Masculinity is not a dirty word.

As I alluded to in a previous piece, there appears to be a growing tendency to associate masculinity with something evil or as some put it, “toxic.”

In a great rebuttal to this grossly dishonest meme, Devon Foley published an article aptly entitled ”Why we need Alpha Males.”

Although published back in 2016 and coincidence certainly is not causality, I find it interesting that this piece was published just as the antithesis of the Beta Male-Pajama Boy had burst on the political scene. Donald J. Trump bulldozed aside the field of Republican candidates who vied with each other as to whom could appear more “presidential.” Trump continued this, not once being afraid of being seen as “being mean to a girl,” telling Hillary Clinton, “Because you’d be in jail,” when responding to her purported fear of his becoming President and our nation’s de facto Chief Law Enforcement Officer. Right then and there, he guaranteed the Republican base would show up at the polls.

Foley addresses this in a more fundamental manner.

While it may be clichéd, there’s a lot of truth in the opening monologue of the father in American Sniper. There is evil, there are wolves, and a society needs strong, virtuous men – masculine men – to keep order and protect the weak. And it, too, seems to be an affront to today’s culture. 

Foley goes on to state that these virtues are still needed, even on modern times, perhaps more-so. Here’s the money quote

If the good are not stronger than the wolves, what will stop them?

Democracy on its own certainly won’t. If we’re honest, democracy – like all societies – requires alpha males to keep order and to enforce the values of the society against those who would act on their own “wills to power”. Vote all you want, but if no one follows up the laws with force, they are meaningless.

Spot. On. Judges and Politicians may rule and legislate. Nations may sign treaties. But in the end, it takes alpha males to enforce those rulings, laws and treaties. A line somewhat inaccurately attributed to George Orwell, nonetheless expresses a simple truth.

People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.

Such a man, as I pointed out here, was Kendrick Castillo. When it came down to it. He saw his duty as a man, to protect the weak. His doing so cost him his life, but it inspired other young men to follow him and in so doing, saved others.

Mike Ford is a retired Infantry Officer who writes on Military, Foreign Affairs and occasionally dabbles in Political and Economic matters.

Follow him on Twitter: @MikeFor10394583

You can find his other Red State work here.