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society perceived them in a more relevant time.Ladies were the home makers of that time. Obviously no one wanted their home, which was to many a place of comfort and solace, to be polluted with foul language or crass behaviour. So ladies came to be seen as the pinnacle of grace, etiquette and composure. A lady was supposed to be kind, gentle, honest, compassionate, and patient and was supposed to have a good sense of humour which involved jokes not directed at others. Nowadays, though, we see very few “ladies” coming even close to that definition. However, I agree that the image of a lady I’ve been portraying may be a little too extreme for the 21st Century. But I’m not asking anyone to adhere religiously to that image. All I’m saying is that modernisation does not necessitate shedding of moral values.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we stand at the dawn of a new age. An age which I find to be in stark contrast with the old one. And at this crucial juncture, I feel that we must ask ourselves the question “Out of all the pros and cons of mankind are chivalry, gentlemanliness, and lady-like attributes really the things we want to leave behind?” Or are there, Ladies and Gentlemen, other things, things such as criminal tendencies and objectionable behaviour that should be consigned to the past.

This new age involves all of us, Ladies and Gentlemen, whether we like it or not, and so we must take active part in shaping its culture. No longer must we wallow in self-pity over our dwindling numbers, no longer must we lie in supine non-objection to the death of class. We must act! There may come a day when our race is completely wiped out. A day when crime is rampant in the cities, murder, and abuse everywhere. But it is not this day. For today we live! And so we fight!

I have been calling you all Ladies and Gentlemen for some time now, hoping to bring out the part in our hearts which still wants to be chivalrous, that little part that prompts you to hold open the door when somebody enters after you, the little part, my friends, that still craves a truly civilized society.

I would now like to conclude by saying:

“Ladies and Gentlemen! The world needs us! Let’s try to not disappoint.”

Devesh Singhal

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