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As far as white male bashing humor goes, I certainly agree that it has gone overboard. My observation is that one (and definitely only one) of the reasons that it continues is because the majority of white males are indeed the OPPOSITE of the "humorous" portrayals. Humor requires contrast. Portraying REAL idiots and dolts as idiots and dolts has a lot less potential for humor and is therefore harder to write. This situation is similar to some profanity, particularly using God's name in vain. Some life situations trigger intense emotional reactions, which prompts some among us to begin cursing. When g-- d--- is spoken, it only has some intensity of meaning because there actually IS a god who can damn. (Being damned to an eternity in hell has got to be the most intense emotion one could ever experience!) And the inference, at least here in the western world, is that this god is the God of the Bible. I've never heard anyone appeal to allah or the buddha to damn anything. The phrase a---- d--- is meaningless, thereby devoid of any emotional intensity, because allah cannot damn anything. In both instances, the appeal to a genuine competence (most white males) or a genuine authority (the God of the Bible) is required.
Thank you for writing about how males are treated on television. Thank you very much for having the courage and compassion to address the egregious insults and disdain to which white males are subjected in the current culture. I wish there were a way to take a year's worth of television sitcoms and dramas and simply reverse the views presented of men and women. Imagine the feminist outcry if "King of Queens" and "everybody Loves Raymond" treated women the way they treat men! Imagine the protest if whites and minorities switched roles in a crime drama! Dear Rebecca, I saw your article on WND and I just felt compelled to say something as well. I'm a 20-year-old Anglo-Saxon Christian male living here in the states and I know all too well the sting of complete degradation of white males in our society and though I by no means condone Imus' statements nor any of his shock-jock peers, I feel that the case against the average white male has gone largely unheard. Numerous people (some males among them, even) support or silently condone through inaction the radical notion that all men are disgusting pigs and should be spat upon at every oppertunity. I, having been raised under the notion of chivalry, have a hard time swallowing that pill because as much as I try to be knight-like, I also don't take well to the notion that I am a fat, worthless, clueless dolt who meanders through life unaware of what's going on in the world around me. That may be a mouth full in itself, but that barely scratches the surface of what I've heard and been told. In light of recent events, I happen to have an example I can highlight for you. Within recent times I've gone out on a limb in order to woo a young lady and was met by mutual reception from her. However, not all such success was met with her friends, who merely wrote me off as another pig with nothing in mind but sex. Flippantly, they relegate me as "just another male" as if to say all men are fools with nothing going for them but horomonal drive. Thankfully, the young lady knows me not for the social stigma, but rather by who I actually am. As a small boy, my father always told me to treat women as though they were royalty - and I have, and still do. Though it's disheartening to learn so many of the 'royals' so quickly stereotype me, not even on the basis of my ethnicity, rather my gender at large in an all-encompassing compartmentalization. Wait a minute, they can do that to me but not one among men can say anything against them? To do so is sexist, after all. Imus, damned as a racist for his comments (and rightfull so), had a long career destroyed by doing so. Why, then, is it okay for anybody and especially the media, in all its incarnations, to mock males (especially white, Christian males) but suddenly the presses have to stop the second a woman or minority is jabbed fun at? I don't condone sexist or racist speech in the least and I find it a sign of foolishness and ignorance, so why can't anyone do that for me? I think John Wayne said it best when he so perfectly summed it up, "I won't be wronged; I won't be insulted and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people and I require the same from them." Now, let me also take this moment to thank you, Rebecca, for going out of your way for us. White-male bashing, though far more pervasive these days, is far from being new -- appearing long before feminism became a movement: look back at the prototypical family TV sitcom: "Ozzie and Harriet." Ozzie was a boob whom Harriet had to save every week. My main complaint is that it has ruined TV cop shows -- a genre I used to enjoy. Now you know it's always the rich, white guy [or the rich white corporation] who did it. [And then there are the gratuitous lefty political turds thrown into the story lines -- but that's another story.] I write from New Zealand, our Prime Minister Helen Clark has created a truly 'feminist state' - it is appalling and this ideology is entrentched in bureaucracies, administrations and throughout public sector here in NZ. Our schools, early childhood centres even health is rife with socialist/feminist principles. As a result we are seeing