Comments about ‘Goshen College in Indiana lifts its 116-year ban on national anthem’

Keep GOD First! Say the Prayer, THEN Play the National Anthem

I passed up on applying to Goshen College almost 50 years ago because of their lack of patriotism for the USA, and I will be helping fund my grandson's college attendance, but IT WILL NOT BE AT GOSHEN COLLEGE!

Watching the Olympics over the past week and reflecting on the differences between "The Star Spangled Banner" and "Oh, Canada" hammers home where Goshen College's ban came from. I don't really like the fact that my country sees fit to glorify war and violence and our neighbors to the north sing all about how they want God to protect them. The latter sounds like a much better plan to me.

I feel that the wording of this article in unfortunate, as the national anthem hasn't been around as the national anthem for 116 yrs, it's only been since WWII that the Star Spangled Banner began to be played at sporting events and was adopted as the national anthem. In addition, the use of the word "ban" is highly misleading. Just because the administration upholds the peace/nonconformist/Jesus/global citizenship/etc beliefs of the Mennonite Church (of which it is a part) by not playing the national anthem, doesn't mean that the anthem was ever banned.

The National Anthem is a war anthem. Why would peace promoting Mennonites desire to sing it or play it before events in their colleges? Gave in to political conservatives, who care see greatness in war and not religious freedom (religious right to participate in the pledge or the national anthem). Country before God is the motto for a large number of conservative Christians. They gave in to complaints from non--Mennonites who love war more than the than "unpatriotic Americans." Very disappointed.