WATCH: Josh Hawley Goes Off on Porn, Video Games and Declining Masculinity at Conservative Event

Leia IdlibyNov 1st, 2021, 12:27 pm
 

Josh Hawley at the National Conservatism conference

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) spoke at the National Conservatism conference in Orlando, Florida this weekend, focusing on the “deconstruction of American men.”

While delivering his speech, titled “The Future of the American Man,” Hawley reasoned that the left’s take on “toxic” masculinity — which points to harmful societal standards set for men  — is actually an attack on “traditional masculinity.”

“They want to define the traditional masculine virtues—things like courage, and independence, and assertiveness—as a danger to society. This is an effort the Left has been at for years now,” he said. “And they have had alarming success. American men are working less, getting married in fewer numbers; they’re fathering fewer children. They are suffering more anxiety and depression. They are engaging in more substance abuse.”

Hawley later clarified that he was not there to “tell you that men are victims,” reasoning, “The last thing we need more of in this country is the victim mindset.”

He went on to slam “men who blame others for their problems and then slink away to do nothing,” also hitting at those” who embrace violence or cruelty” in reaction to their own issues.

“Responsibility is one of God’s greatest gifts to mankind, and men must be held responsible for their actions,” he said. “Still, can we be surprised that after years of being told they are the problem, that their manhood is the problem, more and more men are withdrawing into the enclave of idleness, and pornography, and video games.”

Naturally, Twitter has a few jokes about Hawley’s take on masculinity and pornography — reporter Tara Dublin cracking, “Every accusation is a confession with Trumpublicans.”

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