boys failing in education and socially too. The tide (public opinion) is starting to turn here and we have an election next year. As a mum to a 7 year old son I try to make the difference in his life and so does his dad. Even children's shows are full of feminist rhetoric. Tractor Tom shows a dominant Farmer Fi who makes her male worker look like a numbskull. Look at Mother's Day, we see allout displays of affection and gratitude (which is great and true) but when Father's Day comes around so much in the media send a message of "all men a re b******ds" and even the cards are comical in nature. Thanks for the honesty and pointing out that the pendulum has swung too far and now knocks down the pillar of commonsense and decency! Rebecca, (I love your name) I enjoyed your article on male-bashing. My husband has just been promoted to an executive-level job. He's replacing a woman who is retiring. The local newspaper did an article her and how she did so much for women and minorities. At the end the article mentioned my husband, and that he is a white male. What hypocrisy! Can you use another e-mail? There are ill-bred white males out there. There are also ill-bred white females as well as minorities of both genders. So what? Ill-bred is ill bred, whether Don Imus or, say, Rosie O'Donnell. My pet peeve is the pampered male athlete who uses his physical strength and prestige to mistreat women. And there've ben plenty of examples of that thru the generations. The psychology of many sports, as well as the military, is often mysoginistic. How many coaches and top sergeants call lagging athletes or military trainees some form of "girlie-men"? Unless these young men have strong mothers, and fathers who model respect for women, they will think nothing of abusing women off the field or duty. However, there are plenty of male athletes who don't misbehave, who take seriously their responsibility to be a positive role model, esp. to young fans. I'd like to know where the mom of the Coast Guardsman lives and where her son went to high school. I've a 15 yo son I'd be happy to introduce her to. He's finishing his freshman year of high school. His ambition is to enlist in the Army, possibly upon h.s. graduation. As he sees it, a three-year enlistment followed by college on an ROTC scholarship could put him on a faster track to his ultimate ambition to be an Intelligence officer. This is a Patton, DeGaulle, or Cromwell in the making. Our public high school in suburban Philadelphia has graduated a signifigant percentage of people who then enlist in the military. Ironically, the lower the income level, the higher the percentage of enlistees--if they don't go to prison first. The military has long been a ticket to the middle class. Actually, this situation's better than a generation ago. My husband graduated from college in 1969, enlisted in the Army, and spent a year in Viet Nam. While he wasn't greeted by anti-war activists, we both knew others who were. The current all-volunteer military demands a level of intellectual sophistication unneeded in the past. College grads are much more common than in our day. What's most unfortunate is the treatment of men in second-tier sports. Dropping these programs to meet Title IX requirements is a major reason why men are increasingly a minority on college campuses. This is a tragic waste of talent. Another injustice are the outreach programs in low-income communities that target girls but neglect boys. The girls, having been mentored, nurtured, and encouraged, have advanced into careers and lives they'd never dreamed of having. But where are the men who will do the same for boys? In many schools, it's truly a case of girls rule, boys drool. Girls are their class officers, newspaper editors, student government presidents, newspaper and yearbook editors, etc. Boys, otoh, are the majority of special ed students and disciplinary suspensions. Men need to organize as women did to redress this injustice, just as women did. I just hope they can do it without the whining that's characterized much of the women's movement. Just the facts, Ma'am (or Sir)will do. Dear Rebecca, On behalf of every man I know, thank you for offering up some defense of dads and husbands countering that we are all belligerent, lazy, clueless men; more interested in Sports Center and other televised sports than in our families and their interests. I have long objected (silently, I am sorry to say) to what the media felt was correct, to a point where I haven't watched the nightly news on the big-three networks, rarely watch the "must-see TV" and monitor what my 14 year old daughter watches. She still chooses the shows she'd like to veg out to, but I often watch to assure its appropriateness to our values. What I do see is that girls are all-powerful, boys are sex-crazed idiots, black kids speak a language often devoid of verbs, and teachers are often worse than the girls' clueless parents. Sigh. What gets me is that if a Hollywood producer put together a show about boys being smart and cool, with the girls and minorities portrayed as lacking, they would would be laughed out of the community. Keep up the good and family-first work, perhaps someday.....we shall overcome...the politically incorrect liberal bias. hi.... I am a political hybrid .. you are so right on on this..topic.... alot of my my consevobuds are yessemm mammm .. when it comes to this castration... they do not