Colm McAindriu

Masculinity without femininity does not exist. Opposites come into view as comparisons. After growing up in Jim Crow Mississippi's Delta and moving to Chicago and then into the military, the author experienced one cultural shock after another in rapid succession. Jim Crow Mississippi revealed itself as a lower cultural form of white Protestant masculinity. Chicago expressed itself as a hybrid form Jim Crow white masculinity and its may interactions and relationships with other forms of itself; and then his experiences in the many forms of that kind of masculinity that had formed and hardened itself within the military systems. Each of these kinds of masculinity seem to have been grounded in the spiritual tradition of Old Testament biblical theology within that time period. The 20-something year old author of that time period ventured into the U.S. Air Force and within 2 years met and began dating a beautiful white lady in October of 1969.His military supervisor learned of the couple's dating and shortly after the event arranged to have the author sent into the Vietnam War. He was never to see his white lady friend again. These events are the background to this book. The author questions white male Protestant masculinity and its incapacity to recognize, honor, and see any form of femininity as fully formed members of the human community with their own voices and innate capacities to make informed decisions, and especially regarding intimacy, relationships of any kind, and its incapacity to recognize, honor, and understand black males as fully developed and mature members of the human and masculine community. The author challenges white masculinity to mature by seeing itself through the lens of comparisons to themselves, black and brown males, and all females as either his superiors or equals. Equality is a non-issue in this book. The concerns here are: differences in kind, values, principles, and all forms of diversity. Diversity is the ground for comparisons. Comparisons are the essence of loving singularities.

Between 1944 and 1963 the author was born into and grew up in the literal and violent Jim Crow culture and spirit within the Mississippi Delta. In all matters of life and death within this Jim Crow world, white males were its interpreters of spiritual and secular rules, their interpretations, and implementations. This worldview was fluid and often implemented through literal and occasionally violent and deadly means by white folks who set examples for all sub-cultures such as black folks. Those examples and both spoken and written words from and by white males to black folks defined the parameters of what, when, how or whether most black folks had rights to white male-definitions of life, and poverty. For many black males it was understood that the Old Testament of the Bible was the unspoken and clearly understood overarching spiritual source of religiosity for all and passed down from white men to black males and preachers in particular. In a similar manner, the white superintendent dominated all aspects of the towns and its surrounding area's education through his control of the black superintendent. It was implicitly understood in my home that the source of all these beliefs and feelings was the Old Testament of the Bible and that "God was a wrathful God." In short, God did not tolerate any form or kind of sin. In the black home, the male was the dominant figure and his primary responsibility was to enforce "the white man's rule" to the best of his abilities, and that was usually limited by his education and mental capacities. An ignorant black male with limited to no education, intelligence, compassion or lack thereof, was a serious concern in any home. If that person was ignorant, mentally challenged, and violent, the lives of the lady of the house and their children may be in a state of constant danger. The author grew up within this kind of home and environment and this is his story.

Between the years of 1944 and 1963, Dr. Colm McAindriu was just a kid, a Black kid living in the Jim Crow Mississippi Delta. His story brings to light what living day and night under the threat of death looks like for a Black kid in this era. Should he look at the white girl, or dream of her and tell someone or be caught doing so? His mother forced him to help her raise her remaining 12 children and demanded that he kill his prized pig to feed her family. McAindriu's childhood was rife with small moments of joy and learning, coupled with working in cottonfields, pain both physical and emotional, and being the Man of the House.

Between 1944 and 1963 the author was born into and grew up in the literal and violent Jim Crow culture and spirit within the Mississippi Delta. In all matters of life and death within this Jim Crow world, white males were its interpreters of spiritual and secular rules, their interpretations, and implementations. This worldview was fluid and often implemented through literal and occasionally violent and deadly means by white folks who set examples for all sub-cultures such as black folks. Those examples and both spoken and written words from and by white males to black folks defined the parameters of what, when, how or whether most black folks had rights to white male-definitions of life, and poverty. For many black males it was understood that the Old Testament of the Bible was the unspoken and clearly understood overarching spiritual source of religiosity for all and passed down from white men to black males and preachers in particular. In a similar manner, the white superintendent dominated all aspects of the towns and its surrounding area's education through his control of the black superintendent. It was implicitly understood in my home that the source of all these beliefs and feelings was the Old Testament of the Bible and that "God was a wrathful God." In short, God did not tolerate any form or kind of sin. In the black home, the male was the dominant figure and his primary responsibility was to enforce "the white man's rule" to the best of his abilities, and that was usually limited by his education and mental capacities. An ignorant black male with limited to no education, intelligence, compassion or lack thereof, was a serious concern in any home. If that person was ignorant, mentally challenged, and violent, the lives of the lady of the house and their children may be in a state of constant danger. The author grew up within this kind of home and environment and this is his story.

Masculinity without femininity does not exist. Opposites come into view as comparisons. After growing up in Jim Crow Mississippi's Delta and moving to Chicago and then into the military, the author experienced one cultural shock after another in rapid succession. Jim Crow Mississippi revealed itself as a lower cultural form of white Protestant masculinity. Chicago expressed itself as a hybrid form Jim Crow white masculinity and its may interactions and relationships with other forms of itself; and then his experiences in the many forms of that kind of masculinity that had formed and hardened itself within the military systems. Each of these kinds of masculinity seem to have been grounded in the spiritual tradition of Old Testament biblical theology within that time period. The 20-something year old author of that time period ventured into the U.S. Air Force and within 2 years met and began dating a beautiful white lady in October of 1969.His military supervisor learned of the couple's dating and shortly after the event arranged to have the author sent into the Vietnam War. He was never to see his white lady friend again. These events are the background to this book. The author questions white male Protestant masculinity and its incapacity to recognize, honor, and see any form of femininity as fully formed members of the human community with their own voices and innate capacities to make informed decisions, and especially regarding intimacy, relationships of any kind, and its incapacity to recognize, honor, and understand black males as fully developed and mature members of the human and masculine community. The author challenges white masculinity to mature by seeing itself through the lens of comparisons to themselves, black and brown males, and all females as either his superiors or equals. Equality is a non-issue in this book. The concerns here are: differences in kind, values, principles, and all forms of diversity. Diversity is the ground for comparisons. Comparisons are the essence of loving singularities.

Man of the House: A MemoirBy: Dr. Colm McAindriuBetween the years of 1944 and 1963, Dr. Colm McAindriu was just a kid, a Black kid living in the Jim Crow Mississippi Delta. His story brings to light what living day and night under the threat of death looks like for a Black kid in this era. Should he look at the white girl, or dream of her and tell someone or be caught doing so? His mother forced him to help her raise her remaining 12 children and demanded that he kill his prized pig to feed her family. McAindriu's childhood was rife with small moments of joy and learning, coupled with working in cottonfields, pain both physical and emotional, and being the Man of the House.About the AuthorAfter leaving for Chicago in 1963, Dr. McAindriu went into the military and later obtained two Doctorates. In his research, he is passionately focused on Self-realization as a life-purpose. He is currently working on his third PhD. His hobbies include scenic drives to the mountains and beaches, reading, and meditation. He holds a special interest in self-realization research, study, and writing.