Tears of joy, pain as national anthem plays at Indiana college

USA Today: Tears of joy, pain as national anthem plays at Indiana college

GOSHEN, Ind. — Rockets red glare, bombs bursting in air – these are the words that brought tears to the eyes of those who witnessed the historic first playing of the national anthem at Goshen College Tuesday afternoon.

Tears of pain for 22-year-old Marlys Weaver, a senior journalism student who hates the images of war she sees "in nearly every verse."

Tears of joy for 56-year-old Steven Shriner, a retired Air Force sergeant who proudly wears a red, white and blue cap.

They were among more than 100 people who gathered around the Goshen baseball diamond to hear the patriotic tune that had never been played at the Mennonite college that has always embraced its peace-loving, pacifist roots.

But as the 1,000-student campus has grown increasingly diversified – only 55% of students today are Mennonite, compared to more than 60% a few decades ago – the pressure to show allegiance to the flag has grown.

After a visiting fan complained a year ago and a conservative radio show picked up the story, Goshen embarked on months of passionate debate – exploring what it means to be a Mennonite in a society that embraces the flag – a debate that concluded Tuesday with the national anthem and the inaugural hoisting of the American flag down the first base line.

"I am not a Mennonite and I don't understand their reasons for not playing the anthem," said Shriner, a Methodist, who has worked at the college for 13 years. "And they don't understand my reasons for loving my country."

Weaver, who is editor of the campus newspaper, counters: "I believe we are called to follow Jesus's example of work and love." …

I'm not an Anabaptist or pacifist. I don't have a problem playing the national anthem at a sporting event at a Christian college. However, I believe the American flag should not be in the worship space, and I am very uneasy about singing patriotic hymns in a worship service.