even see it in carp... christian american republican princesses.. my liberals buddies see the women agenda shoved down our throats and are very militant against the feminazis =or more than republican dudes... on this issue we can bond and share the gospel with unsaved liberals. keep up the great work.. thoses of us with son's salute you... Dear Rebecca! Unless one is a complete idiot you can`t help but notice what has been going on these past few years. As a combat veteran in Vietnam, retired employee of the FAA and real estate investor for the past40+ years I have a built in sense that we are a society in decline. Look around you, no one is happy . I have always prided myself in being a problem fixer.. I bought my land in a foreign country last year and expect to start construction on my new home by the end of the year.. Good males are still appreciated in other socities.. In all 30 societies that I have visited I have found that to be the case... Just don`t forget to send my retirement check, but if not I have fixed that problem also.. Thank you! I substitute teach and see the boys relegated to "girly" activities, reading material, etc. The boys look shocked and relieved when I comment, "Fellas, I bet you find this story boring." Another thing the boys hate is that so many girls are given boy's names. Currently I have a son in prison because of false testimony of abuse. He had custody of his son and was an excellent dad. This has been a heartbreaker. I guess I missed the first column about this subject. I'm married to someone EVEN MORE MALIGNED: a man with a country background. We're from Texas. My husband has a very strong Texas country accent. Believe me, if any liberal wants to make fun of someone, a person like him is the one they pick. Watch movies on tv. Frequently, the villain is cast as a corrupt Southerner or a country guy with Deliverance-type motivations. Or he's someone who wants to drag people of color behind his pickup with a chain. You know, all these things have happened sometime. Obviously (to you and me), it doesn't mean everyone from the South/Texas/the country is that way, but that's what the media would have you believe. I'm really sick of it. My husband raised 2 great children and, though he didn't graduate college, retired from IBM (in the plant) after 27 years. Are these media people really that productive? Exactly what do they produce? Are they as wonderful and nice as my husband? Are their children as good and productive as his are? What can they say in their own defense? You and I and your other readers know the answer to these questions. How can they justify such a rediculous assertion. We're almost the only one of the species who isn't looking for a government handout to pay for our cars and illegitimate children. Perhaps we need a movement, and we can call it "N.O.W.M." (national organization of white males). Thanks for the fine article. I would like to address this E-Mail to all Americans but particularly to the Democratic Left and a few miss guided Republicans. All Americans, through our Congress and the President asked our men and women in uniform to go to war in Iraq. These are our Husbands & Wives, Brothers & Sisters, Aunts & Uncles, Cousins & Grandchildren, Friends & Neighbors. We asked all of them to go to war knowing it would mean that they had VOLUNTEERED to give their Life's Blood, their Limbs, their vary Lives if necessary to win this war in Iraq, for God & Country. The all responded to our call with out reservations. Today many Leftist/Democrat Leaders of the House and Senate like Reid, Pelosi, Murtha, Kennedy, Clinton, Obama, Biden, Dodd, Johnson, Kerry, Nelson, Boxer, Feinstein, Lugar, Grassley, Davis, to name a few, together with some "Fellow Traveler" Republicans are telling those Husbands & Wives, Brothers & Sisters, Aunts & Uncles, Cousins & Grandchildren, Friends & Neighbors that the GIVING of THEIR LIFE'S BLOOD, THEIR LIMBS, and THEIR LIVES has been a WASTE. That they should CUT & RUN and Bare the Shame" of SURRENDER. Senator Reid has even told the enemy and our Troops that "That we have lost the War". This is what so called American like those cited above did to the Men and Women in Uniform that answered Americas call in Vietnam. I Know that God and a very special place in Heaven for these Men and Women in Uniform that fought and gave their all. I pray that God also has a very special place in Hell for those that are willing to WASTE these Men and Women and all they give. Further I believe this has been done in their thrust for Political Power and not for what is best interests of America. I am one of those Vietnam Vets, and remember we were spat upon and called Baby Killers in addition to our forced SURRENDER. Hello Rebecca, I think a big part of the male bashing that occurs on television is related to marketing. Women make up the primary target demographic that the advertisers are selling to. So it only makes sense to make all the women look smart and men stupid on these shows so that women will be more likely to watch and sit though the commercials. The show "Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman" was canceled not because it had poor viewership but because the wrong people were watching it, young to middle age men and not women, not the audience the sponsors wanted to target. (I was told this by a Nielsen ratings worker.) I also know of a case where a police officer was accused of abuse by his wife when she started divorce proceedings. But he was not relieved of duty because police officer wives had done it so many times before the department tended to ignore those complaints. Perhaps the school programs of self esteem developing are focused more on the girls and they grow up more likely being unable to suffer criticism? Rebecca, Try being a white male overweight and bald!!
