THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 26, 1994 TAG: 9410260470
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SHARON LAROWE, CAMPUS CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: HARRISONBURG LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines
James Madison University's student government, reversing a decision that unexpectedly created a storm of controversy last week, voted by more than a 2-to-1 margin Tuesday night to begin reciting the Pledge of Allegiance before its meetings.
``I cannot believe that people are arguing over the Pledge of Allegiance,'' said Scott Pinsker, a junior member of the Senate.
``. . . Do you have any idea what it does to morale when you're finding out that people on college campuses, especially the student leaders, the future leaders of this country, basically say the pledge isn't worth a damn?''
Last week, the Senate voted 24-21 in favor of the proposal to recite the pledge, but the executive council of the Senate then voted 3-1 against it, vetoing the bill.
``We did not feel a three-person margin was large enough or strong enough to implement something into our agenda which hasn't been there for the past 25 years,'' student president Jen Mabe said.
The issue quickly drew national attention and criticism as another example of political correctness run amok on campus.
According to student government rules, the bill returned to the Senate for another vote, and a two-thirds majority was needed to override the veto.
At JMU, pledge supporters mobilized for the meeting Tuesday, appearing in sweaters picturing the American flag and red-white-and-blue rugby shirts. But some Senate members still opposed the idea.
Kelly Sheeran, a sophomore, said she thought the addition of the pledge would further divide student government. ``I don't think I should be labeled as someone who stands or sits'' during the pledge, she said, adding: ``We're not the U.S. Senate. We're here to talk about curly fries; we're here to serve the students at James Madison University.''
After an hourlong debate, the students indicated their support of the measure by a voice vote. Supporters were then asked to stand, and 37 of the approximately 50 members attending rose. There was no further tally of students opposed or abstaining.
Matt Rinaldi, who introduced the proposal last week, said it seemed only natural: ``Town council does it, congressional meetings do it, and I thought it would make the meetings . . . more meaningful.''
But Mabe said some students thought the pledge's inclusion of the word ``God'' would violate the principle of the separation of church and state because JMU is a state-supported university. Bernie Pritchard of Virginia Beach, a Senate member who supports the pledge, said others complained that they couldn't recite the phrase ``liberty and justice for all'' because ``this is an oppressive country and how can we pledge our allegiance to a country that is so hypocritical?''
Senate members will not be required to recite the pledge if they don't want to. by CNB