Pity the poor White Male. He has been in power for most of recorded history. For the majority of that time, that position was a birth right, guaranteed to him if he wanted it. People of color and women were essentially property to do with as he wished. That's slowly been changing for the last 150 years or so, and they've been fighting it all the way. Disclaimer: Yes, I - the author - am a white male, but I do not subscribe to the notion that that accident of birth somehow makes me superior to others.

We are lucky to live in an age where racism and sexism are not normally overt. We do not see "black water fountains" or "white only" signs and are shocked when we see them at antique stores. Nightclubs no longer bar "unescorted ladies". Instead, the bigotry and sexism is generally more subtle, and not always apparent. Sometimes, though, it's right out there, usually accompanied by (or followed by - when they're called on it) denials that it was not meant that way.

It should be apparent, however, that the White Male is angry... Angry that they're losing power, angry that they are not automatically assumed to be the one in charge, angry that they can't turn the clock back or put the genie back in the bottle. Pandora opened her box (with the help of some enlightened white and black friends) and there is no closing it now. The White Male's days of the free ride are over and they are not going down without a fight. Over the last few years, that fight has gotten decidedly nasty.

Consider the Clinton and Obama campaigns. The sexist comments were all lined up and ready to go prior to the campaign, and then Obama had the audacity to pull ahead. Did that uppity nigger actually think he should be President?? How dare he! So out came the bile, and it was not a pleasant experience. Remember the ads, the fake money, the "Obama waffles", the "Barack the Magic Negro" song? How about the teacher who explained to the kids what "change" stood for? And - in case it wasn't apparent enough - he was actually called "uppity". Thanks White Male for confirming what we already knew about you.

Despite not being the threat that Obama was, Hillary got her share too. When asked "How do we beat the bitch?", McCain (a White Male in power) replies that it's an "excellent question". Really?

The Sotomayor nomination has brought out a double whammy of sexism and racism. When she stated that her upbringing gave her an insight that the average White Male may not have, they were outraged. How dare she claim that she knows more about being raised as a poor Hispanic woman than they do! They know everything! Naturally, this means she's got it out for the White Male, because after all - who kept her down when she was young? So in yet another example of "projection", they are calling HER a racist. Additionaly, they refer to her as being the beneficiary of affirmative action, despite how she's excelled her entire life. How many of the White Males leveling that accusation graduated from Princeton at the top of their class?

Her gender is apparently a problem as well, considering she is not Male. The nimrods that speak for White Males everywhere (like Limbaugh, O'Reilly, Hannity, Savage) and those formerly in power (like Tancredo and Gingrich) seem to be most offended. They apparently are concerned that after decades of a distinguished career, she'll let PMS take over as soon as she gets on the bench. It's bad enough they think it, worse that they feel comfortable enough to actually say it on the national stage, and really - it's not very original.

The abortion debate is where it really gets ugly, and unfortunately occasionally deadly, as the recent shooting of Dr. Tiller shows. Sure there are extremists that use religion as their club, trying to beat all those around them into submission with guilt. Most anti-choice activists aren't willing to step over that line and actually kill someone - but they don't seem too upset when it happens either. A woman's womb seems to be the last bastion of control that the White Male doesn't want to lose (or - more accurately - wants to regain control of). It seems the White Male has figured out that they need women if they want a baby. A woman doesn't need a man, really - she can head to the nearest sperm bank if she wants. But if a man wants to have a baby, he needs to find a woman willing to do it. In the Good Olde Days of the White Male, the "willing" part wasn't required.

Like a tyrant seeing his power usurped in a coup, the White Male is bunkered down. He's not going to give up without a fight, and if the fight gets nasty, then so be it. Maybe he just needs to waterboard another brown person. Not sure what that will accomplish, but it WILL make him feel powerful again...