May I add my name to the many "silent" objectors to the ever expanding sport of male bashing. I agree that the male instinct, in matters of this sort, is not to openly retaliate. However there is an effective option each individual can exercise. When a negative ad is run make a note of the company and product. Then, simply make a conscious effort to avoid using those products. Sounds like an insignificant action but the eventual cumulative effect could be enormous.
Rebecca, Excellent column on male-bashing! You are one of the very few media people who dare to point this out. I'm not sure if any of your other readers mentioned this, but why is it considered okay for a woman to bash and even get revenge at her ex-husband or ex-boyfriend? A guy who does this against his ex-wife or ex-girlfriend is considered, at best, a wimp, and, at worst, some kind of "psycho." It seems that there's a double standard that says it's a woman's prerogative to treat a man any way she wants, but a man who mistreats a woman is evil incarnate. Feminists want to have things both ways. They'll maintain that women are equal to men in every way -- except when it's more convenient for them to be unequal! Bravo! My wife thinks I am overly sensitive on this subject. Perhaps I am; but at least I now know I am not alone. This developing cultural bias doesn't really affect this 72 year old. But, I do have two grand-sons, and I sometimes wonder if there will be a place for them in the future. I do not watch TV shows that feature stupid males; and I have started a personal boycott of products that are guilty of this in their advertising. Since, I am not part of the "demographic" they appeal to they couldn't care less. It is just a matter of personal satisfaction. Miss Rebecca, It has long been my contention that there is in America one group that you can malign or discriminate against with impunity: the White Anglo-Saxon Protestant College Educated Middle Aged Male Professional (WASPCEMAMP). Since it is assumed that this minority holds all political power, they supposedly are an easy target. The reason we don't whine and complain is, we don't want to sound like girls! You're so "right on!" I've noticed the majority of TV programs have the dad come across as a total bumbling idiot, while his teen age daughter has all the wisdom of Soloman. They talk back to their parents and show no respect. It's no wonder our public school teachers have such a tough time with the students when that is the message they receive in the media. Thanks for your column. Ms. Hagelin, bravo to you for the "male bashing column." This phenomenon is not only feminist driven, it is PC driven. Note, for example, the single venue of TV commercials. In the vast majority of situations, the WHITE male is the dolt or fall guy. (Watch and record your observations as I have) I have found nothing about this in Brent Bozell's columns, and have brought it to his attention. For how long must white males suffer through societies guilt-filled over reaction to past injustices? Companies are so fearful of portraying blacks in a bad light that they over compensate and regularly use white males as the brainless, technology-ignorant, insensitive, oblivious, indecisive, impatient, do-nothing father, husband, coworker, etc., etc. It seems to me that white males have a long history of accomplishments in the arts, industry, science, the humanities, and virtually every field in which TV portrays them as deficient. Wow! I never though the day would come when I would have to remind myself of my own personal worth. I am certainly not shown in the best light in the media. Thanks. Thanks for writing this long-overdue column, Rebecca. My wife has gotten used to my critique of all the TV and radio commercials that portray men as total idiots, in direct comparison to the "all knowing, all wise" woman standing there rolling her eyes at his idiocy. I use the same three words every time - "more male bashing." She agrees with me that if most of these commercials were flipped around and the woman were routinely portrayed as clueless, the radical feminist organizations (with purple-faced, bug-eyed outrage) would be demanding boycotts of the products. Some of the commercials are funny, and occasionally a commercial will portray the woman as an idiot or clueless. When I see one of those, I say "whadda you know, a little female bashing!" But my abiding concern is that the commercials are symptomatic of the larger anti-male bias in our culture. And we are thankful that our 15-year old son has not allowed that to affect his self-confidence and how we relates to girls. He holds his own well, and at this stage in his life, he views male-female relationships often as "too much work" (his words). May God continue to bless your excellent work! Hello! I am a young male age 23 and I loved you article on male bashing. I read through the feedback left on the site and wanted to add my two cents in. Everyone says men need to stand up and correct these problems, and yes they are right. The