Can I get an Amen?
The 9/11 attacks have precipitated a crisis of manhood that is shaking our society to its roots. But for so many years, we have been so entangled in the delicate sensibilities of feminism that we can't even put our confusion into words.
To state the crushingly obvious, war is a male thing. Even when directed by the occasional Maggie Thatcher or Joan of Arc, war is fought by men's rules, by men. At the same time, not all men are enthusiastic warriors; in peacetime, for the sake of civilization, there is a need for men who are contemplatives, diplomats, artists and even complainers.
Meanwhile, the stock of intellectuals goes down in a life-or-death crisis, especially for those who weren't that brilliant to begin with. (--ed. bold mine)Ha Ha!
Some men claim the status of artists simply because they don't know how to change a tire. Men from the arty class can become parasites, making their try for greatness simply by throwing muck at men who are truly great.Having had two father figures—both of whom served their time as professional warriors—who are most definitely no girly-men, I know what a real man looks like up close. They both have/had artistic, contemplative and diplomatic traits, but two factors are/were totally missing from their makeup: the indecisive trait and the whining trait, especially whining in the face of others taking action in the face of a great crisis.
Leaving aside all of the political opining in the article, I’d have to say that there is a dearth of real men in American society, that is real *single* men (real men are snapped up quick). However, I can’t blame that totally on men. We women have made it difficult for the real men to operate in all of their masculine splendor. Feminism, while having contributed many good things for which all have been the beneficiaries, has hit the pendulum and swung it too far to an extreme position. However, the threat that exists to our way of living has swing it back in the other direction. Not too far, but far enough for many of us to question some aspects of the feminist orthodoxy.
(I can’t say that I am single because I have rejected real men. I can say that many of them have rejected me. I’m rough and tough and mouthy and I don’t apologize for that, but it was a factor in my singleness before I became a Christian. Now post-conversion, I’ve toned it down a bit, however, the problem is that most men I meet aren’t committed Christians. Oh, some mouth the words, but my ex did that, too. Not going there again even if that means I’ll be single for the rest of my life.)
I submit that a real man has two real desires: 1) to speak, be heard and have his opinions taken seriously and not ridiculed and, 2) to receive love and gratitude when acting in the face of a crisis, whether it’s squashing that big ugly bug in the bathroom or defending the freedom of our nation and that of others. Everything else flows from there. (Feel free to add your own take on this, Real Men.)
There’s a reason that our military men (and women) are so loved and applauded now, in spite of the formidable anti-war sentiment. Many of us realize that they are protecting our lives and always have been. Sometimes it takes a big shake to wake us up, however. As the author of the piece cited says,
Everyone in the United States knows what time it is.Well, enough people in the US know what time it is to make a difference. Sadly, however, some are sedated with the idea that a little sensitivity will turn our enemies into friends. (Yeah, maybe after they get their butts handed to them.)
Thank God for the real men in this world who know better.
(Thanks to LaShawn)
