Almost three years ago, I had written a piece describing what types of EDC items a gentleman may carry that could be purchased at Target.

In that piece I had briefly mentioned how Target is selling less and less items geared towards men and how I didn’t want to further elaborate because I basically did not want to stir any controversy.

I now think Target has taken it too far and deliberately does not want to cater towards men or at least rugged manly men.

By the way, I will be the first to admit that in me there is a battle between a rugged, prepared, dynamic man and a soft, urbane and weak man. My disabilities bring out both of these men even though one would think that the disabilities would only bring out the latter.

My local Target and several other Targets of which I frequent seem to be low key discriminating against men, by selling less and less of what men would shop for.

When I was in my late teens, Target sold some really nice flashlights, decent multi tools as in Gerber, real Swiss Army Knives in fact Target was the first place I saw a Swiss Army Knife in real life for the first time almost twenty years ago, and just good outdoor gear in general. Fast forward to 2022, Target sells flashlights that would only be useful in a dmoestic setting although the said retailer carries one or two kinds of flashlights that could be labelled as “tactical” but I question whether they would hold up in a truly tactical situation. Target also no longer sells multi tools or Swiss Army Knives

Might I also add that my local Target used to have a food court that sold some fairly decent hot dogs, popcorn, chicken tenders and other on par foods but sadly this food court was converted into a Starbucks. The thing is, though, there is another Starbucks not even a block away from this Target. I think most men would prefer a hot dog instead of a latte` that they could enjoy while their wives or girlfriends shop.

By the way, I think I should try opening a coffee shop that would cater to men. We could have black coffee severe with sugar, heavy cream both or neither. We could have fried eggs. We could have V8 Juice. We could have toast. And maybe bacon and sausage. And if anyone is wondering how I take my coffee, I will tell you: five eights of my cup with strong black coffee and chicory if available and the remaining three eighths with heavy cream, in my younger years I would have taken sugar, but now I think that sugar masks the true flavor of the coffee. And if it is cold enough, I will take it hot and black, just to warm me up and get me going on a cold morning. Recently I have also been drinking English and Irish breakfast teas as well.

I’m a little off on a tangent, but I think Target is discriminating against manly men because of what wicked people in high places are trying to label manliness as toxic masulinity. At least that is what I think is going on and maybe I am being a little paranoid. And just for the record, if I can be proven incorrect, I will happily recant these positions that which I hold.

I will admit that there is such a thing as toxic masulinity and if left unchecked, it can do great damage at all levels and even ruin society at the core. But let’s not discriminate against gentlemen and those who enjoy things that are historically labled as “manly.”

So, no, I do not believe men should be jerks, especially towards those of the opposite sex, but I believe they can still be gentleman and retain just about all of their masculinity.

I strive to be a gentleman and I believe my wife would call me a good man as would my pastor.

I’m not trying to be macho or anything like that, but I still am a man and I would appreciate it if Target would sell products that I like-I don’t think that is too much to ask.

Target used to be a wonderful place for both men and women to shop and let me just say that my wife and I shop at Target quite frequently.

My EDC backpack was initially purchased at Target as was my wallet (both SwissGear) and I will continue to purchase these at Target because I am partial to the brand SwissGear and Target is the only retailer that sells SwissGear products locally. It would be nice if Target sold more SwissGear products, but I do not like the road they are headed on and I wish things would change.

It seems as if Target is acting more like something out of modern California than Minnesota in the 1960s and I wish this could be reversed.

I will admit that the electronics section at Target is still decent and yes I am somewhat of an electronics nerd, anyone who reads this blog at length will realize that. It would be nice if Target could sell some scanners, desktop computers, weather radios and Android tablets. It wouldn’t hurt to have a wider selection of calculators as well.

I notice that they don’t sell too many electronics that work off grid and maybe because preparedness is frowned upon by those same wicked people in high places or maybe I am again being paranoid.

It was draining to write this piece, but I believe it needed to be said, because I do not like the way things are going and me pointing out what is going on at Target.

If you, the reader, are reading this then that means it has my wife’s approval.

Thank you for taking the time to read this piece.

I hope God intervenes on behalf of humanity, but still I know that this world must come to an end, but I pray that in the mean time, He still richly blesses you.

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