problem though with getting started is that these views are so pervasive. Men are not ALLOWED to weigh in. If a man speaks up about his mistreatment he is labeled a racist, sexist, patriarch, or whatever they want at the time. Now this isn't so bad if it was just names. However, many people believe so much that the names stick and almost brand you. As seen in the Duke rape case just the mere accusation of harassment or rape will have people ready to tar and feather you. So being the first man to stand up and do this is extremely difficult. Many women see the problem but don't speak up. they are indifferent to the plight faced by their menfolk. Some allow it to happen because it means more privileges for them. I have seen some Male organizations that have tried to attack this problem and most have been attacked by Feminist organizations for their views. The Feminists label them as oppressors or angry men. They brush off the critism as coming from men who were rejected by women and therefore bitter. I really hope things start to change, but until they do a lot of guys I know are just staying away from women. Thanks for your time! Ever hear the Public Service Announcements("PSAs") on the radio? They ended, "A message from this station, and the Ad Council...". Here are the synopses of a few: The first is to combat "discrimination" & has two similar versions. In radio commercials, the first instant sets the tone. You hear a "white guy" voice, with a nasaly "white guy" tone, "Hi-i-i, Bob". They are cave men who seek fire(or in the other version, office managers reviewing job candidates), but the only people who have fire are women, gays, blacks, and/or cripples. So, the cave men are "forced" to do without, because as white males, they cannot overcome their innate prejudices, & lower themselves to associating with undesireables. Ditto for the similar version, where the two office managers lament -- after ticking off the list of otherwise-qualified applicants & their unavoidable "flaws"(female, gay, black, crippled) -- "Yup, too bad. Not one qualified candidate". Would you ever hear, say, a PSA featuring two black females turning up their noses at various job cantidates dissimilar to themselves, to illustrate the same point? Perhaps the most telling of them, however, is the one that goes out of its way to deliver a clear, albeit secondary, message, that of female superiority. In this one, a girl(probably age 10 or 11) is a Little League pitcher - on a boys' team, of course. It's the one that you used to hear her say, "And then, I threw my HEAT" , which strikes out the (boy) batter, & wins the game. I don't even recall the primary message, but the secondary message (if not the "true" primary one) was that any girl -- simply because she IS a girl -- can easily outclass, humilliate, and emasculate her clumsy & inferior counterparts, and achieve a skill rare even among boys: that of winning pitcher in baseball. Again, what the actual intent of the ad' was, I don't recall, but of all the "plot vehicles" that could've been used, they deliberately created one that's a stretch by any measure, because of this plot line's added(if not intended) benefit of humiliating the male sex. Oprah Winfrey? A long-running commercial of hers ran show clips, & one clip features Oprah up in the audience getting a comment from a woman. I don't know what the topic was, but the woman states that if she caught HER husband doing that, "...I don't have to tell you what body part I'd hang him from". Oprah leans back in laughter, & the audience joins her. Sure, it's "like company" as opposed to "mixed company", but imagine the reverse... A now-defunct sitcom, "Down the Beach" featured a scene where a girl holds up a chef's knife to a male roommate, & threatens, "If you lay one hand on her, I'll de-SEX you". Imagine the reverse. At the time, the Lorena Bobbit case was still fresh in the public's mind. Such plot takes abound in sitcoms. Why is it a classic sitcom / movie line, "You KNOW what happens to LITTLE BOYS in PRISON, DON'T you?". If being sodomized is such good medicine, why isn't it perscribed universally? Imagine the dialogue featuring a young, teenage female being motivated with the threat of sexual violence -- say, leave her off in a bad neighborhood to set her straight. TV PSA's. I recall one that warns the public about the dangers of smoking around children. Suddenly, a "dad" is available to be featured, but alas, he is ultimately flawed : as he silently watches his son (silent, lest he show some redeeming feature such as being involved with his child, etc.), his cigarette fills the air with equally silent & deadly smoke. Why are there no commercials showing the more likely culprit, a smoking mother? Why are nearly 100% of "domestic abuse" PSA's that where white males abuse their white wives or their children? You'll never see that frustrated mom who twisted the baby's arm until it broke. Recall the PSA where the couple is going to bed, & from the apt. upstairs, the man is berating his wife (but the downstars couple opts not to get involved). The woman being abused is crying out in emotional pain, as she reels from one insult after the next(or, she is struck, I don't recall). If "violence" is so bad, howsabout a PSA where a mom is wailing on her kid? I've always made the bet with anyone who'll take it: the next episode of "physical abuse" I or they will witness will be a woman wacking