num_pages: 396
description: Vietnam signaled the end of America's long history of martial victories. Warrior Dreamsn argues that the shame of defeat by a technologically inferior enemy, compounded by challenges to the status quo from feminism &amp; minority groups, created a profound crisis in American identity--particularly for white males--&amp; gave birth to a disturbing &amp; reactionary new war culture designed to make America well again. Armed with a journalist's curiosity &amp; a critic's precision, Gibson sets out to map this new American war zone. He plays paintball with LA's weekend warriors, learns to shoot like a pro at Arizona's elite Gunsite Ranch &amp; parties with soldiers of fortune at their annual convention in Las Vegas. He surveys the combat magazines &amp; weapons advertisements, films &amp; novels that fuel the sexual, violent fantasies of millions of would-be warriors across the country. He shows how this mythology, far from harmless consumer entertainment, has indeed started a new war with real warriors--Aryan Nation, contract killers, mercenaries in Central America--&amp; with dangerous consequences for democracy.AcknowledgmentsIntroductionOld warriors, new warriorsBirth of the warriorBlack-widow womenWho is the enemy &amp; what does he want?The hero's magic weapons Self-transformation in combat &amp; the pleasures of killingPaintball as combat sport Partying with the soldiers of fortune Becoming the armed man: combat pistol shooting at Gunsite RanchHave gun, will travel: hit men, mercenaries &amp; racist groups join the new warBad men &amp; bad guns: the symbolic politics of gun controlParamilitarism as state policy in the Reagan-Bush eraConclusionNotesIndex
language: English
title: Warrior Dreams: Paramilitary Culture in Post-Vietnam America
titlecomplete: Warrior Dreams: Paramilitary Culture in Post-Vietnam America
genres: Sociology, War, Cultural Studies, Gender, Politics
ratings_count: 50
publisher: Hill & Wang (NY)