The men who best meet the ideal (at least my ideal) of manliness are the ones who risk everything to protect their loved ones and country and to ensure liberty and independence for others. Not too afraid to stand up to tyranny even if they are hooted down by their fellow citizens or pursued and punished by those in authority. Men who put duty and honor above personal gain, comfort or popularity. Men who are honest when dishonesty pays. Men who are courteous, even chivalrous, when being a selfish lout seems to be the norm.

John Wayne played those kind of men in the movies. Russell Crowe has played a few of those parts too. But there are plenty of real life examples out there too. I've been blessed to know quite a few of them. Most live in relative obscurity, some are quite famous. They are the kind of men we should all aspire to be.

We all like to think of ourselves as rugged individualists. But when push comes to shove most of us are sheep who do what we are told. Worst of all, a lot of us become unpaid agents of whoever is controlling the agenda by enforcing the current dogma on the few rugged individualists who actually exist.