the daylights out of a kid. It was the last one, & the one before that, and it'll be the next one, in all liklihood. Even the ultra-liberal comedian & host of "Politically Incorrect" Bill Maher shakes his head at this one. As he says it (in referring to contemporary female roles in movies), it is "women kicking a##". In modern cinema, simply by virtue of being female, a 98lb waif can deftly dispatch a 200lb male bruiser, & never say "ouch". But this goes even into kids movies: remember Disney's "The Story of Huck Finn". The girl in the movie -- in a church at the time -- reels back & punches Huck (I don't know the reason, but if a girl hits a boy, no questions asked, he had it coming), giving him a "shiner". And, too, where once the plot consisted of two or three boys on an adventure, well, now? There's always a girl, who's not only equal, but "more equal" -- never missing a chance to put the boys in their proper place, never just "as good" but "better" -- more capable, more clever, more sensitive, more moral, etc. Like the Disney movie "Mulan" featuring "girl as capable warrior". Pleeeze. Harry Smith was interviewing Julia Roberts about a then-recent movie of hers. In this movie, a man walks into a cabin, & the other female is instructed by Roberts' character, "Stall him!". The woman goes into the room, and as the man innocently strolls in, he is kneed in the testicles. But Harry -- ever the sensitive champion of feminism -- refers to the act in the scene, "...after he got what he deserved..."(what did he do to deserve THAT?). Of course, the testicle shot(or kick, or animal bite, etc.) is a staple, even in children's movies. The next time you see this, imagine a "vulva shot". In closing, I too, lament the endless stream of inept-guy, selfish-guy, dumb-guy roles given to men in TV shows & commercials(overweight / unshaven / T-shirt with untucked & open flannel shirt). His female foil is always more sophisticated, more attractive, & in the case of commercials especially, more savvy, finishing the job "smart"(and with a smirk) where the inferior guy plods along his "dumb" way. A good read on these topics can be had by reading Warren Farrell, PhD's work, especially, "The Myth of Male Power", where he features a parade of instances from media, law, culture, and politics where the supposed advantages of maleness are not in existance as would be assumed. Another good choice is "The War Against Boys", by Christina Hoff Sommers. One thing I can point out as one of those white males, is that we are to busy out earning a living to make much of a stink. It always seems to me that the people who make the most noise are those that have the most time on their hands. I am a consultant and besides tr5aveling constantly, I work tremendous hours. On my time off I want to do things I enjoy, not fight for a perceived injustice. One other point I love the saying "it's not what you are called, it's what you answer to". Most white males simply brush aside these comments and perceptions as they don't feel that they are the individual being insulted. I am not lazy and stupid, even if you call me lazy and stupid to my face it does not make me so. Therefor it does not faze me. The truth hurts and I feel that this is why most other groups get upset when they are labeled. If they did not feel that way about themselves, the words would have no power. Rebecca, I spent some (far too much) with my wife's family while we were building a house in rural Michigan. One day, the family (not me) were commiserating about my nephew's low self-esteem. I laughed and asked what they expected. Most days, my mother-in-law and sister-in-law drank coffee and commiserated about what oafs males were, and were always making sure they complimented the daughter (my niece). All within the ear-shot of my nephew. In another instance, my father-in-law asked my daughter to take her feet off of the chair and "sit like a lady". My mother-in-law was about to take off on him when I interrupted and told her to not go there. If she could constantly remind the boys to act like gentlemen, we could ask my daughter to act like a lady. I'm constantly getting push-back from my wife when I try to point out the femi-naziism of the media (not to mention the liberal-bent of the MSM), but she can fully buy into whatever Kool-Aid is being sold (like "Global Warming"). I was berated this morning for commenting to my son that teachers today teach to the morons in the classes (i.e., the slow learners). While it may not have been the best word selection, I did clarify who I was talking to, but in her view I called the entire class morons. And when I mentioned that he could ignore any reference to Global Warming in Discover magazine articles (and why: in virtually every "scientific" article, there is a reference to Global Warming at the end of the article), that was too negative also. It's a trial, and it's not just the media, I have to try to combat the feminism of my wife and some of her family members. And since my father-in-law fell off of the male self-defense wagon (not sure why, but about six months ago, he became unable to say no word against females or his wife), I'm all alone. And by the way, all of the female in-laws (and a significant portion of the males) don't understand the issue. If you add just one more descriptive term, the derogatory comments and characterization of the white male becomes unbelievable; a Southerner. For