Our War Weary Oprah Society

Reading the news during the past 24 hours you no doubt encountered the phrase "war weary". We are told how we are tired of the war and just want to bring the troops home. Now I could understand this sentiment in 1971 when we had lost 50,000 troops in Vietnam and there seemed to be no strategy to win. But today this notion is idiotic:

• we have no draft and the all-volunteer army is in good morale - less than 1% of our population is affected
• we have not been forced to pay more in taxes (we actually pay less)
• there are no "Rosie the riveter" ads
• we are not on gas or food rations - in fact we are enjoying the most prosperous period in our history - the stock market just hit another record high

So why are we "war weary"? One reason is just too much negative news from our obsessively anti-war press. But I think the issue is even larger. We have become the "Oprah Society". What I mean by that is a culture where feelings and caring and political correctness rule the day. Men can no longer be men but must act like women - sensitive, caring, emotional and ultimately wimpy. I think we are war weary because we are just a soft society that has no stomach to win in a war in which our enemies have sworn to obliterate our society. Our new motto should be "better to wear a Burka than die".

Now, don't get me wrong. I treat my wife very well, I cook dinner often, clean the house and try to listen to her when she needs to share her feelings. But I don't need or want to act like a woman. I am the leader in my house and ultimately make the final decision on the most important issues (yes, I always discuss everything with my wife and give her input great value as she is very smart and wise). In my first marriage this wasn't true. I bought into the Oprah way of thinking and my ex-wife was the "alpha male" in our house. This worked out terribly for our marriage and my children.

When I was involved with Amway I encountered the Oprah men out there in droves. Oprah men never made it in Amway. What I found interesting was that men want to follow real leaders. And most often this meant real men. (Yes women can succeed in Network Marketing- I saw many that did and I am not disparaging them.)

One thing I learned in Amway was how real men act. That is, they act like adults. Oprah men act like children in my mind. We, as a society, are dis-empowered and blame others for our failures. No one want to take responsibility for their failures.

As I grow older I am able to focus more clearly on how important it is for me to be an adult and a leader in my home - to my wife and my children. It is important for me in my real estate business and job to act with full responsibility for all my decisions and actions.

I am not "war weary" at all. I think the War against Fascist Islamist's is just beginning and will be here a long time. I expect my two sons will serve in the military. Unfortunately, I don't think that there are many adults in Congress. Although President Bush has made many mistakes, he is a lone adult politician in many ways and I support his goals and respect his leadership a great deal. Will our "war weary" Oprah society win a war against the aggressors? At this point, I don't know. Those with the give up at all cost mentality seem to rule the moment. Time will tell.