The "Neutering" of the American Male

[-Cp]

Gone are the days when "Men were Men" who thought nothing about protecting the lives of Women and Children - gone are the days of T.V. when we saw this portrayed in programming on shows that were even as silly as a like Gilligan's Island. Many times - when faced with dangers, the men on the island would step out first in the face of danger in order to keep the women safe. In contrast to today's T.V. - where we now see the typical Male father figure dumbed down to the point of being a mouse snickering in the corner with a piece of cheese. Does Hollywood emulate life or is life emulating Hollywood?

Perhaps the problems we face in this day and age is a culmination of issues that have "neutered" our men:

1. An epic divorce rate that almost always bastardizes the man and leaves a single-mom raising her sons w/o a good male role model.
2. Dads who are still married yet can quote their favorite sports team’s statistics but can't tell you a damn thing about their kids' school grades.
3. "Career parents" - parents who place their earnings above the welfare of their kids and ultimately make their kids pay a horrible price of being raised in Day Care or raise themselves.
4. "It's all about you son" - this ideology that teaches everyone to "look out for #1" - "make sure you always take care of you" is popular vernacular these days.

In light of the school attacks we've seen over the past few years I can't help but wonder what the outcome would be in these horrible scenarios if even 1 or 2 boys and/or young adult males stood up as "MEN" and stepped out to attack the aggressors in an effort to protect the women/girls in the classrooms where these crimes were perpetrated.

How is it we now have boys who are so worried about self preservation that they don't - for a second - step up to the plate in face of danger and at least attempt to take action. Instead - like sheep - they line up in order to be killed execution-style as was the case we read about now in the recent Virginia Tech massacre.

My wife and I will be sitting all of our kids down and talking to them about the importance of making sure to always do what's right even if it means stepping out in the face of danger in an effort to protect others.

Hind-sight is always 20/20 for sure and the point of this isn't to pour salt on any wounds of those families who lost loved ones but it is meant to underscore how (generally speaking) our men have turned into mice.

[darin]

It's been said one of the most grave injustices bestowed upon our children is the idea that nothing is worth fighting, or dying for.

[Trigg]

I was surprised that no one jumped him, especially when I heard about him lining people up and shooting them in the head.

Then again, I don't know how I would have reacted since I've never been in a situation where I needed to defend myself.

[Trigg]

In contrast to today's T.V. - where we now see the typical Male father figure dumbed down to the point of being a mouse snickering in the corner with a piece of cheese. Does Hollywood emulate life or is life emulating Hollywood?


My husband and I have noticed this going on for years. I don't think there is a sitcom out there that doesn't have an idiot father with an all knowing wife.

The hubby blaims womens lib.

[Abbey Marie]

My husband and I were talking about this. One of the witnesses to the shootings, a strong looking young man, said Cho ran out of ammo and stopped to reload the same gun (the .22) I was wondering why no one took that opportunioy to tackle him. The guy who told the tale took that time to burrow in deeper under some desks.

All you gun guys out there- wouldn't there be enough time to tackle someone who is reloading? Or is it done too quickly?

[darin]

Confusion and Panic. Unless I've been in that situation I can only brag about what I'd HOPE to do...and that is, pummel that son of a bitch (no offense to his mother) into submission with whatever I could find.

[glockmail]

My husband and I were talking about this. One of the witnesses to the shootings, a strong looking young man, said Cho ran out of ammo and stopped to reload the same gun (the .22) I was wondering why no one took that opportunioy to tackle him. The guy who told the tale took that time to burrow in deeper under some desks.

All you gun guys out there- wouldn't there be enough time to tackle someone who is reloading? Or is it done too quickly?

Two guns and multiple clips- could be very fast reloading. But that wouldn't have stopped me from picking up one of those chair-desk things, flinging it at the guy, then picking up a second one, holding it in front of me and going right at the little prick. The 5 or 10 seconds of distraction may have given another real man or two time to pick up his desk and do the same thing.

What I don't understand is why the campus cops didn't storm the damn building. That's their damn job. NYC fireman stormed the WTC after a much nastier threat.

[Kathianne]

From what I've read, less today, the ONLY one that acted 'heroically' was an elderly professor that was a holocaust survivor. Every other story has been on protecting oneself. Now there were those that carried out wounded, which was brave for sure.

[Mr. P]

In contrast to today's T.V. - where we now see the typical Male father figure dumbed down to the point of being a mouse snickering in the corner with a piece of cheese. Does Hollywood emulate life or is life emulating Hollywood?


My husband and I have noticed this going on for years. I don't think there is a sitcom out there that doesn't have an idiot father with an all knowing wife.

The hubby blaims womens lib.

I'm with him..sorry ladies, it did some good but I think it did far more harm.

[Hobbit]

There's a magic number, somewhere just shy of 30 ft. Within that range, unless the gun is ready to fire and already pointed at you, the shooter cannot bring the weapon to bear and fire before you close to melee. Even with a trained commando, you've got a good 3 seconds minimum to charge the guy if he's reloading.

Now, I've never had a gun in my face, but I've stood up and hit guys twice my size, knowing they would probably win a fight, just to let them know I wasn't going down quietly. The only way I'll die on my knees is if I have a stroke while praying.

[Gaffer]

Hobbit has it right. You have a range that you can act while someone is reloading. And unless your trained in combat reloading you won't be able to do it fast and keep an eye on your targets. But under panic conditions I'm sure no one there thought about that. They were just trying to get out of the line of fire.

Also it depends on what was between the shooter and the people he's shooting at. Desks, chairs, bodies? All that has to be navigated before you reach him. what would have been best would be for everyone to start throwing things at him as he tries to reload. That would give people time to rush him. But I'm sure none of that crossed anyones mind because it was not something anyone would even dream would happen in that setting.

[gabosaurus]

What a wonderful, virile board!! All of you would have risked your lives to attack a crazy person armed with automatic weapons!
Get real...every damm one of you would have been under a desk.

1. An epic divorce rate that almost always bastardizes the man and leaves a single-mom raising her sons w/o a good male role model.
My parents have been married almost 30 years. My mom and dad were both exceptional role models. How many of you are divorced? For shame!

2. Dads who are still married yet can quote their favorite sports team’s statistics but can't tell you a damn thing about their kids' school grades.
I guarantee that my dad pretty much everything important that went on in the lives of my sister and I. That is because he made it that way with a long list of rules and restrictions. My dad did not care for sports, but he still took me to Dodger games.

3. "Career parents" - parents who place their earnings above the welfare of their kids and ultimately make their kids pay a horrible price of being raised in Day Care or raise themselves.
My mom and dad both worked out of necessity. Most modern families require two incomes. Both my parents were home by dinner time each night.

4. "It's all about you son" - this ideology that teaches everyone to "look out for #1" - "make sure you always take care of you" is popular vernacular these days.
My parents had two daughters. You have to take care of yourself.

>>> What is the source for this 1950-ish piece of garbage anyway?