Bullying Isn’t a Masculine Virtue

[pokerfan]

Bill Maher is getting tired of conservatives touting their masculinity while dismissing liberals as pussies and pansies, and in his show-ending New Rule Friday night, he said that Democrats need to stop letting Republicans claim that “they’ve got the big balls” because, as Maher put it, being a bully is not a real masculine value.

Maher was spurred on by conservatives piling on President Obama for saying he wouldn’t let his hypothetical son play football because of how dangerous it is, because apparently “any critique of our holy religion football is blasphemy… and brain injuries are fun.”

Maher trashed all the “non-serving chicken hawks (who) see themselves as the tough guys” when really, he said, they have all the bluster of a “blogger in his bathrobe.” He said Republicans have gone from Teddy Roosevelt‘s “speak softly and carry a big stick” to Chris Christie‘s “speak loudly and be a big dick.”

He said, “Bullying isn’t a masculine virtue, standing up to bullies is,” and mocked the idea that having second thoughts about sending troops into war is somehow a bad thing.

Video at link: http://www.mediaite.com/tv/bill-maher-rips-the-%E2%80%98bluster%E2%80%99-on-the-right-%E2%80%98bullying-isn%E2%80%99t-a-masculine-virtue%E2%80%99/

[Whisp]

1. “speak loudly and be a big dick.”

omg Bill, sometimes I truly love and appreciate you and your wit.

Other times you yourself are that big dick speaking loudly about shit you don't know. But who is perfect, right?

[awoke_in_2003]

12. That was great...

I need to remember it.

[fishwax]

2. nice!

[meow2u3]

3. Rush Limbaugh's bedroom

"Talent on loan from God: furniture on loan from Liberace."

In other words, Rush must be a closet case.

[wilt the stilt]

7. uh yeah!

like it isn't obvious

[etherealtruth]

4. Bullying is NOT a masculine virtue

... but, it most certainly is a right wing virtue

[ck4829]

5. "If we can make everyone else look like effeminate weirdos, then we'll look like big strong men!"

Said by no sane person ever.

But strangely, this is how the American right wing has operated for as long as there has been an American right wing. And it doesn't matter what kind of right wing it is, paleoconservative, New Right, New New Right, whatever; this is a common denominator for them.

[AAO]

8. They truly have the mentality (and book learning) of grade school schoolyard bullies

[colorado_ufo]

9. Seriously . . .

Is there any one of these Repub "macho men" that any straight Dem woman would find even minimally attractive? Physically, mentally, morally, philanthropcially, philosophically, socially - whatever criteria you want to use - it's an epic fail all the way around.

[toby jo]

11. Naw, they get their pick from the ninny-ass crowd.

[awoke_in_2003]

13. Now I have...

"Macho Man" stuck in my head

[Initech]

6. The Hurt Blocker

[DamnYankeeInHouston]

10. One of Maher's best - so many quotable sound bites.

[jwirr]

14. Absolutely not. My granddaughter-in-law bullies everyone in our family. Her own children included.

[RC]

15. Anyone can be a bully, both men and women. Standing up to them is a virtue.

Being a bully is not confined to Right-wing men. Many people across the political spectrum, can be and are too.

[1000words]

16. This site proves it

[DirkGently]

17. Maher nailed it. They confuse belligerence with strength.

Ties into the whole "squishy-hearted liberal" theme, which is basically yet another rationalization for greed and exploitation.

So if generally being concerned about fairness, empathy, or the common good is weakness, bullying, cruelty and selfishness must be strength.

Apparently.