Munster grad believes Star-Spangled Banner should be played at Goshen College

For more than 70 years, the Star-Spangled Banner has been weaved into the fabric of American sports.

Starting during World War II, the song penned by Francis Scott Key in 1814 became a staple at sporting events, gaining popularity before baseball games and eventually expanding to other sports and leagues. The anthem is a symbol of freedom and bravery, and the courage of a country to stand up for itself in the heat of battle.

Munster's Grace Ispas, a freshman softball player at Goshen College, believes that. Her school, however, does not.

The 19-year-old pitcher has a very strong conviction and direct opinion about whether Goshen should play the Star-Spangled Banner before Maple Leafs athletic events. But on Monday, more than 14 months after the Mennonite school played the national anthem before a sporting event for the first time since intercollegiate athletics began at the college in 1957, the board of directors made a request to school president James Brenneman.

According to a release, the group asked 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." Since March 23, 2010, the school has played an instrumental version of the national anthem before games, followed by a prayer, but people complained, according to an Associated Press story, that "the song's images of war and military undermined the school's pacifist message."

"I definitely disagree with it," Ispas told The Times on Wednesday. "I feel that it's disrespectful to your country to not allow the national anthem. It's kind of like showing your respect for your nation and for (the) people fighting for your freedom.

"They might not have a chance to practice the Mennonite religion if it wasn't for our troops or what they've done for our people."

Rick Stiffney, the chair of Goshen's board of directors, said in a release that the board shared different views on the decision to stop playing the anthem, which led to the debate lasting almost three years.

"The board itself struggled with significant differences and conflicting perspectives, so this decision was not easy and took many hours of discernment and prayer," Stiffney said. "Our resolution represents our best effort to find a path of wisdom that we could endorse together."

However, the Mennonite Church USA supports the school's decision to stop playing the anthem. It just reinforces the school's commitment to peace, said Carlos Romero, the executive director of the Mennonite Education Agency and an ex-officio member of Goshen's board of directors, in a release.

"The board's decision reflects a belief that faith and honoring country can co-exist without disturbing higher allegiances to God, and that Goshen College will become increasingly diverse and will welcome diverse viewpoints," Romero said.

Ispas isn't Mennonite, so she readily admits she doesn't completely understand the religion's point of view, which is largely centered on nonviolence. That doesn't stop Ispas, though, from being adamant in her belief that the anthem be played before her games.

"I think it's an important thing to be played," Ispas said. "I would guess the majority of sports players would like to hear the national anthem before their sports games. It's an American tradition. It's really weird not to have it."

The process to start playing the anthem began in 2008, when school administrators and faculty began discussing the idea. In January 2010, the President's Council announced an instrumental version of the anthem would be played and a prayer said before games starting in that year's spring season.

On March 23, 2010, before baseball and softball games, the anthem was played. In September 2010, a "Listen & Learn" committee was developed to solicit input from students, alumni, faculty and staff. In May of this year, that committee provided a report to Goshen's board of directors, which led to this week's decision to stop playing the anthem.

Ispas accepted the school's decision for an instrumental version as a substitute, but now that Goshen has done away with the song entirely, she doesn't think those who support a ban understand what the anthem truly means.

"I think they think the national anthem stands for war," Ispas said. "They're getting the wrong message. It stands for respecting your country."

The anthem debate has caused quite a stir around campus, Ispas said. She had class discussions and meetings at chapel about it. There were protests around campus and fliers posted about it.

From what Ispas saw, the campus was divided -- individuals were either for the anthem or against it.

"I never met anybody who was like, 'Oh, I don't care,'" she said.

Ispas didn't know about the controversy when she signed with the NAIA school. After a friend told her about it and Ispas researched the subject, she felt a little uneasy about Goshen, but said Wednesday she never wavered on attending school there.

On Wednesday, Ispas said she doesn't plan to transfer.

Without speaking for her teammates, Ispas believes the softball players enjoy hearing the anthem before games. If the board of directors upholds the ban, Ispas said she's heard rumors that teams might put the Star-Spangled Banner on their warm-up CDs.

"I think it's a really big deal," Ispas said. "I want to respect (my country). It's a free country.

"Most people on the sports teams are not Mennonite, and that's why it's a big reason why they would like it to be played before their sporting events."