Military-age male

Military-age male (abbreviated as "MAM," plural "MAMs") is an American military and media propaganda term used to dehumanize civilians or immigrants and whitewash civilian deaths in the face of public criticism.^[1]

History

Usage in genocide

A concerted effort was made by the Bosnian Serb Army of Republika Srpska to capture and execute all Bosniak men of military age in the Srebrenica massacre.^[2]

American usage

American usage of the term began during the Vietnam War, when the American public was disturbed by high civilian casualties, so the military-industrial complex used the media to redefine the term "civilian" as "military-age males."^[1] This public opinion strategy involves putting civilian deaths into separate categories where one is termed "military-age males" and essentially excluded from the conscience as "possible or potential combatants," thus reducing the number of civilians deaths by only including women, children, and the elderly.^[1]

Usage in post-9/11 wars

This term was commonly used in the Bush-era wars around the world and later in Obama- and Trump-era drone programs.^[1]

Usage in immigration rhetoric

The term has also been used by the Republican Party against migrants crossing the Mexico-United States border.^[3] Illegal immigrant males of this age statistically commit fewer crimes than native-born citizens of the same age and gender.^[4]

Impact

The usage of the term has been criticized as a propaganda effort intended to avert public criticism from the US Department of Defense, and for obfuscating and preventing proper oversight of US defense and foreign policies.^[5]