Can we do anything about that 3rd verse?

[Gulo Blue]

Kaepernick's protest, if it does nothing else, it's inadvertently raised awareness of the 3rd verse, which refers to the defeat of slaves that joined the British in a fight for their freedom. I'm not sure if that information has reached national consciousness, but if it hasn't, I think it will soon. So, can we do anything about it? Can we pass some resolution declaring the national anthem to be the first verse and only the first verse? Would that be sufficient? Or is it enough to know that nobody is celebrating that? Or do we need to scrap it and start over? Could we rewrite just the 3rd verse?

I don't know.

But I feel like with Colubmus Day, we've grandfathered in some BS we should exorcise ourselves of in some formal way.

 

[Michchamp]

Sure. Congress can pass a bill to formally excise it and renounce it or something. of course, I'm sure that will push racist assholes to try to publicize it more while claiming their usual bullshit excuses of it being a matter of "heritage not hate" or claiming the people that oppose racism are "the real racists."

Francis Scott Key was known for aggressively pursuing runaway slave prosecutions as a DA In Baltimore. He even pushed libel charges against a local abolitionist newspaper that criticised him.

 

[tomdalton22]

It seems like it has been removed since nobody sings it that way.

 

[tinselwolverine]

Can we pass some resolution declaring the national anthem to be the first verse and only the first verse?

I only read the third verse today and realized its meaning.

Probably I read the whole poem as a kid but I didn't figure out what the third verse meant.

For all intents and purposes, The first verse and only the first verse is the national anthem already.

In the Broadway musical Damn Yankees, some investigator is trying to identify a Nazi spy in a group.

He request all the suspects to sing The Star Spangled Banner.

Everyone sings the first verse, but only one person starts the second verse.

That's how he identifies who the spy is-no American citizen knows more than the first verse of the national anthem.

 

[Spartanmack]

sure we can but the social justice warriors, many of whom are themselves racists (like turd), and who, like everyone else, also had no idea there even was a 2nd let alone 3rd and 4th verse won't be satisfied. they'll likely demand that we start over with a new anthem - one that acknowledges how virtually everything about America is purely evil except for blacks, hispanics and LGBTQ people.

edit: if I left out any "opressed" minorities, it was a mere oversight - SJWs are free to demand specific mention for any groups in the new anthem.

 

[Michchamp]

....Aaaaand scene!

 

[Gulo Blue]

For all intents and purposes, The first verse and only the first verse is the national anthem already.

I agree. If we carry on as before and most people are unaware, that would be fine. But there have been a few history-correction things that catch on on the internet and I think this might become one of them. Like Tesla getting more credit and Edison being a bit of a jerk and Columbus Day.

Jourdan Lewis was tweeting about this yesterday.

"This is what I said, but now I know ALL of the words to the national anthem I can't say I stand by it."

https://twitter.com/JourdanJD/status/770602929384456192

 

[tinselwolverine]

I agree. If we carry on as before and most people are unaware, that would be fine.

These friends of MichChamp like the first and the fourth verse-I do too.

The fourth verse answers the question of the first verse, and embodies the spirit of the reluctant warrior/citizen soldier of the early United States Army.

4th Verse

 

[Michchamp]

These friends of MichChamp like the first and the fourth verse-I do too.

The fourth verse answers the question of the first verse, and embodies the spirit of the reluctant warrior/citizen soldier of the early United States Army.

OMFG...

I can understand why we never sing versus 2-4... what a mouthful. what an awful song.

We SHOULD come up with a new national anthem. and it should be something positive that everyone can dance to. I propose the following:

"Dancin' Machine" by the Jackson 5
"Get Lucky" by Daft Punk feat. Pharrel
"I Got You" by James Brown
or
"Hollywood Swinging" by Kool and the Gang

 

[Michchamp]

How great would it be for our country's reputation at the Olympics? like during the medals ceremony you have to sit through a bunch of crappy, nationalistic anthems featuring violent imagery... then the gold-winning American steps up and "Dancin' Machine" by the Jackson 5 starts blasting.

Everyone would say "this country is a bunch of cool people! now this is a country that knows how to get down!"

 

[tinselwolverine]

OMFG...

I can understand why we never sing versus 2-4... what a mouthful. what an awful song.

The original melody actually was a British drinking societies Anthem. Check out how awful this is:

http://amhistory.si.edu/starspangledbanner/mp3/song.anac.dsl.mp3

 

[Gulo Blue]

The original melody actually was a British drinking societies Anthem. Check out how awful this is:

http://amhistory.si.edu/starspangledbanner/mp3/song.anac.dsl.mp3

I'm ok with changing the lyrics of an old drinking song. Maybe we should rewrite Gin & Juice.

 

[sggatecl]

My personal favorite, an oldie but goody:

Sung to the tune of "If you're happy and you know it clap your hands....."

If you cannot find Osama, bomb Iraq. If the markets are a drama, bomb Iraq. If the terrorists are frisky, Pakistan is looking shifty, North Korea is too risky, Bomb Iraq.

If we have no allies with us, bomb Iraq. If we think someone has dissed us, bomb Iraq. So to hell with the inspections, Let's look tough for the elections, Close your mind and take directions, Bomb Iraq.

It's "pre-emptive non-aggression", bomb Iraq. Let's prevent this mass destruction, bomb Iraq. They've got weapons we can't see, And that's good enough for me 'Cos it's all the proof I need Bomb Iraq.

If you never were elected, bomb Iraq. If your mood is quite dejected, bomb Iraq. If you think Saddam's gone mad, With the weapons that he had, (And he tried to kill your dad), Bomb Iraq.

