ANOTHER CIVIL WAR

IN 1861, TOM CORWIN, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM OHIO, OBSERVED THAT "SOUTHERN MEN ARE THEORETICALLY CRAZY; EXTREME NORTHERN MEN ARE PRACTICAL FOOLS." HOW MUCH HAS CHANGED SINCE THE CIVIL WAR! SLAVERY AS A CONVICTION WAS CRAZY AND ABOLITION WAS PRACTICALLY IMPOSSIBLE. EMANCIPATION WAS POSSIBLE ONLY AFTER A HALF MILLION MEN DIED.

AS TIME WENT BY, THE SUBJECT OF EACH OF CORWIN'S STATEMENTS CHANGED. NORTHERNERS AND SOUTHERNERS WERE REPLACED BY CAMPAIGNS FOR WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE, PROHIBITION, WORKPLACE SAFETY, TRUST BUSTING, CIVIL RIGHTS, WELFARE, FREE TRADE, THE SEXUAL REVOLUTION AND PACIFISM . EACH ADVOCACY WAS VIEWED AS CRAZY AND IMPRACTICAL, YET EACH CAUSE SOMEHOW TRIUMPHED IN THE END. SOMEWHERE IN THE COURSE OF OUR HISTORY, HOWEVER, MANLINESS HAS BEEN LOST - OR TO ITS DETRIMENT - COMPROMISED. NOW WHAT? ORIGINALLY AMERICA WAS A WORLD OF MEN. I SUGGEST WE RE-INSERT MEN AS THE SUBJECT. OF CORWIN'S TWO THOUGHTS. MANLINESS MIGHT BE CRAZY AND IMPRACTICAL BUT THE CONTRARINESS OF THE CONCEPT IS UNDENIABLE IN ITS APPEAL.

LET'S CHAMPION A SIMPLE, COMMON SENSE-DRIVEN CAUSE, MANHOOD, AND AWAKEN THE PUBLIC’S CONSCIENCE. WITH CIVILITY WE CAN WAGE ANOTHER WORTHWHILE WAR. IN THE UNINTELLIGIBLE PHRASE OF A BOOK REVIEWER WE MAY HEAR ITS "DYING-FALL RHYTHM," WHATEVER THAT MEANS.