The one certainty in America today is that any image is sure to offend someone. The new democratically selected Kelseyville High School mascot is no exception.
Although the final knight image has not been selected, only the name Knights, aspersions regarding slave-holding French knights have already been cast. Disregarding the traditional cultural imagery of knights as admirable warriors who defended the weak against wrong and who were ruled by a code of honor obligating them to purity in thought, word and deed, people are offended. Still others are offended associating knights as a totally male image.
Historically, knights were no more homogeneous than Native American cultures. Sadly most countries of the world had slavery in the past. To an extent, everyone in feudal society had a level of enslavement; from serf to noble, everyone was bound to the land and under the obligation of shared loyalties. Knights were as obligated to their lieges as serfs were to knights or other vassals. It is the way they all survived a brutally hard life.
While the harsh realities are always less than inspirational ideals, knights in shining armor are a phenomenon of culture that have come to us as images of humanity”s aspiration to be more just and merciful in face of life”s cruelty. That”s not a bad goal.
It is not true that knights were all men. In Medieval Ireland, women were allowed to hold any office a man held, could inherit land just as men could, served as judges, lawyers and could lead their men into battle as knights. They could and they did. Even the more male-oriented France was saved by that most famous female knight: Joan of Arc.
Instead of finding immediate offense, the knight mascot could inspire us to know history better and break away from stereotypes largely created by Hollywood.
Meredith Lahmann
Kelseyville High School teacher
