The Myth of the Masculinity Crisis?

Robert Stacy McCain posts on the “Myth of the Masculinity Crisis”:

“Men’s Studies” is a racket just like “Women’s Studies” is a racket. The key difference is that feminists exercise veto authority over what is taught in Men’s Studies classes, whereas men are not allowed to criticize the anti-male ideology taught in Women’s Studies. Everything taught in university classes now must conform to feminist doctrine — dissent is impermissible — so that Women’s Studies is about teaching women to hate men, and Men’s Studies is about teaching men they deserve to be hated.

I do think that men are having hard times and that there is a political, social and legal backlash against men that needs to be addressed. A masculinity crisis implies a problem with men themselves and I don’t think this is the case. There is, instead (as Stacy mentions) a problem with the liberal social justice warriors who want men to be defective girls. This is in order for them to manufacture a crisis in order to make harmful policy.

At the end of the post, Stacy gives advice:

The weak and helpless need heroes who are strong and brave. Do not let weaklings tell you that your strength makes you a “bully,” and never let cowards make you ashamed of your courage. Do not seek praise from fools. They mock the hero because they resent his greatness, and express their envy by ridiculing his virtue. Do not let yourself become discouraged because you are misunderstood. To be insulted by fools is an honor.

Resist the temptation of self-pity. Never blame others for your own failures. When you find you must suffer for the evil that others have done, do not expect anyone to help you, but be grateful you have the strength to endure suffering. Survival is victory, when you are surrounded by enemies who wish you dead, as heroes so often are.

Laugh in the face of danger. You are a survivor. You have lived through hard times before, and have the scars to prove it. Hold your head high and be happy for each new day. Every new challenge is a chance to show those sons of bitches they can’t beat you. And if you ever find yourself in a moment of doubt, just ask yourself, “What would Rick Blaine do?”

I get where Stacy is going here: don’t let others define you or take your courage or bravery. However, as much as we need heroes, not every man may be one. Remember, being a hero is admired because it is more rare than typical. And why should men have to be heroes in order to deserve fair and just treatment in our society? The Constitution doesn’t say only the brave have rights. Men who do not have the qualities of a hero deserve justice as much as the next man or woman.

A free society demands due process and liberty for all citizens regardless of his or her sex and while the traits of strength and bravery are good ones, those without these traits do not deserve nor should they endure the harmful policies that social justice warriors and their political allies try to set forth in order to destroy them.

Asking “what Rick Blaine would do” is a bit of white knighting. Asking what a free man in a free society should expect might be more helpful. We are not living in those times and our society does not value liberty and freedom. This is the real crisis.