Virginia Tech shootings

I just read the news about this tragedy a few minutes ago, and cried. One of my first thoughts were of parents and family getting the worst call of their life today, telling them of their child's murder, and the incomprehension as they heard the news.

Another thought was how this "one upMANship" of school shootings reinforces how violently the rest of the world sees the most powerful country in the world.

Another thought, is that of course, this was another male who chose to leave this world in the worst possible way. I'm too shocked at the moment to re-iterate how male violence continues to assert itself in increasingly horrific ways, and how once again, the media will be unwilling/unable to identify this as part of a long pattern of MALE violence.

As things settle, I hope to write more - but I sure as hell wish I weren't having to write about this at all....

Mark F.

Fire Imus

I'm honored to be almost the first blog here.
Today, I'm responding to the latest racist, sexist comments by Don Imus. It was announced that he would be suspended from his radio program for 2 weeks, and while that's a good start, he really needs to be fired. He has a history of making sexist, racist, homophobic remarks, and his employers, including MSNBC continue to stand by their man.

In his apologies, he said he just wasn't thinking when he called college women "nappy headed ho's". I believe him, and that is precisely the problem. His true personality and beliefs come out in his "unthinking" moments - as it does for most of us. If he didn't have a background of thinking like that and making similar remarks, it would've never come out. But he did, and it did.
It's long past time to hold him responsible, and at the very least, fire him.

Mark F.

First post!

There will certainly be more posts to come, but for now please check out our website at www.MenConfrontingViolence.org.

Enjoy!