quite some time, I have completely bypassed the major networks and their "programming". For entertainment, I use the channels such as AMC where the older movies are shown, mostly without the incompetent, bumbling white male. I have noticed that The Hallmark Channel has been running a series of movies inwhich, although the male is not a bumbling idiot, most often, it is the female who possesses the logic, common sense and understanding that brings the conclusion to a positive ending. Would it not be a marvel to enjoy programs, movies and commercials where everyone was treated as decent and intellegent? I have for the past few years taken the stance of sending an email to sponsors who's tv commercials I find offensive or obnoxious explaining that to create such a commercial requires a staff of very immature people. Very few are appreciative. Good Afternoon, Thank you so much for your column "Blow Off Steam" Over Male Bashing. While I do share your opinion that the majority of White Males in America are portrayed as bumbling dolts, you need to remember Hollywood had a head start on portraying Black Men in pretty much the same fashion, and even worse in some cases. Here are a few examples: Steppin' Fetchit, Willie Best, Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, Oscar Polk, just to name a few. These are just a sample of Black actors who were often featured in films as The Devoted Servant or Slave, The Fearful and Quaking Bug-eyed Fool, or just someone a White male actor could call 'Boy'. In addition, prior to the Feminazi Movement, you did have a few White Males on Television that were none too bright: Don Knotts' Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show, Tim Conway's Ensign Charles Parker on McHale's Navy, Ken Berry's Captain Wilton Parmenter, along with Larry Storch's Corporal Randolph Agarn on F Troop. The only difference between then and now is that the Radical Left has taken Male Bashing--(Some) Black (Conservative) and (Majority) White to an all-time high. Just thought I'd share some Hollywood history with you. Yes, this bashing needs to stop Rebecca: during my lunch break I was pursuing townhall.com and saw your op-ed. I just wanted to add to the chorus of those who emailed you to thank you for your published articles on the topic and bringing this issue to the service. It appears more white males are concerned about this and it’s a difficult issue to combat while still being civil and humble. Well, I don’t want to go on and on, but wanted to give you a word of thanks. I have never been concerned about male bashing personally. Male bashing, however took a different look in education. I was a teacher for 39 years and watched as the education establishment began to focus almost entirely on improving the educational opportunities for girls. For some reason, instead of win-win results, this trend became a win for girls loss for boys trend. From my observation, nearly eighty percent of the top ten students in most graduating classes are girls. Demographically there are more women than men being born, but the difference is not 80% women to 20% men. Ms. Hagelin, Great column and a few of my comments. Our founders understood the generational emergence of evil. There will always be a stable motive associated with scapegoating one group or another. Your kids and grandchildren will deal with this "bearing false witness" throughout their lives. Motives related to bashing males is somewhat like outsiders bashing America and blaming her for all that is wrong. MLK tried to increase our psychological sophistication by judging character apart from rather meaningless demographics such as gender or race. He most likely underestimated the arduous nature of accurately examining character. Our founders and Christ encouraged adults to internalize higher order principles which reside outside the subjective limits of one's own personality/character. This is one reason Americans are so outraged over this illegal immigration mess because our leaders cannot reach beyond their elite reasoning and follow the laws that are already on the books. Many everyday Americans underestimate the desperate dependency of our elected officials. Many think that dependency is just a welfare or substance abuse problem. Projecting false claims upon others offers adults with ulterior motives many defensive psychological benefits/rewards. Complaining about partners or spouses stabilizes many disordered marriages. Questionable motives associated with scapegoating today parallel those in our past when we discounted the value and dignity of minorities and women. The ulterior motives are the same, the target populations are different. I do not define personality along the shallow limits/demographics of gender. I talk about spouses and partners, not husband and wives. Personality resides beneath our demographics. Thanks for your time and column. I hope this will help all Americans understand what our founders were thinking. They may have been the most psychologically sophisticated group of adults in world history. Dear Rebecca, Thank you for the column on male bashing. I realize is it fashionable to beat on white males, however, I take a different view of the issue. I simply do not care. For the last 40 years I have gotten out of bed early each morning, gone to work and supported those around me the best I can. I own a small construction company. My one son-in-law works for me. My