College Bans National Anthem

WTHR reports that a small college in Indiana has banned the Star Spangled Banner at sporting events.

Why?

Goshen College’s board of directors says it will find an alternative that honors the country and the Mennonite Church-affiliated school’s pacifist traditions.

The 1,000-student college has been playing an instrumental version of the national anthem, followed by a peace prayer, before games and other events. Some were upset with the school’s decision last year because the song’s lyrics contain references to using war and military might to defend the country.

Art professor John Blosser tells The Goshen News that there is much national pride at the school, but that most people aren’t going to blindly accept what the country does.

So the reasons given were that the Anthem is sooo militaristic and people at this college are all cool and brave and won’t “blindly accept what the country does.” Because, you know, the Anthem is all about blindly accepting everything the country does, right? Wait. I missed that verse.

In fact, the National Anthem was written about the War of 1812 where WE WERE ATTACKED!!! We weren’t killing the British for oil or anything. Heck, we weren’t even supporting Israel against those peaceful victimized Palestinians.

The British had burned down the Capitol and the White House in Washington, and were bombing Fort McHenry in Baltimore. The poem by Francis Scott Key was written about the United States flag still flying, despite the bombardment.

Look, this being America, they have the right not to play the Anthem because that’s what America’s about -freedom.