If the national anthem were not sung at professional sporting events, would you care?

I actually would prefer if they stopped singing the anthem
at EVERY sporting event! No I'm not anti-american, I just
think that it devalues our anthem, you sort of get immunized
to the message of the song. I would much rather it be sung
in important events such as title matches, championship matches
etc.
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Devalues? Buddy, I've been singing the national anthem all my life and sing even louder these days. :grin:

 

I don't sing. I stand up because when I don't people always give me **** for it. Usually some idiot kid, or an old person who's cranky because he'll die soon, or a husband who's angry at the world because his wife/life is awful.

That doesn't bother me so much personally, but I always go out with others and so I avoid the nativist anger so they don't have to be witness to the idiotic rage that is sure to follow.

Same goes for when I'm out somewhere and the event pauses to "honor" those who joined the military. Givemea****ingbreak.

 

Awesome! I'm glad that you feel that way, my personal view is that
it's not being giving the honor it deserves when it's sung at every
single game! Didn't mean to step on your toes, the anthem represents
freedom to me, freedom giving at the expense of others, and that
includes freedom to express my viewpoint and freedom for you to
express yours.
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I think it's a little silly - not everything is a matter of national pride and a mid-July game between the Houston Astros and Cleveland Indians certainly isn't.

Out of curiosity, what do Canadian fans in Toronto think about this? Is O, Canada sung with as much aplomb before Blue Jays and Raptors games?

I've often wondered what foreign NBA players think about this. They don't necessarily have any attachment to the the anthem, much like Carlos Tevez, for instance, wouldn't care about hearing "God Save the Queen" before every match.

However, when it's the US National Team playing, sing at the top of your lungs.

 

We should sing all four verses of the Star Spangled Banner if anything.

 

I wouldn't care. What irks me is when people get mad because those who perform the national anthem do not conform and sing it one, standardized way.

 

I'm disappointed that the pledge of allegiance is not recited before games.

 

AND that the Bill of Rights is read!
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Every time I am at a game, I always think of the Simpsons episode where Homer boxes Lucius Tatum where Buffer says:

"Due to popular demand, we will forgo our national anthem."

 

Out of Curiousity . . .
When exactly would/should the song be sung at all?
Do they even do the pledge of allegience in schools anymore?

Rocket River

 

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But I like singing the anthem

 

I'd prefer it was not sung.

 

Never cared for it to be sung. Since when did watching multi-millionaire athletes play sports that we grew up playing become some patroitic event? It's silly if you think about it. Maybe at political or military events, yeah, that would be cool, but every single damn SPORTS event? I don't get it. Are they suppose to be honoring their country by playing or something?

 

A large part of the appeal of professional team sports are the ties to their host communities. Many fans who may not care one whit for the sport or players themselves will still appreciate the opportunity to show loyalty to their town or state in a collective, energetic and supportive environment. By this very same promotional and political logic, all major domestic sports leagues incorporate the term American or National into their name; and excepting the multi-national hockey league, officially adopt United States' colors as their own. It would be profoundly idiotic to pass up the most effective and least expensive method of reinforcing this image.

 

I think elementary and junior high schools do it unless the district has been hit with some kind of court case. I think you find a lot of veterans in your coaching/male teacher populace, and they can go pretty ape-**** if the wrong kid is sitting down or grab-assing during either the pledge or the anthem.

 

Yes they do. My son's elementary school even does both the Pledge of Allegiance and the Texas pledge.

 

Do you think that this . . .attitude toward the anthem
comes from a general laizze faire patriotism?

Are we generally less patriotic in that we find the 3~5 minutes to sing it . . . too much trouble. . . . too much of a bother?

How does an American demonstrate/practice patriotism?
Beyond joining the armed forces.


Rocket River