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The Colorado Springs Shootings Are About Toxic Masculinity
A look at how military towns and regions socialize men to be more violent than women
Roaring Rivers
Unpopular Strong Opinions by Christyl Rivers
I grew up in the military. My last remaining brother is in the Air Force. We all lived among the constant shaking of our house as jet fighters thundered overhead shattering the sound barrier.
Colorado is home to at least five military installations. Even though this is 2022, most serving military personnel are male.
There is nothing wrong with being male, but something very wrong with a culture that makes some males dominate others. And the military as rigid and hierarchical as it is, does little to stop this outdated trend.
Colorado Springs is particularly influenced by young men. When we visited there were signs everywhere. A macho culture. Sports cars. Gun cults. Conservative signs. Casual misogyny.
That’s at least in part due to our views about military service.
Another very American mass shooting occurred over the weekend. At a Queer nightclub. It is easy enough to realize that the USA has a real problem in that we have more…