You know what’s crazy? I’ll tell you what’s crazy.™
Not playing the national anthem!
That’s like not saying Amen after a prayer.
It’s like not saying God Bless you after a sneeze.
It’s like not shaking a man’s hand and looking him in the eye when you first greet.
Few things blast America from both barrels like the Star Spangled Banner.
It’s a double dose of patriotic spine tingle.
But there’s a college in Indiana that is treating the patriotic song like a Herpes sore at a kissing contest.
The school says the song doesn’t reflect the values it represents.
It’s the national anthem for goodness sakes. How can it now reflect your values? What zip code does your school reside in, Communist Cuba?
Remember after the 911 tragedy, when football resumed the following Sunday. Remember when the star spangled banner resonated at every stadium. Remember the pride, the intensity, the patriotism percolating inside every venue. It wasn’t just a football game, it was an anthem of togetherness and healing and over coming injustice. It was about rising as one.
My skin is tingling right now just remembering how this sacred song made me feel, how it made me proud to be an American.
Now comes word that a small college in Indiana will not allow the hallowed “Oh say you can see” to ring out.
Goshen College is under the microscope. It is in a Mennonite community. Apparently there is a feeling that the words and imagery in the Star Spangled Banner are too violent.
“Bombs Bursting in Air.”
“Rockets Red Glare.”
Hey Goshen College – shut up.
If it wasn’t for those bombs bursting in air and those rockets red glare, you might not have the freedom to run your little back-ass-ward institution.
You are in the United States of America. If you don’t like the National Anthem get over it. We may not like Goshen College, but we tolerate you.
It’s the American way.
“Oh say can you see, by the dawn’s early light.”
The school administration denies that it is abolishing the National Anthem, stating that it is looking for a sports related song that is more appropriate.
What is more appropriate than the National Anthem. It’s not like you’re being asked to play a rap song from NWA.
Additionally, the school denied that violence was the reasoning for their decision. Instead, it stated the board found the music to be “too divisive” and said that it compromised the college’s vision.
Compromised the college’s vision? What the hell is the college’s vision?
God Bless Uzbekistan?
While Goshen College is clarifying and fine tuning now, Fox News claims they initially were told: “Historically, playing the national anthem has not been among Goshen College’s practices because of our Christ-centered core value of compassionate peacemaking seeming to be in conflict with the anthem’s militaristic language.”
Last January, board members decided to allow an instrumental version of “The Star Spangled Banner” to be performed before games. However, on Monday, board members changed their decision, announcing it would no longer perform the anthem, preferring instead an alternative.
A wordless national anthem? That’s like a hot dog without the hot dog.
Richard Aguirre, director of public relations at Goshen College, told the Goshen News the issue is far from black and white.
“I think some in the media … have framed it as a debate between those who love country, who honor the military and respect the sacrifice of those who served in the military, and America haters on the other side,” he said. “Not only is that an inaccurate framing of the issue, but it’s an offensive one to people who on this campus have in fact served in the military or had relatives who did, but for reasons of conscience don’t support playing the anthem.”
Whatever!
All I can say is that not playing the national anthem for any reason in the United States of America is not only Crazy, it’s insulting.™
The school says it’s looking for another song to represent them. What song is that going to be?
Lady Gaga’s I was born this way?
The Rolling Stones “Satisfaction”
Steve Miller’s “Fly like an Eagle.”