Monday, April 08, 2002

Take your tradition and stick it in the chapel.

The lunchtime USNA prayer may finally be going the way of the dodo.

I vaguely remember this from my days in Annapolis. A chaplain or one of the stripers at the anchor would say a prayer after the daily announcements. As an atheist, I saw it as just another instance of majority conformity rule in an institution that was proud of senseless traditions.

Another fine example of senseless tradition are the formal dress parades. Despite the majority of us being destined for life on ships where the ability to march with rifles is of questionable value, the members of the Brigade -- not lucky enough to be varsity athletes in season or members of the football team -- would practice five to six hours a week for these silly events. The parades themselves were tortuous affairs in full dress blues.

I am short -- a sandblower in the academy lexicon -- and was always in the last row of my company's formation. From there I would watch the midshipmen who locked their knees collapse in the heat. There was not much else to do.

I remember one time a guy collapsed after we'd fixed bayonets and ended up with the edge slicing into his neck as he went down. He was ultimately ok, but it could have been much worse. Looking at this month's events, the practise parade schedule is as arduous as ever.

Anyway -- back to the lunchtime prayer. I remember enormous pressure there when I was a plebe to attend chapel. The upperclassmen frowned on those who did not.

So for all those mids who twiddle their thumbs or glance about surreptitiously to see if their lack of fervor is noticed -- release from at least one senseless and unconstitutional tradition is on its way.

posted by Bohica at 12:51 PM