Why Won’t We Talk About Violence and Masculinity in America?

[shcrane71]

http://msmagazine.com/blog/2012/12/17/why-wont-we-talk-about-violence-and-masculinity-in-america/

Young white men have entitlements and privileges that, when combined with disappointment, illness, loss and soul-strippingly unhealthy and common glorification of violence, can lead to tragedy. The only place I heard this discussed this weekend was on MSNBC’s Up with Chris Hayes, when Salon’s David Sirota pointed out that white men are really the only group in America that is “not allowed to be profiled.” We need more white men like David Sirota and Chris Hayes, who disproportionately make up our media experts and political leaders, to step up and talk openly about exactly this. About how ideas about whiteness and maleness are not only our unquestioned norms, but are imbued with an innocence and authority that makes it almost impossible to critically talk about them in terms of a pattern of horrific events like Sandy Hook.

[Romulox]

1. This story starts out with a false premise. Several "mass shooters" have been people of color.

Also, Adam Lanza was the son of a Wall Street banker. What privilege was slipping away from him, again?

[Comrade Grumpy]

2. I think I saw that 44 of 62 since 1982 were white guys.

So there is an issue there.

[Romulox]

3. 70%....seems less convincing than the author's "almost all angry, male and white..."

[Bluenorthwest]

4. How does that compare with populatoin percentage?

Without that comparison, the numbers mean nothing.

[Phillip McCleod]

5. almost all male even if not almost all white male

i think the conversation would go farther if we examined the masculinity correlation first and then look at the racial component. let's not forget that machismo and masculine posturing are not unique to white men. people of all races have a terrible propensity for violence that is completely lopsided along the gender line, whether the violence is domestic or military.

[lumberjack_jeff]

6. Short attention span theater.

Welcome to the quarterly "what's wrong with men" issue of Ms Magazine.

Seriously? Cognitive dissonance much? What you're doing is EXACTLY profiling.

[shcrane71]

12. So you're saying David Sirota and Chris Hayes should just shut up?

[S.A.M]

7. Gender role playing.

Masculinity has been used as tool for social engineering for hundreds of years. The great revolution of the 60's challenged sex role playing. We need another revolution to raise conscience for more independent thinking on role playing. That's my opinion

[Lydia Leftcoast]

8. American culture is INTOLERANT of males who do not fit the rough-and-tumble stereotype

Talk to any high school boy who lacks interest in sports and/or reads a lot or plays classical music or dances and/or is small and slight.

[shcrane71]

10. I know. I recently heard an interview of our state's lead correction officer.

The gist of what he said was that the late teenage years and the early 20s are the most difficult times for men in our society. He also said that it is unfortunate, even in our very white state, that the majority of the incarcerated men are non-whites.

It makes me think that these mass shooters, who are predominantly white, are falling through our justice system's net. Maybe we should be rooting them out more.

[DreamGypsy]

9. I am the masculine American man.. ...

... I kill, therefore I am.

Extreme violence is by no means limited by gender, nationality, race, age, education, religion, height, weight, eye color, or any other criterion for classifying human individuals, so feel free to substitute your own characteristics into the lyrics of this Phil Ochs' song.

Phil just happened to choose 'masculine' and 'American'...perhaps based on his experiences, the times in which he lived, and the hopes he had for change.

[WinkyDink]

11. Because this IS American culture. There's not going to be a radical make-over any time....ever.

Indeed, the nexus of masculinity and violence is as old as...well, pretty old.

[shcrane71]

13. Nor will there be an honest discussion of racism in America any time... ever.