The Refectory Manager

The refectory . . . A place to nourish the soul. A place to share the savory comestibles, the sweet confections, the salty condiments of the things that matter. A place to ruminate the cud of politics. A place to rant on the railings of religion. A place to arrange the flowers of sanguine beauty. A place to pause in the repose of shelter. Welcome, my friend. The Refectory Manager

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Location: College Place, Washington, United States

Sunday, October 04, 2009

Masculinity

A conjunction of masculinity today.

And aspects of masculinity that infuriate me.

I found an article this morning in "The New Republic." "The Worst Argument You've Ever Read For Banning Openly Gay People From the Military." http://www.tnr.com/blog/the-plank/the-weekly-standard-and-gays-the-military So the "reputation of manliness" is "incompatible with homosexuality."

And later in the day, a diary on dailyKos . . . a 19 year old kid seeking advice if he should come out, tonight, to his parents. http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/10/3/789419/-(UPDATE-x4Final)-I-think-Im-going-to-come-out-to-my-parents-tonight- Over 400 comments, on the top of the "rec list." Words of caution, of warning . . . to be damn certain to have a safety net plan if the fear of his father materializes. The challenge of masculinity. Stereotypes. He did come out. He wrote about it.

A year ago I obtained the DVD "Torturing Democracy." http://www.torturingdemocracy.org/ Tonight, alone, I decided to watch it. GOD DAMN TO HELL that Bush Administration. I am so furiously ashamed of my Government for what they made it do . . . in my name. Of course I have read the blogs incessantly about the torture and the torturous defense of it by the Republican Party, and its voice Fox News and its enablers, and by Cheney and his lip-sync daughter. And when I see the face of the likes of the Sean Hannitys, I see the face of evil itself. His pompousness about the masculinity of torture. Defending torture. The de- masculinization of innocent men. The de-humanizing of innocent men. And even those who may not be innocent. But, in a "Christian" nation at least, people presumed to be made in the image of god entitled to degree of respect. To say nothing of our Constitution and a our laws. And war criminals must face their perception of justice.

My Friend, I think I know you well enough to have a gut sense of what and how you think of masculinity.

At least I hope so.

The image of steel covered with velvet comes to mind. Gentle strength.

A gay soldier that can, when war dictates, kill a lethal enemy, yet loves another man.

A gay son reconciles with a father who he believed would reject him. A veneer of homophobe masculinity sheered away.

A Vice President so terrified of his own masculinity that he pitches a nation into a death spiral of war crimes . . . the only way to redeem himself is to strip the masculinity from the hapless other he neither understands or respects . . . to shame . . . to humiliate . . . to desecrate the image of god in his futile attempt to rehabilitate his own.

There are so many facets of masculinity.

Ardipithecus . . . in the masculine role of provider for young.

As the velvet, as the steel, as the flowers in "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?"

As the macho bully, so insecure.

As the perceived coward with the strength and tolerance to endure.

As an intolerant, abusive man to his wife and children.

As a melted and melded lover with his love.

As the mate of another masculine soul.

How does one even begin to catalog them all.

Masculinity . . . the tender strength of nurture.

The Refectory Manager