A Place for Men

Why is American society such a problem for men? Women are wired emotionally. If they have issues or worries or even excitement, most women simply express those emotions verbally. In fact a lot of women will just wear their feelings on their sleeves so to speak. Men however are not wired this way. We are hard wired to action. We were built to take care of problems or prevent them if possible. It is against our DNA to talk because in our world talking is a waste of time that could be spent accomplishing something whether recreational or business.So what happens when things break down at the office home or our recreational time is not available? This is where the problems begin for a lot of men.

Men have ways, effective ways I might add of dealing with our emotions that do not involve words or talking to someone about them. For me my best therapy was going to the range and blasting off a few hundred rounds from my rifle or pistol. I no longer have the access and consequently the time that I used to have to take advantage of this therapy when needed most. I expect this should change soon but until then, I will have to settle for this blog. Yes I'm still using words, but for some reason it falls within the dude code because writing allows me time and distance to articulate what I want to say carefully. I also can't see my audience and I can walk away from those feelings on paper anytime I want. Writing also gives me a little sense that I've done something. Some men deal with things by grilling, jogging, going to the gym or playing some other sport. Some will even take their aggression on some deserving zombie in a video or computer game.

But from time to time dudes have those barber shop moments when we proudly demonstrate our man cards and collectively unite in a discussions that will solve all the worlds problems and maybe, just maybe solve one or two of our own issues. These moments don't just happen in barber shops. They can happen over a beers or Dr Pepper, or even at a camp site. I've even heard them at work.At these moments it's ok and everyone levels with everyone else. The fact that you came to the discussion with your issues at those designated times isn't looked upon as a sign of weakness but as a sign of real man attempting to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders with the expectation of being successful and conquering his challenges. It is a place where a man can be affirmed that this is expected of his kind and reminded of his true place and role in society. It's a place to get advice and gain some wisdom and knowledge from experienced men who have already walked down many paths for better or worse. It is a place where men hold each other accountable for being men.These places and moments seem to be increasingly absent from our American society and culture. That's just wrong. Men need those times and places more than anything today.

It is increasingly more difficult over the past decade for men to find anything on television geard towards us. Commercials are now more common where men are portrayed as bumbling fools before a snickering audience of females and men rolling their eyes in disgust. More and more movies and sitcoms portray women in leadership or leading roles in both acting and character. More products are being marketed towards women for women than ever before even though there is a huge market of products for men. In fact men are being increasingly ignored and  portrayed as irrelevant in America today. This attitude can even be found increasingly in Christian churches. Most worship services and styles are designed more for women. Even the music tends to lean this way. I'm sure this was not the intent but in churches for the most part. But on Mother's Day you may notice how mothers are idolized on a pedestal as goddesses while men tend to get a brief acknowledgement a long with a subtle sermon about how we can improve. This is not the norm for every church but is how I have observed in most churches ( and I have been to a lot of them.)

I love the song "I'm Still a Guy" by Brad Paisley. I find the words to this very relevant. Nothing further needs to be said about this song. Just listen to it carefully and think. I'm not offering up some solution that will magically restore mens' true place and purpose in American society overnight. What I'm merely suggesting to men is that we were all born and created to be men. Don't change from what you were created and designed to be just because our feminized culture expects you to change and adapt to its view. From one man to another, fill your world with ideas, people and atmospheres that will encourage your proper place in the world. We'll discuss that role in greater detail another time.

The People Have Spoken

Here are the results from a recent poll from Personal Liberty. The people are speaking. Enough said. 

The Total Number of people who voted in this poll: 485,213

1)	Nearly four years after the original $700 billion dollar stimulus, unemployment and foreclosures are still at record highs. Is President Barack Obama most to blame for the lack of economic recovery?
	65%  voted:  Yes.
	34%  voted:  No.
	1%  voted:  Undecided.

2)	In late 2008 and early 2009, the Federal Government bailed out "too big to fail" banks, Wall Street and U.S. Automakers. Do you believe government should ever bailout private business?
	22%  voted:  Yes.
	67%  voted:  No.
	11%  voted:  Undecided.