company supports me and my now retired wife (retired due to being disabled through the criminal actions of two thugs), my only daughter (and son-in-law) and her family (3 grandkids), supports my elderly mom and dad and my wife’s elderly parents. We pay 100% of our employees and dependents medical care, give them 30 days paid leave each year and every holiday we can find or make up is turned into a 4 day holiday. Any excuse for my employees to take a day off is fine with me. We donate as much as we can to others, including donations (in the blind) to a local animal hospital that uses the money to pay the bills of animal owners who are otherwise unable to fund the care of their companions. We rescue Scottish Terriers – 11 so far and 7 still with us. So, where do I find the time to feel sorry about being the white, male, heterosexual, family oriented, non-smoking, non-drinking, non-drug using, and non-philandering victim? I don’t. I just do my best for those I care for and for those I can help. Who cares what others think! I refuse to be a victim, to think like a victim, to act like a victim or to let others victimize me by controlling my thoughts. Keep up the great writing. Hi Rebecca, I've been saying the same thing for a long time; you always see the overweight, balding dolt of a dad/husband on TV. One thing I've noticed is that they always pair the doofus up with a brilliant and beautiful wife. Makes me think, if she's so brilliant, how did she end up with such a Homer Simpson?!? :) Thanks Rebecca - I enjoy your writings. Dear Mrs. Hagelin; My wife, Rozanne, and I were at a presentation while visiting her alma mater (Convent of the Sacred Heart), in Greenwich, CT. Cokie Roberts was the speaker, with her subject being about the “Founding Mothers” of our nation (another book you should read). When it was time for the questions I raised my hand and then said “When people get angered about male chauvinism, it would be well to remember who raised them—their mothers for the most part. Their fathers are off fighting wars, working to support the family, or otherwise engaged, so it is left up to the mothers to raise the children…including the boys.” It only takes a small amount of time to look around today’s social environment to see that women are in charge of raising the children. Too often today’s mothers are so frightened about being politically incorrect that children, boys especially, are never exposed to anything that is not organized, orchestrated, choreographed and/or cute, that boys never have a chance to lead a normal boy’s life. They seldom are left to play on their own, go camping with the Boy Scouts, get into rough and tumble boyhood exercises, or “God forbid”, learn to use a firearm. No wonder there are so many who are the brunt of ‘male bashing’ especially by women who feel a need to denigrate their husband (who is only good for bringing home the bacon, and for breeding purposes). As an aside, is their any wonder we have the illegitimate teen age birth rate, and high divorce rates? It seems, to me, that Hillary and Pelosi are perfect examples of most of what is wrong with the country today. No wonder they want to cut and run… I have been married for over 30 years and I have never struck any woman in my entire adult life, let alone my wife. I brought up my son the same way. However, I also brought up my daughter to keep her hands to herself. Watch movies and TV today, and you will see women *punching* men for the most trivial of slights. If a man did that to another man, he would go to jail; but of course these women suffer no consequences and their actions are presented as laudable. What's even dumber is that these women, often petite, knock out big men with one punch. I was in the army for three years and brought up in a neighborhood where fistfights were common. Even a big man knocking out a man with one punch is rare indeed. Women want to be combat pilots, SWAT cops, and Navy SEALs. They learn every form of martial arts and these days, women over 5'10" are not uncommon. They may not be able to knock out a guy with one punch, but they can hurt. Yet they expect to use their fists on men without physical provocation and not be hit back. Every time you say anything, the feminists hide behind the statistics on spousal abuse, which is a totally different issue. Enough is enough. No man or woman should be a punching bag for anyone, male or female. Thanks again Rebecca, I fought this battle from 1984 until about 1998 and was only laughed at for being a whiner. Having served in Vietnam and a variety of other "macho" endeavors, I felt immune from being called a wimp, but most men don't/didn't have that advantage so they remain quite. American women (you and a few other excepted) should be ashamed of themselves. They have more rights than men have ever dreamed of and yet they endlessly complain. The right to even have a baby butchered, give it away or even sell it while we tell men they, "must take responsibility." 10% longer life expectancy while women grouse about inadequate health care. That complaint even when public health funds benefit women twice as much as men. No public responsibility even while men are dying for the society on a steady basis. Did you know that a father is nearly 20 times more likely to die while in the service of the family than is a mother??? Check the workplace fatalities.
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