Two views

Goshen College professors present contrasting opinions on playing the national anthem

United in their commitment to pacifism, the teachings of the Mennonite church and extending Christian hospitality to others, two Goshen College faculty members presented conflicting opinions on playing the national anthem before sports events at the college.

The half-hour convocation, "Perspectives on the anthem," took place on March 24, the morning after the national anthem was played at Goshen for the first time before a college sports event.

Joe Liechty, professor of peace, justice and conflict studies and chair of the department, said he grew up uneasy about patriotism. Despite his misgivings, Liechty said he supported playing the anthem before campus sports events to promote the welfare of the college community.

He drew a distinction between hospitality at a Mennonite church and a Mennonite college. "To the 45 percent of our students who come from other religious traditions, or no religious traditions, we say, 'If you can embrace our core values- that we seek to nurture graduates who are Christcentred, passionate learners, servant leaders, compassionate peacemakers and global citizens- even in fact if you can just tolerate and respect the core values, you are part of this learning community. You are not simply suffered.... You are not a guest; you are family."'

Because of that, Liechty said Goshen College should accommodate reasonable requests, such as playing the anthem. "When I think about what the anthem means, I conclude that it does not have a fixed, inherent meaning."

He said that since the college has decided that the anthem will be followed by the reading of the Prayer of St. Francis, "it would be hard for anyone to go away with the idea that Goshen College supports militarism and nationalism."

Kathy Meyer Reimer, professor of education and chair of the department, disagreed, stating that Goshen's decision to play the anthem had removed "one of the symbols and sacred rituals borne out of Anabaptist convictions about nationalism. The anthem controversy also speaks to how we make decisions, both large and small, when there are conflicts between what we feel is asked of us by our faith and by the good country in which we live."

She said those who approved of playing the anthem in order to extend hospitality to non-Mennonite student-athletes and coaches may have actually made the college less hospitable. "If we want people who are not familiar with Anabaptism to understand some of the assumptions basic to practices that happen at Goshen College, we need to be clear and willing to talk about the core Anabaptist beliefs that become rituals," she said.

Meyer Reimer also suggested that the anthem is too closely linked to national loyalty and to militarism to be played without sending a mixed message at the college, which promotes compassionate peacemaking and global citizenship. The college also should promote pacifism more strongly, she said.

"Our not playing the anthem should have been more clearly linked to living out biblical passages of 'you shall not kill,' 'blessed are the peacemakers,' and 'love your enemies and do good to those who hurt you'- prophetic, costly, biblical principles upon which the teachings in Anabaptism were founded," she said. "As Goshen College engages our country and our culture, we decide on many issues whether to assimilate or to live in alternative ways- when to be people of assent and when to be people of dissent."

Liechty, on the other hand, said that he believes the college can play the anthem without undermining its commitment to peace. "By just about any comparative measure, it's hard to imagine a place where peace has a more prominent role, where it is more honoured, more reflected upon, more acted on," he said. "We can afford to honour the desire of community members who want to play the anthem. For those of us who have wanted not playing the anthem to be a witness in relation to militarism and nationalism, we will need to find other ways, and we can."

[Sidebar]

In honour of the inaugural playing of the American national anthem at a Goshen College sporting event, students Taylor TenHarmsel, left, Sean Doering and Nate West also adorned their chests with the American flag.

[Author Affiliation]

BY RICHARD R. AGUIRRE

Goshen College Release

GOSHEN, IND.