3)	Where do you feel government should most focus to speed economic recovery?
	26%  voted:  Job creation.
	14%  voted:  Tax code overhaul.
	42%  voted:  Reduced government spending.
	7%  voted:  Infrastructure spending.
	3%  voted:  Deficit reduction.
	2%  voted:  New stimulus.
	4%  voted:  Other.
	2%  voted:  Homeowner assistance.

4)	President Obama’s proposed American Jobs Act invests heavily in transportation, public school modernization, an extension of jobless benefits, payroll tax cuts for individuals and corporations plus state aid to prevent essential worker layoffs. Do you agree this will stimulate the economy and get American’s back to work?
	36%  voted:  Yes.
	56%  voted:  No.
	8%  voted:  Undecided.

5)

Which political party do you most closely align with philosophically?

23%  voted:  Democrat

27%  voted:  Republican

4%  voted:  Libertarian

18%  voted:  Tea Party

24%  voted:  Independent

4%  voted:  Other

The Ultimate Insult

I recently saw a news article about the Democrats' plans to raise taxes for all Americans across all tax brackets starting January, 1 2013. This is supposed to be the their response to the Republican's refusal to back Obama's plan to raise taxes on the wealthy. I thought this was interesting. I found this political strategy very intriguing for all kinds of reasons. I wanted to know who are these Democrats who believe it is logical to propose to raise taxes on all Americans just months before an election and not only expect to get their way but win the hearts and minds of Americans at the polls?

Lately I have been following a program that airs on ABC called Secret Millionaire. For those of you who have never watched or heard of this program, every week a millionaire leaves his company and family to live as a poor person and seek out volunteer programs in a rough part of town. Usually they will find a non-profit organization or individuals who are working hard to make a positive difference in their communities but are struggling for various reasons. These millioinaires will volunteer at these organizations to better understand what they do and their needs. At the end of the program the millionaire usually reveals who he/she is and presents a check to that organization, usually more than enough to cover their operating needs and goals for the foreseeable future. This is all great but I was recently touched by one episode I saw a few days ago. There was a lady in San Antonio who had been running an operation that helps the needy with basic chores and checks on their saftey at no charge. This lady also feeds hundreds of hungry people in her community who are so poor that some barely live off of a bag of groceries for one week. She doesn't make a dime from doing this. When expenses to help feed people rose, paid to keep the operation running out of a line of credit she opened. She kept this up running her self as deep in debt as she could for as long as she could be cause she love the people she took care of. Love wasn't' enough though and unless someone stepped in to meet her needs the operation would be forced to shut down leaving hundreds, may be thousands without any food assistance and the elderly without anyone to look after them. Fortunately a millionaire with a big heart who volunteered and saw first hand the struggles of everyone involved with this organization stepped in to help. He supplied the organization with a check large enough to not only cover their debt but their operating expenses for the foreseeable future. When I saw this it was hard for me not to be impacted or moved by how selfless all of these people were. I also realized that there was no government involved in this operation. These were just ordinary people like you and me who saw an immediate need and try to meet those needs by any means necessary, including putting themselves in debt to feed others.

Lately I have been hearing so many words in mainstream media like "occupy" and "1%." The wealthy are being shown contempt and being demonized as citizens by Democrats and liberals. In the political circles we have a Democratic party ready to raise taxes on all Americans to punish Republican politicians for not falling in line with Obama's agenda by raising taxes on the wealthy. The reason Obama gives behind this tax hike is that "we can't afford a tax cut for the rich." While I appreciate Obama's passion to cut our deficit, I would appreciate a common sense approach even better. I've heard dialogues before that try to define who liberals are and what they believe. Political and social conservatives generally see liberals as morally and fiscally defunct. Democrats and liberals typically see themselves as compassionate and believe it is their moral duty to make sure others are as well.  This drives most of not all of their political and social agendas. Republicans agree with the 1st part and this is where you will see most bipartisan efforts happen. Where Republicans and Democrats sharply disagree is on the ideology that it is one's duty to make someone else show the same compassion you do,  make them share your beliefs. 

