Monday, August 6, 2012

Chivalry and Civilization


As a woman who has paid dearly for the progress women have made since the early sixties, I am passionately involved in the quest to pass on the lessons learned without swinging the pendulum back to the days before women had any legal rights. As long as young women continue to want to invent everything on their own, with no protection or guidance from those who have gone before, our society is in grave danger of backsliding. I'm not interested in continuing conversations that don't attempt to include our male partners who have held to the lessons of the ages for nurturing of the human animal. 

Every girl who has reached her menarche is vulnerable to being forced into motherhood. Every woman gestating a child, every mother still caring for children is vulnerable, and needs some source of outside protection. Women are refusing to take our men to task, using them as toys as the men pretend to be vulnerable. DNA testing has given us way to assign legal responsibility for paternity. It is time that we also demand moral (responsible) behavior from our men. When young women stop shunning the strengths of the matriarchs, we will bring men in line.

I strongly believe that chivalry has a place in our society, even today. I believe it is the responsibility of women to demand nothing less from our men, and to teach our partners and sons to act in such a manner. I'd like the matriarchs who have fought for our families and our freedoms to come together to form a new direction for our society, one that includes the voices and strengths of males and females, young and old, rich and poor. 

The soul of civilized society is at stake. I believe that chivalry is the way to form a protective barrier around the vulnerable while the individual members of society grow strong enough to contribute. We must mobilize or shun our men. I would prefer to mobilize mine, even though he is an old lion who, by rights, should be able to now rest. We have granddaughters, so we won't rest until we know that we have done all in our power to secure a moral vision based on responsibility for ourselves and our universal community.

We may have peace wrapped in the warm arms of our sisters and mothers, but there are still important battles to be fought by the women warriors who are finished using our awesome energy to protect our own young in a world full of soulless animals. 

"The Knight's Code of Chivalry was a moral system that stated all knights should protect others who can not protect themselves, such as widows, children, and elders. All knights needed to have the strength and skills to fight wars in the Middle Ages. Knights not only had to be strong but they were also extremely disciplined and were expected to use their power to protect the weak and defenceless. Knights vowed to be loyal, generous, and "noble bearing". Knights were required to tell the truth at all times and always respect the honour of women. Knights not only vowed to protect the weak but also vowed to guard the honour of all fellow knights. They always had to obey those who were placed in authority and were never allowed to refuse a challenge from an equal. Knights lived by honor and for glory. Knights were to fear God and maintain His Church. Knights always kept their faith and never turned their back on a foe. Knights despised pecuniary reward. They persevered to the end in any enterprise begun. The main vow from the knights was that they shall fight for the welfare of all.[1]"

^ Davis, Alex (2004). Chilvary, and Romance in the English Renaissance. Woodcock, Matthew... from Wikipedia