I was at a Yankees game earlier this year, just minding my own business, when the 7th inning stretch began and everyone in the crowd was asked to rise, remove their caps, and sing God Bless America. I object to this practice, so I didn’t bother. Lo and behold, a man sitting in the row behind me, several seats to my left, walked over after the song and started yelling at me. He told me to not be surprised if I just happen to get the shit kicked out of me one day, among other things. Nice, I thought, this is actually happening.
Funny enough, the US Army solider sitting a couple seats over in the row in front of me was giving this crazed man a quizzical look while this was going down. After I told the man several times to get away from me, enduring his shouts directly into my ear, he returned to his embarrassed wife still muttering. All I could do is shake my head at this point and utter a phrase that most conservatives like to cling to: It’s a free country; I can do what I want.
Patriotism is such a bizarre concept to me. As international society progresses further from tribalism, the very concept of being so proud to have been born in a particular country is as archaic as thinking that blonde hair and blue eyes make you the übermensch. Add on top of that the whole delusion that the imaginary all-powerful creator of the universe would see fit to bless this hunk of rock jutting from the ocean on a random planet in a nondescript corner of a relatively small galaxy (one of hundreds of billions), and you’ve got yourself one ridiculous idea.
But let’s assume that being a patriot is a worthwhile thing. Would refusing to sing a song disqualify me from being one? I suppose that if the Constitution had such a clause, I would be striking out, but I seem to recall a certain amendment that guaranteed my right to express myself, or something. I think it would be possible to hold a deep respect and maybe even some rightfully deserved pride (like, yeah, we are the kind of country that can elect a black man President!) while also criticizing various aspects such as alienating customs that involve declaring that a god I don’t believe exists actually blessed the land between our borders. Not to mention thoroughly exercising my right to express that opinion.
My own take on patriotism: true citizens love their culture enough to say something when things are not right. A bully just uses the guise of patriotism to shut those people up.
Is it even disrespectful to keep my mouth shut when asked to sing? If I were actively disrupting the ceremony in any way, that would definitely be disrespectful. But I believe that, in this supposedly free country, we should have the option of quietly excusing ourselves from participating in group activities that do not fit our beliefs. I looked on my ticket and nowhere on it did it say that I was required to sing. Let me put it in American terms; if I had gotten kicked out of the stadium for not rising, I could have sued.
Let’s also not forget the origin of this whole God Bless America bullshit. Nobody did it before 9/11. It was instituted around the League as a hyper-patriotic knee-jerk reaction to terrorists attacking us “for our freedom.” It was a concession for pushing on with the American Past-time in the face of intimidation. That was 11 years ago. Most ballparks have since dropped it from their routine. It’s time to come back down to Earth and treat a day at the ballpark for what it is; amusement.
As I was just in the movies watching a bollywood movie, at the beginning it is customary to play the national anthem.
ReplyDeleteI was asked to stand as part of the audience. I didn't have to sing it. I heard others singing it, but I did have to stand.
I could have not bothered, but I also could have opened me to a shouting match with someone like you had.
I'd rather be happy than right. I would have stood.
Freedom to do what you want does not mean you have freedom from consequence. In this case some fellow yelled at you. In another instance it may not have been a verbal thing but a physical thing.
Why was America attacked on 9/11?
ReplyDeleteThis Land is Your Land by Woody Guthrie was written in response to God Bless America
ReplyDelete"This Land Is Your Land" is one of the United States' most famous folk songs. Its lyrics were written by Woody Guthrie in 1940 based on an existing melody, in critical response to Irving Berlin's "God Bless America", which Guthrie considered unrealistic and complacent. Tired of hearing Kate Smith sing it on the radio, he wrote a response originally called "God Blessed America".[1] Guthrie varied the lyrics over time, sometimes including more overtly political verses in line with his sympathetic views of communism,[2] than appear in recordings or publications.
Guthrie was tired of the radio overplaying Irving Berlin's "God Bless America." He thought the lyrics were unrealistic and complacent.[24] Partly inspired by his experiences during a cross-country trip and his distaste for "God Bless America," he wrote his most famous song, "This Land Is Your Land," in February 1940; it was subtitled "God Blessed America for Me." The melody is adapted from an old gospel song, "Oh My Loving Brother." This was best known as "When The World's On Fire," sung by the country group The Carter Family. Guthrie signed the manuscript with the comment, "All you can write is what you see, Woody G., N.Y., N.Y., N.Y."[25] He protested against class inequality in the fourth and sixth verses:
As I went walking, I saw a sign there,
And on the sign there, It said "no trespassing." [In another version, the sign reads "Private Property"]
But on the other side, it didn't say nothing!
That side was made for you and me.
In the squares of the city, In the shadow of a steeple;
By the relief office, I'd seen my people.
As they stood there hungry, I stood there asking,
Is this land made for you and me?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Land_Is_Your_Land
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woody_Guthrie
A guy like the one who yelled at you is doing his own cause more harm than good. He gives us believers a bad name. The problem with a lot of them is that they feel like they should force or pressure others to believe like they do. You have, as you insinuated, every right to do what you want, as long as it doesn't interfere with others' freedoms. That right should be respected, in my opinion, over any other notion that may pose as a right.
ReplyDeleteI am so with you. Not wanting to get the shit kicked out of me by some uber patriot, I've decided to just skip the games at the stadiums and watch on tv where I can tune that crap out. Thank God I'm A Country Boy
ReplyDeleteIf it ain't FSK and the National Anthem, I ain't standing. Period. Full Stop. EOD.