

BTW, how do you get 36,000+ posts on this site?!? Wow!