Goshen College, a Mennonite institution in Goshen, Ind., has decided to play “America the Beautiful” instead of the national anthem before its intercollegiate sporting events, The Chronicle of Higher Education reported.
The college stopped playing “The Star-Spangled Banner” last fall, when students, faculty and alumni voiced concerns that the song glorifies war and distracts from the college’s values. The new song aligns better with the institution’s pacifist tradition while still honoring the country, college officials said.