Kids and their violent music...

[canav844]

Indiana College Bans "Too Violent" National Anthem | NBC Washington

Tiny Goshen College in Indiana has banned the "The Star Spangled Banner: at all sporting events because the Mennonite school's president considers the National Anthem's words to be too violent.

They banned the words last year, the song this year; I've heard through the grapevine that the story fails to mention they do sing "God Bless America" instead now.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Guns and more]

Goshen College is in the Mennonite area. Very religious, very anti war.

If everyone felt that way we'd all be speaking German.

[Hopyard]

I suppose they are entitled to their opinion and their own ways, especially given the unique religious perspective. However, the words of our national anthem are not violent. The words are a descriptive narrative, an eyewitness report of an historical event. To call it violent would be to say that a news story of a robbery is violent.

I had a 6th grade teacher who spent days discussing the meaning of every word in our anthem so that we all fully understood that Key was a prisoner on board a British ship, observing the naval bombardment of Ft. McHenry, and that his solace came from observing the presence of the flag still flying above the fort at dawn. Thanks to that teacher I get goose bumps when I hear the words; not solely because it is our anthem, but because the human story itself is so compelling--and was so well taught.

Rather than a violent tale, it is a story of hope.

[gasmitty]

Would that there were more teachers today like Hopyard's 6th grade teacher.

I was about 10 when I saw that flag at the Smithsonian and I recall being in awe of it, knowing it was the inspiration of our national anthm.

[ArkhmAsylm]

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I tried to take one of my dad's Bill Cosby albums to school in second grade for show & tell one time (early 70's) because I thought he was funny. My teacher asked if she could preview it before we tried this. She let me down easy by saying she thought that the humor was a little too "adult" for the other kids...

I don't think that the National Athem would've lost out though. I hear that they hate it too in Pakistan.

[Ianator]

Goshen College is in the Mennonite area. Very religious, very anti war.

If everyone felt that way we'd all be speaking German.

Actually probably British/English and then eventually German or something... From the way England is looking now, I don't think the british/america would have withstood any attacks and certainly would not have done what we did in WWII. OMO...

[limatunes]

You know.. if they wanted to continue to be patriotic and "non-violent" they could always just sing/play the last verse...

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

But then again, it does mention that people have a moral obligation to fight for a just cause. I guess that's too much for some people despite the fact that they've been living off of the freedom proceeds of people willing to do just that.

[canav844]

I completely agree with their right to do so. I don't agree with the action of doing it, expecting that a college would take some time to learn the history behind it and understand it's an acknowledgment of history and a sign of endurance (as hopyard's teacher taught, and something I learned in grade school as well), and to be reminded of all the work and sacrifice a it took to become the freest nation on the planet, and that the ability to have a sporting event and cheer for a team is a real privilege, and a few moments to recall that adds meaning to the activity on the field, court or track. People will graduate from there every year and go back into the general populous and we may encounter them in day to day aspects of life and I thought it was interesting to share that some folks find the Star Spangled banner violent, and when you think about the gun rights situation, then in turn some of the attitudes we may face.

And from time to time I have heard of a political push to change the national anthem to God Bless America or America the Beautiful and I think we've probably all heard the recent trend to "sing" the words with no music,timing or inflection, so it certainly is a tradition that's been seeing some change in recent years.

[ConcealedG30]

I listen to just about everything except Rap, I just haven't cared for it. From Metalica to George Jones to Kansas & Boston to Jars of Clay, and yes even our violent national anthem. I think I'm well balanced.

I now listen to my local KLOVE station(Christain music) more that anything.


Our Nation Anthem Offensive? Thats a good one...

[JoJoGunn]

I love our National Anthem. I get chills each and everytime I hear it because I know what it truly represents. Our "political correctness" crowd must be complete morons. How dare they call our Anthem violent after hearing all the Rap music blaring out of cars that glorify any and every kind of violence. Maybe that is what they should be afraid of instead of our National Anthem.

I'm stopping here because I might type something to get me banned from DC for a bit.