Outside Community Sounds Off on Banning "Hail, Pomona, Hail"

H/t: Claremont Insider.

Throughout the land, people have been sounding off about the most recent decision to ban "Hail, Pomona, Hail" at Pomona's graduation ceremony.

The letter appeared in both the Claremont Courier and the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin.

I've reprinted it here. I couldn't agree with its last line more.

Enough is enough

Dear Editor:

I continue to be amazed by the political correctness that has overcome the educational system as they rewrite the history of our country and their institutions. Most recently, this is being demonstrated by the highly educated administration at Pomona College, which has decided to can (suspend) their beautiful and historical alma mater, “Hail, Pomona, Hail” for next months graduation. Their decision is based on the always known fact that the songs first appearance was at the conclusion of a college black face minstrel show almost 100 years ago. Heaven forbid the college remembers that at that time it was an acceptable form of entertainment throughout the world, not just in the United States.

As long as Pomona College is revising history I have a few other suggestions for them. I guess they should ban the Star Spangled Banner, our national anthem. You see, the tune to that music was the drinking song of the Anacreontic Society, a British gentleman’s only private club. Heaven forbid the college allows the playing of a national anthem sung to the tune of a song for a club that excluded women.

“Gary Owen” the song of the 7th Calvary Regiment, currently serving in the war on terror, is an Irish drinking song that talks about tearing up the town and assaulting the sheriff. They probably need to ban this one and all the movies that use it in their soundtrack from the campus too. Of course they can also forget the graduates of their school who have served in that unit of the army during war and peace since the song was adopted by the regiment in the 1870s.

Finally, let’s not forget to ban “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee.” After all, the lyrics to that song are sung to the British national anthem. I am sure the college wouldn’t want that. Someone might actually change lyrics midway through the song and ask God to save a monarch. How could we possibly justify that in a politically correct world?

The list can go on, and on, and on. It is time for the folks at Pomona College to get back to preparing students to meet the challenges of the 21st Century and to leave their alma mater alone.

James M. Weigand
Carlsbad, CA