Lets step back for a moment and look down on everything from a different plane of thought. What if we were to assume or suppose that there are no Democrats, Republicans or any other parties. There were just people, humans, Americans who all just happened to be in politics or politically aligned in some way. We don't know which way yet but it's not important for this thought. What if we assumed that all of these Americans in some way or form were capable of care and compassion for others. What if we assumed that they did not like to see or know that others are suffering? What if we assumed that if they were all empowered in some way, most if not all would gladly do what was within their means and power to help anyone else who needed it?

I believe government is essential and I'm thankful for it. I'm glad when I go to sleep at night I don't have to worry about enemy bombers penetrating our coasts and bombing my city and ruining my needed rest. There are paid military personal who are up worrying about all of that stuff for me so I can sleep in peace. I thank God for them! I paid for them to do this. It came out of my taxes. Taxes are essential.There are many other important and vital services that our government provides for it's citizens, all paid for by taxes. But when I see ordinary citizens who happen to be wealthy stepping up every day to help other citizens and other service organizations who badly needed it, it makes me proud. It might have taken weeks, months or even years for our government to arrange and then provide the same tax paid assistance that took a wealthy individual 1 day of voluntary assistance to accomplish.

Let me break down what his happening now. Congress is now attempting to collect more taxes from wealthy individuals whether they give or not. We have a large government that costs more money to maintain then we bring in on top of an already existing large deficit. And if Republicans do not agree to Obama's plan, Democrats plan to rob every American citizen on tax day. If you are wealthy, you will be robbed. If you are middle class you will be robbed. If you are poor, you will be robbed. You will all pay for the sins Republicans committed by not blindly following Obama's tax plan. If you just did the government a favor and payed off a struggling non-profit's debt... it's not enough. You will be robbed by the IRS and Democrats. If you bought groceries for a family who didn't know where their next meal is coming from, you will be robbed on tax day. By the way, if you are that struggling family that didn't know where your meal is coming from, the Democrats now want to rob you too. There is a direct juxtaposition between not just wealthy citizens but citizens of all tax brackets who are trying their very hardest to care for others and take care of their community and an ever growing oppressive government who continues to punish any attempt to do so outside of a government sanctioned program. All the time I see citizens trying to help others but are finding harder and harder to do so because either they can't afford it or some regulation got in their way. While it may not stop most wealthy people from giving it is still money that could have gone a lot further in the hands of it's owner rather than government. And while I can relate and support a doctrine of compassion that has become the credo of liberals everywhere, I can't and will not support any effort to enforce that doctrine. The minute it becomes enforced, compassion becomes diminished and so does the empowerment to help others. We are trillions of dollars in debt. Who do you think is better at managing and deciding what happens to my money, me or the government?

I like to believe that we still live in a compassionate country. We are still one of the highest giving nation in the world providing more international aid than any other country. I'm proud of this. We also have more domestic government programs to help our citizens than any other government in the world. While this may seem good my concern is that Americans will eventually become more dependent on the government then they are the generosity and compassion of others around and closest to them. Even worse, the ability of others to provide that compassion will be so severely punished and discouraged by an overreaching overbearing government that (here is a frightening thought...) only the government will be empowered to serve us and those we care about and love most while we can only sit, watch and pray for mercy. This, is not change I can believe in. But thank God we still have freedom and we still have a choice. November is coming. I will be at the polls and I will be voting for compassion and freedom to care. Will you join me? 

Friday

There is just something mysterious about Friday. There is the sense of freedom, letting go and peace. In my case it's a sense of finally having more time to do the things I've been too tired or too rushed to do during the week day. It's a chance to reflect over the many blessings I've been given. Here are just a few:

1. Time to spend with my son and wife.
2. The opportunity to work on some positive life changing decisions for my family and myself.
3. The chance to work with a 1st class production team to make a documentary that could change the face of Christianity.
4. Time to communicate with God.
5. Time to think.

I can already feel myself beginning to recharge.