In Defense of the Straight White Man

I realize that in attempting to write on this subject that there is the potential of failing to include all the necessary data upon which the premise is based and thus alienating a large segment unnecessarily. But to do nothing rather perpetuates an allusion of agreement with a progressive political correctness, now, at least in my own perception, having evolved beyond the actual reality of fact. This is not to say that this evolution is not to be expected, and to a certain way of thinking not desirable, but that the pendulum of change has swung to its extreme and is beyond the level of acceptable tolerance, and possibly stuck, and in need of a prying loose and push back towards its natural center of gravity. This in no way is a justification of an imbalanced swing in the opposite direction, but some means of breaking the swing as the center is approached needs implemented, without losing the gains realized, and/or without reverting back to the opposite intolerable condition once accepted as the norm. This also in no way fails to recognize the progress still to be realized in so many areas of social concern, but only deals with the fact that in accepting an arbitrary pro-active status, in making gains for one segment, and in some regards, multiple segments of a given polity, a resultant disintegration of freedoms and status is incurred, by other, hitherto dominant segments, to a far less than natural or acceptable state of being.

It has now become necessary for me, as a human being, being what I am, for whatever reason, to defend my state of being. I am what I am. Whether another finds my attitudes acceptable, or politically correct, to suit their own ideas, is their concern and as they choose to make it, a problem. I, as they, must live life in one’s own reality of circumstance, without imposing undue restraint, hardship or sense of guilt upon any other for any reason whatsoever. “Any reason” being defined as religious, spiritual, ethnic, racial, sexual orientation, gender, political affiliation and/or other as may be construed.

I am a straight white man. If this is a problem to you … it is “your” problem. I am sexually “straight” … meaning … I am attracted to women. I take pleasure in their company and find a woman desirable. I can’t get my mind around what it is to be “gay” or homosexual. This does not make me “homophobic”, and I personally am convinced that the term “homophobic” is a relatively new word creation to meet the political needs of the LBGT community as they have finished strides in gaining acceptance within the larger culture. This is not in any way a justification of real atrocities and injustices endured by LBGT’s over years and centuries, but a recognition that the introduction of a concept as real to our values system does not justify another form of discrimination and intolerance.

I am “white” … I was born a Caucasian. My heritage is Western European. I grew up in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. Many of the values originally instilled in me are those of the educational system dominant at the time, specifically, late fifties and the sixties, or socially liberal, though not necessarily compatible to those of my parents, at least, as best I could observe. This being the case, looking back and considering my own personal experience, my parents were not totally unjustified in their own partialities. Some may choose to state this more aggressively negatively, I must grant the benefit of the doubt and possibility that their own experience was instrumental in molding their own perceptions.

I am a man. No gender question here … I am what I am, and I like what I am. All the positive and perceived negative attributes that accompany the sex, I have. This does not mean that I am not concerned with becoming more sensitive to the needs and desires of women, and in particular the woman I live in relationship with… this is my concern, but, it is a concern to be worked on between myself and the lady I am in relation too. The rest of you can f*** off.

That sounds very “Straight White Man”, doesn’t it? … So be it.