A man is... A MAN!

My soapbox is about to get pounded into the ground. The more I watch television, read the news, browse the Internet, and in general observe life, the more I am convinced that men today, for the most part, have forgotten how to be men.

Mind you, I don’t advocate clubbing potential mates over the head and dragging them back to your cave, but what I am seeing just doesn’t cut it. Almost three-quarters of the guys out there that should be of age to be called a man aren’t deserving of the classification. They have their pants below the equator, with their underwear hanging out. They have oversized shirts with giant oversized plated jewelry. They look greasy and clearly need bathing. If they do manage do present themselves decently, then their attitude and mannerisms quickly kill any semblance of gentlemanly behavior.

I come from an old Southern family that believes in certain traditions. My parents taught me that a boy grows up to be a man, marries a woman (and only a woman) and accepts responsibility for her and their family. I am not saying that he can dictate their lives, only that chivalry and honor should have its place, and he should protect his family as a whole. To that end, it disturbs me to read and hear about “men” who are, for the most part, a cause of their family’s suffering and disgrace. They don’t acknowledge their roles as husbands and fathers. They don’t acknowledge their responsibilities to society.

Of all the things I learned from my dad in the twenty-eight years I got to spend with him, protecting and guarding your family was right up there. I can’t recall even one time that he didn’t step in if someone or something happened to my mom or me. Whether we were right or wrong, he stuck by us and defended his family.

That being said, I am sick, sick, sick and tired of some of the men we have out there acting like fools and causing the ones of us who take our jobs seriously to suffer for their stupidity. Grow up. Life isn’t a video game that you can play when you want and turn off when you don’t. Model yourself after real men instead of these fools on TV. You’ll be glad you did and you’ll have something to be proud of at the end of the day. Treat your wife/girlfriend with respect and be a father to your kids, whether you still have a good relationship with their mom or not. The world has enough sperm donors. Be the kind of person that your wife and kids can be proud of.