Will a singer for the National Anthem now not sing it or another song instead?

[repoman]

I think that this will be the next step.

It would be interesting to see the singer say "If you are not going to stand, I will not sing" and then drop the mic and then walk away...

 

[dismal]

I think that this will be the next step.

It would be interesting to see the singer say "If you are not going to stand, I will not sing" and then drop the mic and then walk away...

But wait, wouldn't they be failing to do their official duty?

 

[repoman]

The question is will it be that or a person not singing it while holding a black power salute like in the 1968 Mexico City Olympics.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

I think that this will be the next step.

It would be interesting to see the singer say "If you are not going to stand, I will not sing" and then drop the mic and then walk away...

Well, as long as they don't get paid, I think that would be fine. If they do get paid, it would be fine just so long as they give the money back because they didn't do the work they were paid for.

 

[repoman]

I really doubt that anyone gets paid for anything but travel for the NA. Maybe I am wrong though.

 

[Jolly_Penguin]

The ultranationalism of the US always alarmed me. People getting all worked up of a piece of fabric (flag), or standing while somebody sings, or reciting a pledge of allegiance every morning. It looks a lot like Nazis to me....

 

[Tom Sawyer]

I really doubt that anyone gets paid for anything but travel for the NA. Maybe I am wrong though.

I'd consider costs such as travel expenses and the like to be part of the "pay" for singing it. If the stadium spent a thousand dollars on a plane ticket and a few hundred on meals and a hotel room to get some guy in to sing the anthem and he then walks off the field without singing, he should be sued in small claims court to recoup those costs.

 

[untermensche]

I think that this will be the next step.

It would be interesting to see the singer say "If you are not going to stand, I will not sing" and then drop the mic and then walk away...

You mean a singer popular with white people, right?

 

[Keith&Co.]

I think that this will be the next step.

It would be interesting to see the singer say "If you are not going to stand, I will not sing" and then drop the mic and then walk away...

Cool
I'll bet they play the game anyway. It's not like it's mandatory before play.

Then maybe we'll stop the silliness of having a national anthem before sporting events. That'll teach the performer.

I wonder if we can get a chaplain to complain that people keep on texting while he's giving the invocation and do away with those, too?

 

[Tom Sawyer]

I wonder if we can get a chaplain to complain that people keep on texting while he's giving the invocation and do away with those, too?

Well, that one is the chaplain's own fault for scheduling his invocation on the morning of when people need to finalize their fantasy football trades.

 

[Angry Floof]

This right wing control freak need to force others to prostrate themselves to symbols is pathetic and disgusting, not to mention fabulously stupid in that those symbols are supposed to represent freedom, not RWA fascist boneheadedness and the perverted drive to make everyone conform. It's nothing but dumb people well trained to be afraid of criticism and self reflection.

 

[repoman]

Is RWA right wing authoritarian?

Honestly, I would like the NA to be rarely played at sporting events - only for Olympics or similar. But I may be rare in that I am rabidly against open borders, birthright citizenship and also anti-NA performances at most games.

I am more of a fan of the ethno-nationalism of Hungary than the civic nationalism of the USA.

Also, for fucks sake get rid of God Bless America at baseball games.

 

[hurtinbuckaroo]

Also, for fucks sake get rid of God Bless America at baseball games.

Yeah, that should only be played at Flyers games.

Freaking copycats.

 

[ronburgundy]

I think that this will be the next step.

It would be interesting to see the singer say "If you are not going to stand, I will not sing" and then drop the mic and then walk away...

I hope so, then I hope it leads to no one every singing it again, and the culture doing away completely with such exercises in blind authoritarian nationalism.

The Anthem belongs with the Pledge as nothing but footnotes in the History of less enlightened times when idiots valued symbols far more than the principles they were supposed to represent but rarely do.

 

[Jolly_Penguin]

I think that this will be the next step.

It would be interesting to see the singer say "If you are not going to stand, I will not sing" and then drop the mic and then walk away...

I hope so, then I hope it leads to no one every singing it again, and the culture doing away completely with such exercises in blind authoritarian nationalism.

The Anthem belongs with the Pledge as nothing but footnotes in the History of less enlightened times when idiots valued symbols far more than the principles they were supposed to represent but rarely do.

You did away with the pledge? I thought you Americans were still doing that. When did it end? It does look Nazi-ish to me.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

The ultranationalism of the US always alarmed me. People getting all worked up of a piece of fabric (flag), or standing while somebody sings, or reciting a pledge of allegiance every morning. It looks a lot like Nazis to me....

No kidding. The military worship (mind you, there is a big difference between appreciating the military and worshiping it) and flag worship in the US is alarming.

I remember an armed color guard presentation during a fucking Engineering Banquet.

 

[Jayjay]

I don't think that singing the national anthem is worrisome, nor is healthy national pride. But why have one singer? Why not let e.g. the teams themselves sing it, or better yet, the audience could join in. The American way of having some celebrity singing the anthem as if only the very best are even allowed to have that honor reeks of cults of personality.

 

[ronburgundy]

I don't think that singing the national anthem is worrisome, nor is healthy national pride.

I think the ridiculous frothing about 1 guy quietly kneeling while it is sang at a meaningless football game suggests you are wrong on both counts.

Healthy "national pride" is taking pride in the principles that if promoted will make the nation worth living in and fighting for. It is supporting anyone that wants to do or say anything about to or about any national symbol.
It is taking pride in personal liberty and in not coercing conformity via things like pledges and anthems.

Being at all bothered by the current "protests" is a definite sign one's pride is unhealthy and that one does not actually value the only thing about one's nation worthy of pride, namely respect for personal liberty especially the liberty to criticize the actions of the government.

There is a inherent danger in rituals of public national pride. They promote authoritarianism and blind coercive deference, which breeds blindness to when those authorities or the nation as a whole deviate from any actual principles of action that are worthy of pride to begin with.
Anything about a country worthy of pride will evoke pride on its own. Ritualistic pride can only serve to entrench pride when it is not warranted.

 

[zorq]

... But why have one singer? Why not let e.g. the teams themselves sing it, or better yet, the audience could join in. The American way of having some celebrity singing the anthem as if only the very best are even allowed to have that honor reeks of cults of personality.

The US national anthem is notoriously difficult to sing. It covers MORE than 1 and a half octaves in range and the lyrics comply to a grammar structure that is, shall we say, unusual. This results in both amateurs AND professionals forgetting the words during performances.

Some trained choruses flat out refuse to sing the song due to it's difficulty.

That might help to explain the one singer phenomenon in the US.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

I don't think that singing the national anthem is worrisome, nor is healthy national pride.

This has nothing to do with "healthy" national pride.

But why have one singer? Why not let e.g. the teams themselves sing it, or better yet, the audience could join in. The American way of having some celebrity singing the anthem as if only the very best are even allowed to have that honor reeks of cults of personality.

Typically singers are better at singing. Who do you want singing the national anthem, Kristen Chenoweth or Tom Brady?