Great American Hypocrites: Toppling the BigMyths of Republican Politicss (2008)
Glenn Greenwald is also the author of several other good books. All of which I plan to read.
Chapter 3 has a fun pun title: Tough Guise.
Central to the right wing mythmaking machine is the depiction of their machine is the depiction of their male leaders as swaggering tough guys in the iconic mold of an American cowboy and brave, steadfast warrior. Above all else, Republican leaders are invariably held up as exuding the virtues of traditional American masculinity — courage, physical strength, “regular guy” ness, and most of all, a willingness and ability to stare down America’s various and numerous enemies — in war, if necessary — and defeat them through superior strength.
Vital to this masculinity marketing campaign is the demonization of Democrats and liberal males as weak, sniveling, effeminate, effete cowards — spineless little creatures whose cowardice and lack of manliness make them laughingstocks. While right-wing leaders are the football players and swaggering touch guys, liberal males are the glasses -wearing nerds, the woman-controlled [!!!!], gender-confused, always -vaguely-gay loser who are as feminine and week as their women are masculine and threatening.
Continue reading Great American Hypocrits by Glenn Greenwald