If your corporate fraud is growin', bomb Iraq. If your ties to it are showin', bomb Iraq. If your politics are sleazy, And hiding that ain't easy, And your manhood's getting queasy, Bomb Iraq.

Fall in line and follow orders, bomb Iraq. For our might knows no borders, bomb Iraq. Disagree? We'll call it treason, Let's make war not love this season, Even if we have no reason, Bomb Iraq.

 

[Michchamp]

My personal favorite, an oldie but goody:

Sung to the tune of "If you're happy and you know it clap your hands....."

If you cannot find Osama, bomb Iraq. If the markets are a drama, bomb Iraq. If the terrorists are frisky, Pakistan is looking shifty, North Korea is too risky, Bomb Iraq.

If we have no allies with us, bomb Iraq. If we think someone has dissed us, bomb Iraq. So to hell with the inspections, Let's look tough for the elections, Close your mind and take directions, Bomb Iraq.

It's "pre-emptive non-aggression", bomb Iraq. Let's prevent this mass destruction, bomb Iraq. They've got weapons we can't see, And that's good enough for me 'Cos it's all the proof I need Bomb Iraq.

If you never were elected, bomb Iraq. If your mood is quite dejected, bomb Iraq. If you think Saddam's gone mad, With the weapons that he had, (And he tried to kill your dad), Bomb Iraq.

If your corporate fraud is growin', bomb Iraq. If your ties to it are showin', bomb Iraq. If your politics are sleazy, And hiding that ain't easy, And your manhood's getting queasy, Bomb Iraq.

Fall in line and follow orders, bomb Iraq. For our might knows no borders, bomb Iraq. Disagree? We'll call it treason, Let's make war not love this season, Even if we have no reason, Bomb Iraq.

In a just world, George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Paul Wolfowitz, Condi Rice, and Donald Rumsfeld would have to stand up and sing this song at the funeral of every PTSD suffering Iraq War vet who kills him or herself.

 

[Gulo Blue]

In a just world, George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Paul Wolfowitz, Condi Rice, and Donald Rumsfeld would have to stand up and sing this song at the funeral of every PTSD suffering Iraq War vet who kills him or herself.

I think I read Wolfowitz is voting for Clinton.

 

[TheVictors]

1. Why is the national anthem played before sporting events?
2. How is the national anthem correlated to the military?
3. Why do I have to thank some high school drop out who "served" in Afghanistan for my "freedom?"
4. Hasn't the NFL already been exposed for taking Tax payer money to then "honor" the military during the pre-game and game?
5. Can we Amend the Constitution and add the Right to Separation of Sports and State?

I appreciate our military and the dangerous work some of the members do ..I have family that are currently active and plenty that are retired/served already ...but at what point do you acknowledge the fact that after nearly 300yrs of democracy, it's not entirely based on someone's choice to join the military?

 

[tinselwolverine]

I'm ok with changing the lyrics of an old drinking song. Maybe we should rewrite Gin & Juice.

Rollin' down the street in my Chevy, eating apple pie, talkin' 'bout the baseball game I saw
with my mind on my country and my country on my mind...

 

[tomdalton22]

1. Why is the national anthem played before sporting events?
2. How is the national anthem correlated to the military?
3. Why do I have to thank some high school drop out who "served" in Afghanistan for my "freedom?"
4. Hasn't the NFL already been exposed for taking Tax payer money to then "honor" the military during the pre-game and game?
5. Can we Amend the Constitution and add the Right to Separation of Sports and State?

I appreciate our military and the dangerous work some of the members do ..I have family that are currently active and plenty that are retired/served already ...but at what point do you acknowledge the fact that after nearly 300yrs of democracy, it's not entirely based on someone's choice to join the military?

I think the anthem is correlated to the military because on every military base, at the end of the day, when they lower the flag the anthem is played. The entire base stops and all military members that are outside stop, stand at attention and salute the flag.

I served in the military and don't expect anybody to thank me for my "service". I joined so I didn't have to pay for college. I put "service" in quotes because I really didn't do anything. I went to drill once a month and did my two weeks of "training" every year. We went to places like Germany, Alaska (2x), Florida (2x), Puerto Rico... Pretty much 2 week paid vacation.

As far as the NFL taking tax payer money to honor the military...that's just advertising for the military (recruiting). It's probably more effective advertising than the military recruiting commercials that you see during the game.

 

[tinselwolverine]

I think the anthem is correlated to the military because on every military base, at the end of the day, when they lower the flag the anthem is played. The entire base stops and all military members that are outside stop, stand at attention and salute the flag.

I thought it was Taps that played...but you're the one who served in the military.

At Scout camp, it was Taps that was played as the flag was lowered in a ceremony called "Retreat."

I think maybe the anthem is correlated to the military because it's a poem about a battle the military was engaged in in the early years of the country.

 

[TheVictors]

I think the anthem is correlated to the military because on every military base, at the end of the day, when they lower the flag the anthem is played. The entire base stops and all military members that are outside stop, stand at attention and salute the flag.

I served in the military and don't expect anybody to thank me for my "service". I joined so I didn't have to pay for college. I put "service" in quotes because I really didn't do anything. I went to drill once a month and did my two weeks of "training" every year. We went to places like Germany, Alaska (2x), Florida (2x), Puerto Rico... Pretty much 2 week paid vacation.

As far as the NFL taking tax payer money to honor the military...that's just advertising for the military (recruiting). It's probably more effective advertising than the military recruiting commercials that you see during the game.

Well not all taxpayers are thrilled with what a waste of money it is to pander to the 'patriotic' overtones and recognize the military at every football game.

But to your point, and I agree, there is that whole ARMY ALL-AMERICAN HS football game every year. You know, targeting those athletic kids who played HS football but for whom college won't be the next step ...