Among the gifts given to men by women has been inspiration. But women give life to a people, and therefore should have a greater say in directing its destiny.

When I was young, I read an interesting comment: “If mothers stopped raising soldiers, there would be no more wars.”

Mothers, however, may permit their sons to follow their natural instincts or inclinations, but they certainly do not encourage a child’s thrill of make-believe killing.

When I was a child and a girl was given a stick, she might quickly have tossed it away. But a small boy would immediately imagine it to be a tool or instrument. Perhaps a bat, a club or a rifle.

If you gave a small boy a doll, he would be likely to grab it by the arm or leg and toss it around.

I once found a stick in an empty Bronx lot and proceeded to kill 22 small white butterflies.

There are theories and explanations for why the different genders seem to instinctively choose either to console, cooperate with, or play rhythmic games, while the boys adopt competitive, aggressive or hostile attitudes. There is no general consensus, but testosterone certainly plays its part.

One can write with greater certainty, however, that if Kamala Harris loses this election, it will be because a certain meaningful percentage of men simply are not yet ready to vote for a woman for president.

Raphael O’Suna

Haiku