Five Finger Death Punch and Gym Room Floor Boards: Finding Those Who Make a Real Difference

When you think of role models, who immediately springs to mind? Do you think of sports stars like Tim Tebow, Kobe Bryant, Justin Morneau, Serena Williams or Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh? Or do you think of iconic literary characters like Hermione Granger, Gandalf (Grey or White doesn't matter), Shadow, Aslan, Katniss Everdeen? What about video game or comic book characters, like Batman, Black Widow, Starfire, Laura Croft, Conan or Altiair?

One particular group in the US that is almost never considered good role models are music artists. More often than not they can promote a lifestyle that is offensive to the delicate sensibilities of the American public. That being said, I feel like there is a particular stigma to one of the genres of music closest to my heart:

Heavy Metal.

Yes, you heard it right. I may be a bleeding heart liberal who spends equal time outdoors fishing as he does slaying dragons - but I am a metal-head through and through. I do have a very eclectic taste in music to be sure; I enjoy the dulcet tones of Frank Sinatra and Howard Shore just as much as I do Metallica and Three Days Grace. But back to point, when you think of role models, you think of people that you want to look up to and respect. For me, people who are passionate about their beliefs fall into this category. Several weeks ago I stumbled across this video and song by Five Finger Death Punch. It was written and produced in conjunction with the National Suicide Prevention Hotline. The song is titled Coming Down and I would not recommend it for the feint of heart, it is brutal as it is powerful.

I was completely pulled in, the music; well for me anyway, was brilliant and the message was clear. As I sat and mulled over what I thought I realized that this was not the first time that I had seen something on a similar topic. Last fall, one of my favorite bands released a new record with a track titled Make it Stop (September's Children) and I get chills and a little teary when I hear it sometimes. The song is a tribute to as the front man for the band explains, "The song was written inspired of the teen suicides in the month of September 2010, who were bullied for being homosexual. It deals about how people are treated from homophobic bullying and feeling so tormented that they feel there's no place for them in the future and that killing themselves is a better option." In September 2010 there were approximately 10 teen suicides that were directly linked to bullying, most were due to bullying about sexuality. The names of the victims appear in the lyrics of the song. Additionally the video was shot in the High School where the front-man for the band attended years earlier. It is an official part of the It Gets Better Project

Now, Rise Against is more of a Punk Band than anything, but they still have a conviction that sometimes baffles me. I look their records, and I am hard pressed to find one without a strong political or emotional message. I understand that music is art, and art is art - that it doesn't have to have meaning. But am I so wrong that I think that songs should have a strong sense of purpose and should make us question? Maybe I just expect a lot out of everything that I encounter, but is that so terribly wrong? Though often overlooked for role-models in our lives, metal does have it's merits. However, I think that the real heroes exist somewhere else.


I think that the people who come out of the situations that life gives them and makes them better are the real heroes in our lives. That is why I can still think that the men and women in the armed forces are worth looking up to, they went into hell on earth and came back. The people who over-come adversity and blossom into the most loving people you know, despite having the worst experiences. That is what is worth having in life, that is what is important. Being able to look death in the eye and say, "Yes, I made a difference; I did not shy away and I overcame all that fate threw at me." When I think of what humanity is, or moreover what it should be I think of two things, I think of a band called Cloud Cult, and a song called Kings and Queens. They are not related, but these final two songs will basically sum up how I wish I could feel all the time:

Remember, we are the kings and queens of promise and that I love you all.

I would like to dedicate this post to all of my friends and family who are stronger than most people ever hope to be and have become better people than they ever dreamed. It was a hard journey, but you made it and that is what counts. Not only does It Get Better, you all make my life better.


Stephen Wallace Harper

Being "Thinned Skinned" and Xena: Warrior Princess

Alright, for those of you who read the first set of posts on gender in the video game industry, I'm sorry, but I have to harp on this topic again. However, this time the topic comes from real world examples. Yesterday, on military.com, an article was posted titled: Army Building Body Armor for Women.


To begin, I understand that as a bleeding heart liberal: I get easily offended by some, if not most things that are truly inappropriate. Like making rape jokes at comedy clubs, no matter how good intended your rationale was. Also, that I do have opinions about that all media does a service to the public and should consider what they are marketing to their consumers; and that I am not part of a,

" vocal minority of people who are PC (political -correctness)-jerks. They wish all of us to be sexless raceless grey blobs. And they get angry at anybody who says otherwise [...] There is a place for being proper and un-offensive. But we should separate our personal feelings from what is right and wrong. If your are pissed because you don't have a six pack grow up and get over yourself like the rest of us -- and by George don't you dare get pissed at me because I strive to reach that ideal."

However, as an American and as a tax paying member of society, I think that I should support our troops in most if not all circumstances. During the Vietnam era, when soldiers would come home it did not look like this:



They were often attacked, jeered at and despised by much of the youth at home. As evidenced in some of these oral histories. However, that was not always the case, but that is what sticks out in our mind when we think of Vietnam; the "baby-killers" getting off the planes and being booed by crowds of people. We have come a long way since then. With certain parts of society excluded from this of course.

