TO THE EDITOR:
Alex Lee sounded like Edmund Burke in his column (""Americans Need to Bring Back Chivalry" Nov. 23) lamenting the death of the stupid old idea of chivalry. Thomas Paine's apt response to Burke bears remembering here: it is good that the Quixotic age of chivalry nonsense is gone" out the window with the age of aristocracy"" on which it is founded.
For chivalry makes no sense outside of the context of social hierarchy"" with ""ladies and gentlemen"" as Lee calls them, separated from the common rabble."" Applied equally and without hierarchy" this code of conduct is nothing more than the republican virtue of politeness. If such virtue is all Lee desires" he should stop using words like ""gentlemen"" and ""nobility"" which only have real significance for aristocrats and monarchists.
Lee also noticeably ignores the best example of true chivalry"" in American history: the Old South that worshipped at the altar of the gentleman. The by-products of this social order included rigid hierarchy" slavery and yes the oppression of women.
Jonathan Pattishall
Sophomore
English and German
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Friday, April 19, 2024
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