It's RaininG MeN..Halleluyah!

Macho, Macho Military has a unique slant on our "militaristic rituals:"

"Many progressives were shocked by the militaristic response of Americans to the attacks of September 11, 2001--but not feminists. They had already been tracking the militarization of American daily life--from Super Bowl bomber flyovers to yellow ribbons on family cars--and its intimate connections to the cult of masculinity that has recently tightened its grip on American politics."

"Gender-coded militaristic rituals are now so integrated into the culture, they're nearly invisible--which is why they're so important to re-examine. Take those flyovers. What's fun about sending an ominous V-winged vehicle of death and destruction over a Sunday afternoon football game? It takes coordination between the NFL and the Pentagon to plan a flyover. Is sending a black bomber racing across the sky supposed to confirm players' and fans' manliness? Is the pageant also designed to prove the patriotic bona fides of players, owners, fans and the networks? If so, then the NFL and the Pentagon are in collusion to militarize masculinity and to masculinize militarism."


Hmmmm...To my mind's eye "masculinize militarism" is redundant. Everything about the Military oozes masculinity.

Bomb flyovers may be one way to try to recuperate the militaristic ideal of masculinity from the battering it is constantly receiving from Feminists as well as the Anti-war movements. But I highly doubt that.

Heroic masculinity will always have a place and a reason for being: defending civilization.
Courage, manhood, camaraderie all help a man maintain the discipline and obedience necessary for training as well as the battlefield. Not to mention that the male psyche most readily lends itself to pursuit, confrontation and I daresay..heroism.

And meaning no disrespect to women in the military..Nature dictates that women be the more gentle.
That they are strong of character and can be of equal intelligence we have no doubt.
But submitting to the scorching heat of battle,exposing themselves to the most horrible perils, throwing a gauntlet down ,and becoming fearless warriors is in defiance of all contrary feminine instincts for nuturing, sensitivity, emotional expression,and the need for relatedness.

And while the "PC" police refuse to acknowledge the innate differences between men and women , here are some studies.
Masculine vs Feminine Traits

"Males generally: Are stronger and faster;they often lack insight about themselves and are less responsive to emotional feelings.
Females generally: Are more social & empathetic; they are often more self-critical about their work and have more home-life expectations."

"Some individual are clearly masculine or feminine in keeping with their anatomical gender. Others are more androgynous meaning that they have a balance of both masculine and feminine traits. There are definite advantages for women who can demonstrate some masculine traits (when needed, e.g. at work) and for men who can exhibit more feminine traits, such as self-disclosure, personal insight, empathy, nurturance and social communication skills."

But to imply that there is a silent conspiracy to "masculinize" anything(other than women!)..is...not even worthy of rebuttal. Men, if anything, are being forcefully "feminized". Body hair is removed; men must have hug fests or risk being accused of being emotionally sterile, earrings are commonplace, and occasional tears are a must.
And while nobody is mourning the end of the reign of the macho Marlboro man, the true virtue of masculinity is long gone if today's popular culture is any indicator.

Protecting,.. Defending,...
Is this not what we expect men to do?
Correct me if I'm wrong on this one but.......Is this not the very essence of a soldier?





And so I ask you dear readers....

What is manly?

What is womanly?





Everyone's a pacifist between wars. It's like being a vegetarian between meals. -Colman McCarthy-