In Monday’s DM video, I shared some highlights from Robert Reich’s excellent article on “The Horrifying Truth About Trump’s Cage Match.”
His thoughtful article talks of a “deeply troubling gladiator fight” whose message relayed of America is not about how “all are created equal” but about dominance. Trump’s cage match promotes violence as the American way.
Following the fight, Alan Elrod called it the perfect culmination of MAGA fascism—a violent, misogynistic, and boorish display of contemptuous politics…an assertion of fascist politics and a tacit acknowledgement of how far we have already fallen…a spectacle of toxic male supremacy” celebrating “the worst qualities humans have to offer.*
Senator Ted Cruz showed up, posed for photographs and called the event “pure Americana.” In fact, a national poll revealed only 16% of Americans approved of its happening on the White House premises.
Speaking of Texas, Democratic nominee for senator James Talarico, has been taking flack from MAGA for being less than manly and daring to support rights for trans people. MS NOW host Jen Psaki asked him about such attacks, and he responded that he is happy to enter into a debate about “what it means to be a real man.”
He told the story of his adoptive father who mowed a widow’s lawn next door every week and “never talked about it. He just did it because that’s what a man does.”
He offered his understanding of masculinity: A man takes responsibility. A man upholds his commitments to his family and his neighbors. A man does what’s right, even when no one is watching. And here’s what real men don’t do. They don’t lie and cheat their way through life. They don’t sell their soul to the highest bidder. They don’t steal from other people in order to enrich themselves…
Real men serve others. Weak men serve themselves….I don’t think Ken Paxton (his opponent for senator) or Ted Cruz are in a position to tell anybody what a real man is.**
In my Monday video, I also discussed the final chapter of my MAGA as Antichrist book entitled “MAGA’s Precarious Manhood vs. Authentic Masculinity,” so I too welcome this debate. And also because I have discussed the issue in my book on authentic masculinity.
Let us apply Talarico’s test of responsibility to some of the ten archetypes of the sacred masculine that I treat in that book. Responsibility and Fatherhood is certainly one of them that Talarico refers to.
Men also have a responsibility to take in Father Sky and the new story of cosmogenesis which expands the soul along with an awareness of history and evolution, and arouses gratitude for the Earth and our very existence. Acknowledging the vast cosmos and 13.8 billion years that have brought us here also cultivates healthy humility.
Men have the responsibility to be “Green Men” (as do women being Green Women) defending Mother Earth especially in a time like ours when earth, soil, water, forests, other creatures, are so endangered.
Men also have a responsibility to listen to the Blue Man or artist inside them, the healing Christ (or Buddha or Image of God) keen on awakening our creativity and putting it to good use in healing self and others.
And to be Spiritual Warriors or Prophets who interfere with injustice and oppression of others, especially the young and the weak, and working to uplift them.
A real man develops an “engaged grandfatherly heart” in preference to a detached or “retired heart,” and seeks out the role of authentic eldership.
Real men take responsibility for their own wounded masculinity addressing issues of healing shame and aggression. They do not project their shadows onto others or run from self-criticism or self-knowledge.
* Alan Elrod, “Donald Trump Put America in a Cage Match With Itself. We Lost,” Liberal Currents, June 16, 2026.
** Ian Schwartz, “Talarico: A Man Takes Responsibility, Upholds Commitments; Real Men Don’t Lie and Cheat Their Way Through Life,” Real Clear Politics, June 13, 2026.
Banner Image: Before entering politics, young Abraham Lincoln, with his height and preternaturally long arms, was known as a man who could defeat any bully. Illustration from the book Abraham Lincoln and the Downfall of American Slavery, 1914. Wikimedia Commons.
Queries for Contemplation
Do you agree with the 84% of Americans who said “No” to the violent cage match on White House grounds? Why or Why not? Do you agree that a debate about what constitutes healthy masculinity is very much in order today?
Related Readings by Matthew Fox
The Hidden Spirituality of Men: Ten Metaphors To Awaken the Sacred Masculine.
Trump and the MAGA Movement as Anti-Christ.
Creation Spirituality: Liberating Gifts for the Peoples of the Earth.
Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society.
Original Blessing: A Primer in Creation Spirituality.
A Spirituality Named Compassion: Uniting Mystical Awareness with Social Justice.
Charles Burack, ed., Matthew Fox: Essential Writings on Creation Spirituality.
Adam Bucko and Matthew Fox, Occupy Spirituality: A Radical Vision for a New Generation.
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5 thoughts on “Cage Matches, Real Manhood, Senatorial Debates in Texas”
The entire White House spectacle, whether it be on the lawn, inside the building or in the new East Wing construction is all utterly obscene. However, I’m not sure a debate is wise. It would be loud, abrasive and largely pointless. I prefer the method of James Talarico’s adoptive father who just went about “doing the right thing” without a need to brag or even speak about it. Goodness, as an aspect of Nature, will prevail.
This assumes we have the correct message, and that it is widespread, in the first place.
But organized religions have favored a very male-dominant view, from priesthood to God, in spite of the actual Mystical Experience and the original Mystical message as being one of absolute equality in personhood, and absolute Divine Transcendence of gender in both Divine and Christ-Transcendence.
If we are silent about a message that has been almost-completely erased and/or twisted to favor one half over the other, we contribute to the problem.
Yes! Yes! The shadow of American history the last five hundred years has been toxic unbalanced patriarchal values of egocentric exploitation, violence, and materialistic greed, beginning with the exploitation and genocide of the Indigenous Native Americans, through slavery, militarism, ecocide of Sacred Mother Earth and Her living creatures, and continued greed and injustices of our capitalist economic system. Of course this spiritually unbalanced patriarchy and masculinity has plagued many countries and world societies, so the violence and human injustices, especially against women, minorities, and Mother Earth, have continued and is dangerously threatening to the survival of Our humanity and earth to the present day.
The continued Faith and struggles of our past and present lightworkers and justice workers, including our collaborators from the nonphysical spiritual dimensions, are supported, guided, and strengthened by God’s Spirit of Love~Wisdom~Truth~Peace~Justice~Healing~Transformation~Creativity~Beauty~Joy~Diverse Oneness… within and among Us in the Sacred Process of the Eternal Present Moment….
A real man is responsible. That sums it up. I’m sorry I can’t join you on Saturday.
Let us hope and pray that many people will sign up as servers t leaders in coming elections with the example of James Tallarico and following the words of Proverbs 22:1,aA good name is better than great riches.