National Anthem Banned At Goshen College

[Dan Schultz]

Yup... here's the news story:

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/06/07/na ... ng-outcry/

[Donn]

Cool, I believe I'm ready for some religion and politics!

[The Jackson]

What is Goshen College?

[The Big Ben]

Love to see that 1st Amendment in action!

[Dan Schultz]

What is Goshen College?

Goshen College is a Mennonite school in Goshen, Indiana... just down the road from a revered place called Elkhart that used to produce The World's finest music instruments.

Read the article I posted for more information. They are pacifists who don't like the words to the "Star-Spangled Banner" because it reflects violence. All I can say is a lot of folks have died so they can think what they want. I just hope they realize that.

[Donn]

I'm sure they do, but you know, religion makes people do some strange things.

[Brown Mule]

Pacifists always facinate me. Let's see , I wasted a year of my life on DMZ in Korea, Dad and uncles fought hitler and Japan 42-46, Three great uncles fought germany in WWI, several ancesters fought England in Revolution.------------------all so some officials at some little school in Elkhart can have the FREEDOM to decide to say to hell with their government-----------Bet ole Hitler wouldn't have let them turn their noses up at his " benevolent non-violent administration".Well, All I can say is ---------keep writing your congressman and vote.

[Brown Mule]

Interestingly, most of us and our families have fought wars so pacifists don't have to.

[Biggs]

That article contains near-terminal ignorance levels.

[Biggs]

Interestingly, most of us and our families have fought wars so pacifists don't have to.

How do you figure? The US military has only been a volunteer force since 1973. The majority of US military conflicts occurred prior to this date.

[Dan Schultz]

Interestingly, most of us and our families have fought wars so pacifists don't have to.

How do you figure? The US military has only been a volunteer force since 1973. The majority of US military conflicts occurred prior to this date.

Sure. ... there WAS a draft prior to 1973. However... LOTS of guys enlisted prior to that because it was the thing to do. Myself included.

[The Big Ben]

Freedom! Ain't it great?

It gives people the right to do things with which you don't agree.

Anyhow, anyone who believes Jesus Christ was a pacifist weenie needs to read about the time He threw the moneychangers out of the temple.

[Tubainsauga]

Despite what this person might think, it is a poem honoring a battle in DEFENSE from conquest.

Though I do agree with your sentiment, I do have to quibble with that assessment. The US was most definitely the aggressor in the war of 1812 and the British had no real interest in conquest (the war of 1812 was largely secondary to the Napoleonic wars and no borders changed as a result of the conflict). That said, in a limited scope, the poem is honoring the "Defense of Baltimore" so...The war of 1812 is actually a really interesting conflict both in terms of 19th century diplomacy between the USA and Britain but also within the States..

[Brown Mule]

Interestingly, most of us and our families have fought wars so pacifists don't have to.

How do you figure? The US military has only been a volunteer force since 1973. The majority of US military conflicts occurred prior to this date.

Well, I'll speak for my family-----------Every generation has fought----------I, before the draft ended and my only son will be a college senior next year and has already taken test and plans to go to Army Infantry OCS after graduation(as I did). We sort of feel its our duty in this family----------------how about yours??? If there's no draft, you do your duty and join. Of course I recognize the fact that we Americans have FREEDOM now to not serve if one chooses. Just a personal ole US of A choice(Its called freedom).

[Brown Mule]

Freedom! Ain't it great?

It gives people the right to do things with which you don't agree.

Anyhow, anyone who believes Jesus Christ was a pacifist weenie needs to read about the time He threw the moneychangers out of the temple.

I love the description of confederate general Stonewall Jackson-------------" He fought by the old testament , and lived by the new testament"

[Donn]

Maybe they've been reading things like "War is a Racket", by retired US Marine Major General Smedley Butler? (You can find a paragraph excerpt at Butler's wikipedia page - go past the part where he's one of 19 people who have ever received two Medals of Honor and all that stuff, it's about 2/3 of the way down.) Stuff that could get you thinking that big money might be pulling the strings and making these wars happen in many cases. Not that this is true, I'm just saying you can find people who think that way, and then from there, it's a short path to frowning on the use of music for war propaganda. If you subscribe to religious beliefs that don't support war.

If it makes anyone think, good for them. From the way the article reads, though, it's hard to see any sign of that.

[lowpitchmoravian]

Freedom is not free. Even the ability to have the freedom to trash the Star Spangle Banner did not come free.

[TheHatTuba]

Freedom is not free. Even the ability to have the freedom to trash the Star Spangle Banner did not come free.

Nothing is free. Not even air because every time we exhale we put carbon dioxide into the atmosphere (C6H12O6 + 6O2 --> 6CO2 + 6H2O)

[Brucom]

I wasn't drafted. I enlisted. I served for five years, seven months, 20 days. (1974-1979)

I think that the majority of able-bodied men did not wait to be drafted after the attack on Pearl Harbor.