Nailed it. I suspect making a Spanish version of the national anthem was an attempt at US patriotism by these folks. Making it a big issue is a typical Fox News/ GOP/talk radio wedge issue to whip up the loyal dittos and the unsophisticated. Fox gets some additional eyeballs for awhile and sells more goods and has something to rant about. Others have their little minds taken off real problems.
Bill Maher had the best line about this whole thing..... "I don't care what language Latinos sing the National Anthem in....as long as it isn't playing from their car horns".
bwaaa hahahahaha To any W supporters that bought into the rhetoric that John Kerry was a flip-flopper ...I've got some land in Florida for sale. bwaa hahahahaha W is a jerk. I can't wait to watch the Daily Show tonight. I'm sure that won't escape them. bwaa hahahaha And people like W for his "high morals?" [wiping tears from eyes] At first I couldn't wait for his presidency to be over but "The Decider" is an endless source of entertainment.
People are somehow threatned by a country where Spanish is the predominating language - as if knowing only English will somehow isolate them. Well, the real news is that there are very few countries with populations equal to or greater then the U.S. that isn't multilingual. Even Canada is. Some others? China, India, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, and I'm sure there are many more. It's just a fact of life....and maybe it's about time Spanish becomes part of our standard cirriculum considering that the vast majority of our hemisphere speaks it.
From Drudge: http://drudgereport.com/flash7.htm Bush sang Star Spangled Banner en español during 2000 campaign Wed May 03 2006 09:35:20 ET "When visiting cities like Chicago, Milwaukee, or Philadelphia, in pivotal states, George W. Bush would drop in at Hispanic festivals and parties, sometimes joining in singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” in Spanish, sometimes partying with a “Viva Bush” mariachi band flown in from Texas." So writes author Kevin Phillips in his book AMERICAN DYNASTY. Last week, at the height of the illegal immigrant's boycott build up, Bush told reporters: "I think the national anthem ought to be sung in English."
Especially when so many native English speakers don't speak English very well. Anyway what we speak in the US isn't really English and the language we speak is an agglomeration of other languanges that continues to grow and evolve. For instance when I say "I'm barbecuing fajitas on the patio." the only words of the Queen's English in that sentance are "I", "on" and "the". Listening to the people getting apoplectic about English reminds me of the paranioa the French have about their language.
I'm surprised that Bush disapproved of the Spanish version. I would think it would have been a good opportunity to collect more Hispanic votes by showing an interest in the preservation of their culture. And, it likely would not have hurt him in other interest groups as long as he spun it properly -- as an expression of love for this country in their own cultural voice. Likely, many in his constituency would take a cue from him and defend someone's right to sing the song in Spanish.
I was surprised to read this...I would have thought Bush would come out with a more vague response...To choose this is saying that if you don't speak english, learn which I'm for, but this is a song... I have no problem with it...It's a way for the producer to profit from the hype and really does nothing but have people take sides...
Arabic, the language is very hard to get its true "dialect'(?) down correctly, I guess you can say it is hard to speak and pronounce and even harder to sing correctly as a second language. But I wouldnt have a problem with it in Arabic, if they decided to do it in Spanish also. I believe it should stay in one language that is English, it will save a lot trouble, and though this country doesnt have an official language, I think it is safe to say that English is the "unofficial" language.
Then I'd really needto follow the words on the scoreboard at Minute Maid during the 7th inning stretch!
He is long past trying to pick off votes. He's trying to keep his base from hemorrhaging and we all know who the base is...
