Real Men

Real Men
by Jason Shankel


There’s been a lot of talk lately about hate.  About misogyny and racism.  About bigotry and homophobia.  About xenophobia.  And religious intolerance.

And a lot of people are saying that these ideas are coming from men.

We are here to tell you they are wrong.  Those are not men.

Oh, they may be male.  But they are not men.

Real men respect women.  We don’t call them whores or sluts.  We don’t call them bitches or cunts.  

Real men listen to women. We don’t try to silence them with shame and intimidation.  We don't harass, bully or oppress.  Real men aren’t afraid to hear what women have to say.

Real men know that women are their mothers and sisters.  Their wives and girlfriends.  Their coworkers, friends and daughters.

Real men know that women are not the enemy of life.  They are the source of life itself.  And real men always trust the pilot to fly the plane. 

Real men do not tell our brothers and sisters that their love is not equal to others.  Real men don’t reject others for being different.  Real men put no dictionary nor any holy book in line ahead of love, family, community and commitment.

Because real men know what the real source of strength is.

Real men are not afraid of imaginary threats.  We are not frightened by the hate and the stupidity of others.  Real men understand that you cannot bomb your way to peace.

Because real men know the meaning of war.  Real men know that war is not a game.  It is not a toy.  It is not a campaign strategy.  Real men know that war may sometimes be necessary, but it is always wasteful, brutal, hurtful, destructive and tragic.

And real men know that we are not the only ones who fight when the time comes.  To die when the time comes.  Real men know that suffering and struggle are universal human experiences.  And real men know that our place in this world is to create less, not more, of these things.

Real men do not fear others because of the color of their skin.  Or the sound of their language. Or the name of their God.  Because real men know that there is more that binds us together than there is that separates us.

Real men know that we all breathe the same air.  That we all cherish our children’s future.  And that we are all mortal.

And real men stand up to bullies.  We do not sit idly by and watch our fellow humans, our brothers and sisters, our mothers and fathers, our comrades and lovers, submit to oppression.  To fear.  To intimidation.  Or to hate.

Real men stand up for the downtrodden.  Real men comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable.  

And real men...real men...real men will now show the world what real power looks like.

Real power is the power to build, not destroy.  To nurture and create, not starve or dismantle.  

Real men build teams.  We work together.  We are the backbone and the muscle of civilization.  Real men share the bounty of our labor.  Because we know that stand or fall, live or die, we are all in this together.

Real men do not take our ball and go home when we don’t get our way.  We don’t cry and pretend to be victims of the people we victimize.

Real men fight for what they believe in.  Real men stand up, turn into the wind, find the guiding star and bring their ship back home.  Real men are not afraid to face the world.  Rather they will stop at nothing, do whatever it takes, to nurture and protect it.

And now is the time to man up and vote.   It’s what real men do.

Oh, and real men also understand how oral contraception works.