Many progressives were shocked by the militaristic response of Americans to the attacks of September 11, 2001 -– but not feminists. They had already been tracking the militarisation of American daily life -– from Super Bowl bomber flyovers to yellow ribbons on family cars -– and its intimate connections to the cult of masculinity that has recently tightened its grip on American politics.I know I wasn't living in America in September 2001, but I'm pretty sure the yellow ribbons on the cars phenomenon was not part of "American daily life" before September 11, 2001. They certainly weren't common in upstate New York.
Cynthia Enloe is worked up about the link between masculinity and militarization.
Take those flyovers. What's fun about sending an ominous V-winged vehicle of death and destruction over a Sunday afternoon football game?These kind of people make me laugh. You want to know why the flyovers are fun? Because the planes are cool, loud, and exciting. If she wants to believe I'm just hoping to confirm my manliness by enjoying them, well, I can live with that.
It takes coordination between the NFL and the Pentagon to plan a flyover. Is sending a black bomber racing across the sky supposed to confirm players' and fans' manliness?
Is the pageant also designed to prove the patriotic bona fides of players, owners, fans and the networks? If so, then the NFL and the Pentagon are in collusion to militarise masculinity and to masculinise militarism.
