"Metrosexuals, Democrats, and Girly Boys"
Posted by Judson Cox
Tuesday, November 04, 2003
The debate of the week is whether Howard Dean is a metrosexual.
According to a report in the Denver Post, Dean during a breakfast speech in Boulder, ''declared himself a 'metrosexual,' the buzz phrase for straight men in touch with their feminine sides, as he touted his accomplishments in 'equal justice' for gay and lesbian couples.'' He then told ''...an anecdote about being called handsome by a gay man.
It’s hard to imagine any time in which Howard Dean's sexuality would be a welcomed topic over a meal, especially breakfast. Dean has a capacity for going several steps too far, with speed that would equal an Olympic runner.
Dean need not have declared himself a metrosexual. With the exception of Al Sharpton, none of the Democratic presidential candidates could be credibly accused of much masculinity. Reference Sen. Kerry's dainty eating when confronted with a Philly cheese steak, Sen. Edwards fondness of male cosmetics, or Sen. Lieberman's demure response to every outrageous statement made by Sharpton. Were Sharpton to rant about 'blood-sucking Jews- again, I wonder how quickly Lieberman would respond, ''Amen, brother.'' Even Gen. Wesley Clark, is not exactly possessed of testicular fortitude given his repeated waffling on every issue, his indecisiveness, and his downright bitchy jabs at the other candidates. General Clark is no General Patton, and neither is Rep. Kucinich who prays to the ''goddess of peace''!
None of the ''Nine Dwarfs'' could be confused with John Wayne as the archetype of American masculinity, but where are the men on the Republican side of the aisle? In the Senate, they are few and far between. Witness Sen. Orrin Hatch's tearfully impotent rage as Sen. Patrick Leahy in the Judician Committee plays keep-away with yet another judicial nominee. Even Majority Leader Sen. Bill Frist lacks a substantial spine. Frist crumples like wet tissue in the face of opposition. When the highly qualified Miguel Estrada gave up, the Democrats won a victory. Frist's response was to hope the Democrats would feel shame and agree to play fairly.
Regardless of their faults, the political heroes of the past were men. Consider Andrew Jackson, who fought duels over points of honor, or Sam Houston who died at battle of the Alamo. More recently, consider Sen. Joe McCarthy, Sen. Barry Goldwater, and especially FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover*. These men fought for what they believed and let the consequences be damned. Today's politicians are, as Ann Coulter so artfully puts it, ''girly boys.''
If there were one real man in the Senate, the vitriolic, wandering rants of Sen. Robert Byrd's would be answered by someone with the guts to say, ''You were a Kliegle in the Ku Klux Klan! You have no moral authority here!'' Or, when Sen. Kennedy accuses President Bush of lying, bribery, and going to war for political gain--a charge that is demonstrably false--he would be denounced. There is not one senator serving today who has the guts to remind people of Kennedy's role at Chappaquiddick. No one has the guts to tell him to go jump in a lake! If there were an Andrew Jackson in the Senate, he would most likely face Sen. Kennedy and say, ''You have impugned the honor of the President of the United States, you have degraded the man and the office, and you are giving aid and comfort to our enemies. Step outside and let's settle this like gentlemen!''
Politicians would be wise to note the popularity of Donald Rumsfeld and Governor-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger, two definitely masculine figures. People should remember Col. Oliver North's popularity when he stood strong in the face of a liberal witchhunt. They should also remember President Bush's surge in approval when he reacted in a masterful and manly manner to the terrorist attacks. Courage, duty, and honor are the qualities found in our heroes, from George Washington to George W. Bush, and millions of pioneers, cowboys, and soldiers in between. These are the images we aspire to and the figures we love. No society fad of metrosexuality or feminism will replace that--not in the America I know.
*In anticipation of e-mail responses concerning J. Edgar Hoover, I will remind my readers that no credible evidence of his supposed cross-dressing has ever been presented. And remember that the gay-baiting of prominent conservatives is a tactic frequently used by liberals to smear the opposition.
Judson Cox is a freelance writer from North Carolina |
