This has been going on for most of one generation, all of the last generation.
When I was a kid, the heroes in the cowboy movies were men with outstanding character and moral principles. They treated their woman, and horses, well, most all animals, with respect. They fought bravely, usually defending someone else, and always for principled reasons.
I loved Roy Rogers, he could take on a whole barroom of bad guys with nothing but his fists, and not only win, he would not get a spot of blood on his light colored cowboy shirt, that was always clean and neatly pressed, even after days of being on the trail. Then to top off all of this heroic fighting, his white hat would not be even slightly jarred out of place.
Our heroes then did not kick a guy when he was down. They never shot anyone in the back, always face to face in a "fair" fight.
They were not cowards under any circumstances, they did not lie, cheat, or steal.
As a little kid, I would leave the Saturday Matinée feeling like one of those heroes, I tried to emulate them as much as I could. As I grew up, if I did get into a fight, I never, nor would my opponent, kick him when he was down. We would wait until our opponent fully recovered himself, and the fight would continue until there was a clear winner.
I tried to be as honest as I could, even if it meant a whipping from my dad. We also would take our punishment like a "man." The tears would never come until the lecture about how disappointed he was in me, and how I had let him, and my mother down.
So, as a result of all those Saturday Afternoon Cowboy Movies and WWII war movies, where the American Soldiers and Sailors were as brave and clean living as cowboys, I honestly believe me and my friends grew up to be reasonably decent guys.
I think the change started years ago, when the hero in some movie, I can't recall which, did something like telling the horrible bad guy, and he was a horrible bad guy, (our bad guys wore black hats) that if he put down his gun and come out, he wouldn't shoot him. So the guy comes out, and our hero shot him, and of course he did deserve to be shot. The dying bad guy has a look of disbelief on his face and started to say, "you said you wouldn't shoot me". Our hero looks him dead in the eye and says, "I lied".
I could not believe that had just happened right in front of my eyes, in the movies. I almost died myself laughing, so did everyone else. Of course that line got used into the ground in dozens of following movies and TV shows. It marked a change in how heroes acted.
Then the feminization of America kicked into full swing until now, the only leaders are woman and minorities. All judges are black females, unless they are crooked judges, then they are white, middle aged males.
It is politically incorrect to portray woman or minorities in roles that are in any way demeaning, or portrays them in anything less than a positive light. This is part of the movement so that woman and minorities will be inspired to grow up and become leaders, instead of followers. All movies use that formula, as do all TV shows, and commercials. Even the printed comics follow the same doctrine.
This leaves only white males that can be portrayed as crooks, fools, con men, cowards, and all around general losers. In the very rare instances where a white male must be shown in a positive light, usually only for historical correctness reasons, then it must also be proved beyond the slightest doubt that he never could have accomplished such feats unless he had been inspired or assisted by a woman or a minority.
Ever walked down a street lately, looked at who the losers are? What race or gender is the most prevalent holding the little please help, and G-d bless corrugated cardboard signs on street corners? In the name of political correctness, we have deliberately raised an entire generation of white males who are unsure of what their role in life should be. Whatever it is, unless they were lucky enough to come from a good family, it is not anything that resembles leadership, character, or heroism.
I'm not saying that all white males are now losers and cowards, many are not, but I do feel there are too many that are, and most of that can be blamed on what some felt, when it first all started, as payback.
I think the awareness is starting to sink in, but what can be done now? Should we start making all media in such a way as it offends nobody? We are stuck, and the only real losers are white males, because they are the only fair game left. After years of this, they are probably to stupid to care anyway.
-John
