Mike Huckabee made Trending News today when he floated the idea of a “Male Lives Matter” movement in response to Black Lives Matter.
Well this is sure to go well.
Sigh.
Here is my stream-of-consciousness take:
1. Mike Huckabee is an asshole.
2. Even putting his politics aside, he ruined that Adele ‘Hello’ song for me, with his dumb campaign commercial, and that’s reason enough to dislike the man.
3. Any statement that “it should be All/Blue/whatever Lives Matter” is an affront, because those statements are all rebuttals and responses to Black Lives Matter that inherently dismiss BLM and are borne of privilege and lack of awareness.
4. That is not to say that the lives of anyone – privileged or not – White, Mexican, gay, straight, cop, Jewish, male, female, whatever – are not worthy of love and protection. You don’t have to use the phrase “All Lives Matter” to believe that. (See #3).
5. There are issues that males struggle with. Societal expectations to not have or show emotions, to always be strong, to be the breadwinners, to want sex, to prefer surface connections over deeper ones — all the Man Box stuff — that can be painful and debilitating. Men – even so-called “privileged men” – struggle with isolation, gun violence, mental health, and education. We talk and write about all this stuff at The Good Men Project.
6. Being a human is to care about others. White lives will be better if we live Black Lives Matter. Women’s lives will be better if they understand men’s issues. Men’s lives will be better if they are feminist allies. Straight people’s lives are better if they are gay allies. And vice versa. It’s not a zero sum game. You don’t lose, just because someone else is standing up for fair treatment. We all win.
Source: 30dB.com – Male Lives Matter
“Sorry Mike, this may be playing in your circles but not in social media. 76% negatives and some choice personal attacks as you slide down the sentiment expressions in blue.” — Howard K. 36db
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Photo Credit: Associated Press/File
While I agree, Mike’s timing on this isn’t the greatest, but there is some truth to it though. Throughout history and even today, men are seen as replaceable and disposable. It’s why men are selected for the draft, why men are the ones that fight in wars. It’s why women and children are first when it comes to rescues. That and in tv and in movies, it’s mostly men who are killed while women are mostly saves and rescued. That and why the fundraisers and the medical community spend and raise far more money on women’s health issues, like breast… Read more »
So, male lives do matter, but we shouldn’t say so? Isn’t that bigotry, prejudice, PC, and promoting continued ignorance of men’s and boys issues? This from a “Men’s” website.
Not quite. Just that male lives do matter but it shouldn’t be presented as “it should really be….”.
Maybe I can respond this way? I’m unable to log on as a member.