Where the Fake Kings Are

David C. Stolinsky, MD
Oct. 29, 2009

President Obama delays decision on sending more troops to Afghanistan, despite having said he would do so and declaring it the “war of necessity.”
− News item

President Obama criticized for playing basketball with males only, and for making the White House feel like a “frat house.”
− News item

Film “Where the Wild Things Are” depicts a boy who has problems with his mother and sister. He runs away and becomes “king” of a fantastic animal realm, where he recreates the same problems.
− News item

At first glance, these three news items seem to have little in common. But I believe they all reveal a similar and dangerous theme.

Barack Obama was raised by his mother. He had an absent father and a temporary stepfather. He now lives in the White House with his wife, his two daughters and his mother-in-law. Still, despite his leftist agenda, and despite his having appointed a female Supreme Court justice and seven female Cabinet members, feminists now accuse him of associating with too many males.

Revealingly, however, the term “macho” is not used by the critics. Instead, the president is accused of making the White House resemble a “frat house.” But what is a frat house? Is it a place where men congregate? Is it a men’s organization, like the Rotary Club used to be? Is it a place where adult males, often older ones, decide matters of politics or business?

No, a fraternity house is a place where adolescent males go to get away from parental control. Too often, it is a place where they can drink till they vomit, and use amphetamines to stay awake for exams and marijuana to relax afterward. It is a place where they can practice childish pranks for bonding with other males, and promiscuous sex without bonding with females.

Granted, this is a generalization. Nevertheless, the fact that the term “frat house” was used in reference to the White House is a criticism not just of Obama’s alleged sexism, but also of his very real immaturity.

Despite having called Afghanistan the “war of necessity,” and despite having criticized President Bush for sending too few troops there, now President Obama continues to delay a decision on whether to send additional troops − the troops that the commander on the ground, General McChrystal, as well as Secretary of Defense Gates believe are essential. Whatever you think of Obama’s inaction, you can hardly call it “macho.”

Obama believes that delaying is the wise thing to do. But not making a decision is a decision. Our troops are fighting and dying now. Even NATO, hardly a gang of warmongers, is in favor of increasing troop strength. Delaying a decision is a decision not to reinforce the troops now. In fact, Obama is making a decision − I believe a most unwise one.

So what do you call someone who allegedly associates with too many males, including playing basketball and golf with them, but who dithers and waffles when a decision on life-and-death matters is required? “Macho” clearly is not an appropriate term. The “frat house” analogy is more apt.

And who lives in a frat house? Adolescents − that is, young males who should be becoming adults, but who for the most part have not yet done so. They usually lead lives of privilege. Meanwhile, their less fortunate fellow citizens work for a living, or they are unable to attend a university, with all the benefits this confers, because they were stuck in abysmal inner-city schools.

This makes the connection between the first two news items painfully obvious. What about the third? What about the film “Where the Wild Things Are”?

The film is the story of a nine-year-old spoiled brat named Max − short for maximum trouble, perhaps. Max lives in a pleasant house with his own room, filled with toys and stuffed animals. He lives with an older sister, with whom he hardly speaks, and his single mother, who works hard to support the family.

There was a dad, as evidenced by a globe of the world in Max’s room, with a brass plaque stating something like, “To Max from Dad, the world is yours.” Apparently Dad appointed Max king of the world, then left. No discipline, no rules, no support, no male role model, just a feeling of entitlement and superiority. Sound familiar?

Max goes to school, where the teacher tells the class about the dangers of global warming, then announces that the sun will die. Max is left with depressing information that has no relevance to his current life, but without being told that God requires him to honor his parents − which is extremely relevant to his current life.

He is both privileged and deprived at home − too many toys, not enough attention or discipline. And he is both privileged and deprived at school − too much politically correct hogwash, not enough wisdom. He knows all about global warming, which has not occurred in his lifetime. But he knows nothing about the Ten Commandments. No wonder he remains an infantile narcissist.

Max is nine, but he acts as if he were three or four, playing with stuffed animals and acting out fantasies. One fantasy is that he is head of the household. When his mother is preparing dinner for a guest, Max puts on an animal suit, jumps up on the table and shouts, “Woman, feed me!” His mother grabs him and takes him off the table, whereupon he bites her and runs away.

He escapes to a fantastic land of large, humanoid animals, a sort of anti-Oz.  Instead of helpful Munchkins, Max is met by morose, cantankerous creatures. His favorite is Carol, a huge, hairy beast with the voice of James Gandolfini of “Sopranos” fame. We wonder why an obvious male has a female name.

Max tells the animals that he is a king with supernatural powers, and they believe him. He has them construct a useless building, then engage in aggressive “play” including hitting one another with large clods of dirt, which cause injury. Douglas, the large bird, loses a wing.

Slowly, the animals realize that Max is not a king, has no supernatural powers, is divisive, and has made their lives worse with his wild schemes. They may also have discovered that the bird’s wing replacement will not be covered by MaxCare.

In the end, Max leaves the fantastic land, with both the animals and himself sadder but no wiser. He returns home to his mother, whom we hope he will treat with greater respect. But where will he learn wisdom?

If we are not careful, we will wind up like the animals in the film:

·         We will realize, too late, that there are no kings with supernatural powers. There are only human beings, as limited as ourselves − or even more limited.

·         We will discover, too late, that when someone proposes to change our way of life radically, he should first take the trouble to understand it.

·         We will recognize, too late, that those who claim to be uniters may really be dividers.

·         We will conclude, too late, that a leader cannot compensate for being soft on our enemies abroad by being hard on his political opponents at home.

·         We will understand, too late, that we must be responsible for ourselves and our loved ones, with the government stepping in only when we cannot help ourselves.

·         We will appreciate, too late, the indispensable role of fathers and other male role models for all children, but especially for boys − and especially for future leaders.

·         We will grasp, too late, the dangers of living in a land ruled by juvenile narcissists who pretend to be kings.

We are citizens who need responsible adults to represent us. We fought a bloody war to rid ourselves of a real king. We do not need to be ruled by childish bunglers who try to act like kings.

Dr. Stolinsky writes on political and social issues. He can be contacted at dstol@prodigy.net.

www.stolinsky.com