Yes, it's their right to do this, but it's my right to criticize them for their poor decision. They're a classic example of having a mind so open that your brain falls out.
The Goshen College Board of Directors announced today that it has asked President James E. Brenneman to find an alternative to playing the Star-Spangled Banner that fits with sports tradition, that honors country and that resonates with Goshen College's core values and respects the views of diverse constituencies.
The Board took the action during its regular meeting, June 3-4, and today released a Decision Statement, which is available at www.goshen.edu/anthem.
The Board expressed a strong commitment to advancing with President Brenneman the vision for Goshen College to be an influential leader in liberal arts education with a growing capacity to serve a theologically, politically, racially and ethnically diverse constituency both within and beyond the Mennonite church. The Board concluded that continuing to play the national anthem compromised the ability of college constituents to advance the vision together.
Education, politics, and anything else that catches my attention.
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
National Anthem Too Yucky For Christian College?
Christian or not, these people are idiots:
I don't agree with their decision either but your response is quite reactionary. Do you even know why they made the decision? If you do its obvious you don't respect their principles of faith.
ReplyDelete"They're a classic example of having a mind so open that your brain falls out." Why? Because you disagree with them? Perhaps you don't understand their commitment to pacifism.
They can have their commitment to pacifism. As I always say, the easiest way to have peace is to surrender.
ReplyDeleteNo, I don't respect *their* principles. They clearly don't respect mine, either.
How is a private religious school choosing not to play the national anthem not respecting your principles?? Again, you disagree with them but can't articulate a solid reason why so you resort to name calling.
ReplyDeleteWould you feel the same way for a private christian school that also refused to allow a gay group on campus? Somehow I doubt it. Because you don't "think" they should have to do that. But somehow you think they should play the national anthem otherwise they're mindless...
You have no idea what I think about gay groups on campus, so keep such comments to yourself. Don't project your own problems onto me.
ReplyDeleteI know exactly why I dislike this decision. I didn't state it because I thought it would be intuitively obvious to the most casual observer; apparently I give some casual observers too much credit, so here goes:
the National Anthem is not anti-pacifism. It's a patriotic song about *surviving* an onslaught by British troops. Do you know any but the first verse? I do. We're referred to as a "Heav'n-rescued land".
These people are idiots.
If it wasn't for our country and all the men and women that gave ther live defending it. They won't have the right to do what they did. By shows our national Anthem that much disrespect is just shameful. I really hope other schools choose not to play them in sports
ReplyDeleteI respect their right not to play the national anthem, but I agree that it is a ridiculous decision that paints them as fools. It is true that the irony here is that if we had not stood up to those British bombs "bursting in midair" than these pacifist groups might not have the freedom to exist, found colleges, and make such idiotic decisions. Like I said, I respect the freedom that these groups have to burn the flag, trash the anthem, but I laugh at how the irony just misses them. And a failure to respect and appreciate the price of freedom will eventually lead to the loss of those freedoms. That is just a simple fact.
ReplyDelete