The article in question briefly discusses what is titled, "jokingly" Operation Xena: Warrior Princess. The military is researching and developing body armor that fits women's forms much better than the current sizes. It should be noted that there are already 11 different sizes of body armor available for our people in uniform. However, the issue at hand is that the armor rubs on the women's hips and at certain points can cause, "pressure points that in some instances could impact blood flow and cause some discomfort." Obviously there are anatomical differences between men and women, and for the body armor in question the would be shortening the torso, narrowing the shoulders and adding some curvature in the breast area. However, what this all boils down to is that, I was taken aback by the sheer level of, there is no real nice way to put this: douchebaggery that appears in the comments of this particular article. Here are are some of my favorite ones:

• StagShooter
Whoa, hold on! I thought women could do anything men could do?? Quit yer cryin' and wear the body armor.
• Misanthrope2
The Iron Maidens don't need body armor. Their chances of becoming pregnant to avoid hazardous duty is much higher than their chances of having bullets bounce off their chests. What's really needed for our female Amazons is chastity belts. On second thought, that's not a good idea. In a few years, the majority of our soldiers will be homosexuals, which precludes the possibly of pregnancies. Maybe our thinkers in the White House and the DOD have the correct idea in turning the military into a gay festival. No pregnancies means no dependent children forthcoming, fewer concerns for families, no dependent schools needed on military posts in a few years, no raping of conquered indigenous females or males, etc. I've changed my mind - I have decided to fully support the gay-lesbian-tansvestite-bisexual-NAMBLA-bestiality military.
• Loggie2012
Whiny little split tails. I miss the days when it was rough MEN ready to do violence on your behalf. Now it's rough and ready men waiting on the dainty women to get their form fitting body armor just right before we can go do violence on your behalf
• jumper297
This is a good first step... with today's military I'm glad that the women, transgender, and crossdressing warriors will be able to properly accessorize.
• cpjoe2007
You're going to need more closet space because lord knows they will have to have shoes to match!
• cpjoe2007
If you can't take a few light-hearted jokes about this then you are thin-skinned and are in need of panty-armor as well! We're all just kidding, making light of the article is all. Of course the women and anyone needing their armor adjusted for comfort is important; gender has no bearing here. Just some jocularity is all...armored jocularity at that!
• craigmarine
Anyone, who has been in (real) Combat knows that any little edge could be the differents between being Dead or Alive!? I wouldn't want to go into combat with Women! I know they can fight, in the NAM I saw this with my own eyes!Thank God, most of my fighting was in the Pitch Black Darkness, with a Star Light in hand!This is why I would insist that if they went into combat, that it be all women Platoon! I really believe that if you mix them, both sexes could worry about the other in ways we don't even know about! I'll say this and shut up, when the crap hits the fan,it every Man-Woman for their-self! God Bless, USMC, Jar-Head!!
• Cdownz
"It rubbed on their hips..." I've never heard of men complaining about it and they're the ones on the front lines running and dodging bullets with these vests on. And so what they ask for...is a FABULOUS body armor that really shows off their curves.
• giley1
The fox holes will be cotton lined with goose feather pillows. The Israelis have women in combat and they do not whine. War is hell.
• KMAZERO
So what the hell is body armor and what is it use for? Is it something like a tampon the new military wears?Xena is a dike and how do you have an ice cream treat with those strange words body armor. Does the Uniroyal man have body armor? What happens if you eat a borito and get the runs, how long will it take the beauties to get out of their cocoon?It sounds like a smelly issue at best, now that's funny!!

Now, It should be noted that not all of the posters were this asinine and cave-mannish. There were quite a few that stood up for our ladies in uniform. For that I am proud, that some people can stand up to them. I just wonder in an xkcd kind of way, what would happen if some of the hooligans were to meet one of our female soldiers? Probably keep their mouth shut until the true heroes left. I was more offended that they were calling these things jokes. I understand that the internet breeds trolls, and that it is unavoidable. But where is the line? When can we say, "No, you are absolutely out of line?" I guess forums have that ability but I am just getting tired of "jokes" and why I need "panties" because I am sick and fucking tired of people who get to be assholes because I am not man enough to take it. Screw that, I am more of a "man" because I stick up for my beliefs - my name and contact info is on this blog. If you have a problem with what I have to say: there are plenty of ways to reach me, and it has happened before and it will happen again. I do not hide behind an anonymous name and spew hate and vitriol into the void that is the web.

If you want a meaningful discussion on the cost effectiveness of changing body armor types? Fine. If you want to argue about the underlying sexism in the DOD? Fine. If you want to express, from your personal experience why you would rather serve with just men? Fine. But telling me to get over myself when you say that women should go back to the kitchen and they don't deserve to stand up for something they believe in, because you are afraid that they will do it better? No, not cool.


I'm sorry for all of the angry feeling that I put in this post, but this is a knee-jerk reaction to something that has been bothering me for a while.