“With great power comes great responsibility.”

Anyone who’s seen any of the Spider-Man movies or read those comic books is familiar with this quote. Although made popular by the fictional superhero, the quote was used in various forms by Winston Churchill, Teddy Roosevelt, and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

I noticed other men in the immediate vicinity. None had offered any assistance.

Yet in our society, men are on the decline. This devolution is not in a physical sense, nor is it related to population. It is simply about behavior, especially regarding the inherent responsibilities to our species. It is simply the downward spiral of manliness.

A situation at a local restaurant recently illustrated this. An elderly gentleman who had a recent amputation of one of his legs was attempting to get himself up out of his chair. His caregiver was having a little difficulty helping him up to use his walking scooter, which supported the partial leg. Though I was four tables away, I jumped up to assist. We got him standing, and I bid them a good day.

As I returned to my table with my family, my wife nervously said, “John, he just fell!”

I looked and saw him lying on the ground near the front entrance. I hurried to the scene. His caregiver and I were joined by a woman who said she was a nurse. The gentleman was OK — so we let him know everything was fine and to just sit there until he was ready to get up. While standing there, I noticed other men in the immediate vicinity, either at tables or at the bar. Not one of them had offered any assistance.

Related: The Book That Made Me See Fatherhood Anew

After about a minute, he gave us the OK to help get him back to a standing position. He wasn’t a small man, so it took a good effort to get him vertical again. Once he was steadied, we got him out to his car and they left without further issue.

Returning inside, I paused and looked around the place. I was saddened and disappointed that many other men did not offer help. A few looked at me but did not hold my gaze. They knew.

I believe that this lack of action by men, in a situation in which physical strength combined with compassion is needed, has a lot to do with the rise of leftism, feminism, and gender confusion. Somehow, being a strong man in our culture has become a negative thing. I am not talking about purely physical strength, like football professionals, giant actors like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, or any other entertainers. I am referring to inner confidence, morality, and conviction.

Who do you think would win the Presidency?

By completing the poll, you agree to receive emails from LifeZette, occasional offers from our partners and that you've read and agree to our privacy policy and legal statement.

Accusations of “male privilege” or “misogyny” are hurled at any man for the slightest action, inaction, or even just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. This anti-male campaign is coinciding with multi-pronged attacks on conservatism, police, and our basic morals as a country.

[lz_related_box id=229438]

Every Christmas I watch all the legal challenges and attacks on Nativity scenes because someone is offended. My mind is boggled as the media — which supported these legal actions — then celebrate men and women marching through the streets wearing leather thongs, speedos and worse, groping and humping each other. To speak up against this behavior is to draw immediate condemnation and criticism as a bigot.

Political correctness has grown exponentially to the point where speaking your mind is grounds for accusations of hate speech, even if you’re defending the moral high ground or attacking the depths of depravity. The American sense of entitlement has our younger generations believing they can do or say anything they want, with no recriminations. Telling them otherwise is akin to telling a toddler brat “no.”

There is a term for describing “hatred of men.” We are all familiar with misogyny as the hatred of women. How many of you have actually heard the term “misandry”?

Part of the cause of this misandry is the blurring of lines between the sexes. There are now 58 gender options for Facebook users to choose for themselves. This is cheered by the same people who like to refer to Christians as “flat-earthers.” Leftists who say the religious ignore basic science are now completely ignoring chromosomal science!

Related: American Dads Matter, Too

The media are complicit in this anti-male campaign. They celebrated President Obama’s directive to school districts to allow people to use any bathroom they wanted, backed up by the threat of loss of federal funds. Newspapers, pundits, and liberal TV personalities bend over backwards to attack the notion of only two genders. On most television sitcoms and funny commercials, it is now only safe to mock and ridicule the male father figure.

If there is a well-defined and culturally acceptable behavior for men, it would conflict with liberal ideology. Hence, manliness must be attacked and removed from society. Leftists cannot allow men to be men. They must have feminine men, masculine women, and everything in between or neither.

Whereas other cultures celebrate the strength and stamina of their males, our society celebrates gender neutrality. Leftists want women in the combat positions typically held by men, even though it may require lowering of standards. Why should we let the truth and horror and reality of war guide our planning and troop-staffing guidelines?

Related: What No One Ever Thinks of When It Comes to a ‘Happy Marriage’

For eons, men have been the protectors, the hunters and the ones who bore the responsibility of the physical tasks. Since we are still here and we are the dominant species on earth, obviously, our ancestors were successful. You’ll notice that I left out “leaders.” Although most leaders throughout history have been men, many women have guided civilizations successfully also. Women are just as complex, conniving and intelligent. In many cases, they outwitted their male counterparts to gain that leadership.

On the same note, many fathers have nurtured their families successfully in place of the mother. Nature has already softened the lines between genders. We don’t need to push that boundary anymore.

To my fellow American males, I implore you to accept your masculinity with pride:

  • Don’t be afraid to speak your mind.
  • Be strong when needed, without being abusive.
  • Be compassionate when necessary.
  • Be vigilant for your family and neighbors.
  • Stand up for the weaker.

In other words — be a man.

John Cylc is an eight-year U.S. Army veteran and lives with his family in eastern Tennessee. His primary advocacy is promoting and protecting Second Amendment rights.