Men were once strong enough to conquer the vast wilderness that was America. They were raised to understand that adventure and honor are important to their character – using that knowledge, they turned the U.S. into a beacon of hope for what could be accomplished when strong men lead for the good of society and not themselves.
The taming of America was accomplished because men excel at the hard things –war, death, and safety. When masculinity reigns supreme, women have the freedom to be nurturers, putting our society in balance. In contrast, the despair clouding our modern society is the product of raising a generation of men without the awareness or the ability to lead.
They went from active participants to passive observers.
Where once violence was prevented by the protective threat of a strong male presence, now the innocent are beaten in the street by violent thugs while men sit back and record it on their iPhones at a safe distance. Instead of discovering new worlds, their idea of adventure is following their emaciated vegan girlfriend around Europe as she glues herself to priceless pieces of art in the name of climate change.
In all fairness, there is much to be said about the role women and the feminist movement played in ruining the hierarchy of society. Still, at some point, we need to admit that the only reason feminism was successful is because men allowed it to be. They can complain about being forced to bend the knee to a mob of unshaven Birkenstock wearers, but can you blame the women’s movement for pouncing when masculinity grew passive and showed its neck?
No one wants to be ruled by unaffected leaders. It causes resentment.
A healthy nation produces warriors like ex-NFL star Pat Tillman who left his lucrative football career to become an Army Ranger after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. He died in Afghanistan in 2004, leaving behind his wife. Sports writer Tim Layden later described Tillman as loyal and humble. “He just viewed life through a different prism than a lot of other people do,” Layden told Fox News at the time.
Layden was right. Tillman, with his sharp jawline and obvious masculinity, was the last of a dying breed. The type of man who understood what was needed to beat back the wolves circling the gates and didn’t hesitate. He married his wife, joined the military, and went about seeking glory. (RELATED: ROOKE: America Needs To Bring Back Shame)
But times have changed. Men no longer leave their jobs for an honorable legacy; they quiet quit because the office stopped providing free soy lattes. The elderly are openly attacked on the subway, gas stations are robbed, and vulnerable women fear being raped in broad daylight because our white knights are too busy creating the perfect fantasy football account to worry about the societal decline.
This is what happens when you strip men of duty. It mutes their sense of purpose needed to stand on the wall while the rest of us sleep soundly. Instead of protectors, our society is left with spectators.
Mary Rooke is a Catholic mom of four and author of the Daily Caller’s column featuring based takes on modern-day insanities. She also writes analysis for Patriot subscribers.
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller.