Fugate - Chapter 1

UPDATE: What is a Man? Having finished Fugate's book, I've decided to go back and give a chapter by chapter review of his main points and my thoughts on each.

Chapter 1: How Historical Events have Affected the American Male

Fugate begins with the 105 settlers at Jamestown(1607) - all Male - and walks through to the 1820s. Men were the leaders, providers, and protectors of their families. There were relatively few changes in society during this time period. Around 1840, the industrial revolution began. The American family began to restructure itself.

"Fathers began to leave the homestead and work in cities and the men/father influence in society began to decrease. Most home functions(growing food, making clothes, building furniture, training the children) had to be abandoned. It was
during this time that women/mothers, instead of men/fathers gradually became the moral leaders of the home, family, school, Church, and social reform."

As men grappled with the industrial revolution, women began to see themselves as the moral leaders of society - as the champions of justice and crusaders for the downtrodden and disadvantaged. Men began deserting the classrooms and Sunday schools of the 1850's. By 1890, 67% of public school teaching positions were held by women and over 90% of children's Sunday school teachers were women. Throughout this period women also began to exercise their new social consciences outside the home. E.g. In 1874, The Women's Christian Temperance Union (an offshoot of the 1826 temperance movement to combat drunkenness and promote temperance). In 1849, women took over and renamed the American Anti-Slavery Society to the Women's Abolitionist Movement. The Suffrage movement began in 1849 and joined forces with the Women's Christian Temperance Union in 1890.

The culmination of these movements were the 15th Amendment (ratified 1870) giving black men the right to vote, the 18th Amendment (ratified 1920) initiating prohibition, and the 19th Amendment (ratified 1920) giving women the vote. Winning the right to vote meant that now women could legally negate men's vote on any political issue. Women's votes have been the determining factor in electing every social-issues politician since the 1920s. These social issues include protecting children(orphanages and work prohibitions); relieving poverty(food and clothing for the destitute); preventing harsh justice(prison reform and abolition of capitol punishment); providing cradle-to-grave education; preventing private gun ownership; and preventing national preparations for war. From their new position of power, women have been trying to eliminate mankind's suffering through legislation for the past eighty years.

Unfortunately, women's extraordinary efforts in the areas of health, education, and welfare have led to vast government programs that have nearly bankrupted the nation. Yet, our public education system now produces the lowest results in our nations history, our social security/retirement system is in severe trouble, and our welfare system has become a windfall for swindlers. Women's right to vote has not solved mankind's ills.

The Cat's Comments

An interesting note is that prohibition was a major contributor to the rise of organized crime. It also contributed to political and law enforcement corruption.

Although it is easy to blame women, I think we need to remember that men left their post. Men were in charge. Men were the leaders. Men abdicated their roles and responsibilities. Women just stepped up to the table. Once at the table, they decided they liked the new found power. Its obvious that the genie can't be put back in the bottle. Men are going to have to step back up to the table and re-establish their leadership. In some cases there will be loud cries of foul (and foul cries) by women. In others, there will be grateful acquiescence by women. But it is ludicrous to expect women to willingly give up the power they have without viable men to turn it back over to.

Tomorrow, I will comment on Chapter 2.