THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 27, 1994 TAG: 9410270011
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A20 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Short : 47 lines
Swept adrift by a tide of political correctness, student leaders at James Madison University in Harrisonburg decided last week that the Pledge of Allegiance was out of order at Student Government Association meetings. The 23 words are so divisive, you know, what with mentioning God and liberty and justice for all.
It's not as if America's survival hinged on the 3-1 vote of the SGA executive council, but it is curious that Francis Bellamy's pledge would so rile these leaders that they'd override student senators favoring recitation.
But democracy and - shall we say it? - old-fashioned patriotism prevailed. When the bill to include the pledge returned Tuesday to the full Senate, it had twice as many supporters as opponents.
Student Sen. Matt Rinaldi, who proposed the bill to start reciting the pledge, called the opposition ``kind of scary and kind of sad,'' PC ``gone too far.''
But Student Sen. Ron Rose, who led the opposition, said that it would just bring religion into government matters. And, anyway, there isn't really liberty and justice for all in the United States.
Besides, ``You can be patriotic without saying the Pledge of Allegiance before a meeting.''
No doubt, but what's wrong with affirming it with the pledge? Nothing, judging by the number of schools and organizations that proudly recite Bellamy's composition, written in 1892 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' discovery of America.
For those who do take offense, including JMU senators, there is always the option of silence. And there is support by no less an authority than the U.S. Supreme Court for students whose religious beliefs conflict with saying the pledge or saluting the flag.
JMU students were astounded that the controversy attracted national media attention. Student Scott Pinsker, a junior, said morale dipped because campus leaders, ``future leaders of this country,'' implied that the pledge ``isn't worth a damn.''
SGA President Jennifer Mabe offered perhaps the best lesson of the whole affair: ``Maybe we're taking ourselves too seriously.'' by CNB