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Fifth Column
Indiana College Bans "Too Violent" National Anthem
2011-08-26
Tiny Goshen College in Indiana has banned the "The Star Spangled Banner: at all sporting events because the Mennonite school's president considers the National Anthem's words to be too violent.

The 1,000-student school had already banned the words last year, but the band could still play the music for patriots in attendance. Now, the school has banned the song entirely, according to NBC Sports.

The school's board of directors told college President Jim Brenneman to "find an alternative to playing the National Anthem that fits with sports tradition, that honors country and that resonates with Goshen College's core values and respects the views of diverse constituencies."
This is PC crap run completely amok. It slanders all the men that fought and died to keep this country free. You people disgust me and you do not deserve the freedom and prosperity that people died to bring you.
Posted by:DarthVader

#7  Agree wid #1 - many of the Mennonites I'd met stateside, espec in NE, are like that.
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2011-08-26 20:57  

#6  Well...certain events in the War of 1812 *did* provide the inspiration for "The Star Spangled Banner" and as we all know, war never solved anything. Except for ending the tyranny of kings and tyrants, slavery, Nazism, Communism and a whole bunch of other nasty crap. And allowing people in America to practice their religion unmolested, no matter how naive.
Posted by: SteveS   2011-08-26 16:24  

#5  That region is dotted with small religion sectarian colleges with weird agendas.
Posted by: Anonymoose   2011-08-26 16:08  

#4  Goshen College. It's not Berkeley.
They spell out their philosophy right there. Do I agree with it? No. Do I think we should Arclight them? No.
In Philadelphia, the Flyers play "God Bless America" before their hockey games. Kate Smith used to come up and sing it before playoff games. It's a tradition. No one complains.
Posted by: tu3031   2011-08-26 15:08  

#3  I second #1, the action is true to their faith. They do put their money and work into practice in many productive ways. From a Mennonite site: Mennonites are known for their peace stand, taken because they believe Jesus Christ taught the way of peace. Many members choose not to participate in military service. Some take their belief further by objecting to government military expenditure; a few choose not to pay the percentage of their annual income tax that would go for military purposes.
This is not a major issue.
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418   2011-08-26 14:56  

#2  Asmall northern Indiana college announced Wednesday that they will now play "America the Beautiful" instead of the national anthem at sporting events.

Goshen College stopped playing "The Star-Spangled Banner" after some students and alumnae said the song promoted war.

Goshen's president said "America the Beautiful" fits better with the Mennonite church-affiliated school's beliefs. The use of "America the Beautiful" will begin this fall and the American flag will be present.
Posted by: tu3031   2011-08-26 14:52  

#1  I have a couple Mennonite friends, and actually, this is true to form for many. Mennonites differ just as the rest of us do, but the ones who take their faith seriously really do abhor violence. Some reject violence to the point of rejecting the concept of self defense, but that's only some.

Point is, I kinda understand where Mr. Brenneman is coming from, and I see it more as a restatement of a long-term commitment to their faith than as a 'fifth column' type of act.

Love 'em or hate 'em, the Mennonites aren't the problem in our country.
Posted by: Steve White   2011-08-26 14:38  

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