A Search for National Anthem Consistency

[Nepperhan]

Or they occasionally sang it as part of a concert?
Did they sing other national anthems as well?
Is it really called the negro national anthem?

Yes, yes, and Yes. I can remember renditions of “La Marseillaise”. (Maybe one French national at the school!)

 

[Jen95]

Jen95:

Or they occasionally sang it as part of a concert?
Did they sing other national anthems as well?
Is it really called the negro national anthem?

Yes, yes, and Yes. I can remember renditions of “La Marseillaise”. (Maybe one French national at the school!)

So, you don’t think that the very phrase “black national anthem” implies that there is also a “white national anthem”, “Native American national anthem”, “LGBTQ national anthem”, “Muslim national anthem”, “obese people’s national anthem”, “differently abled people’s national anthem”, “immigrant’s national anthem”, “undocumented immigrant’s national anthem”, “latinx national anthem”?
Etc.
Etc.
We wouldn’t want to downplay any marginalized group, would we?
We wouldn’t want to overlook any victim group, would we?

 

[Odilon]

That’s what minorities have been fighting against for 150 years. I’ll give you a hint from 40 years ago: Black is beautiful does NOT mean 'white is ugly.

At this point it seems many blacks want to re-segregate. Witness the gathering at the “CHOP” in Seattle where black people banned white folks from attending a rally at a park one day. The “Black National Anthem” at football games is just another attempt at this. How long before the demand comes for the league to be renamed the National Black Football league?

 

[Odilon]

My kids’ grammar school sang “Nkosi Sikele’ iAfrika” or “God Bless Africa”, the national anthem of South Africa. This was the school of Obama’s kids and Scalia’s kids. No one accused them of cultural appropriation.

Why would they do such a thing in America? That’s the problem right there in a nutshell, we are AMERICANS living in AMERICA. I am of French-Canadian descent and would never dream of singing “Oh Canada”, nor would I want my kids singing it in an American school.

 

[Odilon]

People continually want to tear our nation apart. They have no interest in any unity as an American people whatsoever. This is not a good thing and the NFL with their disrespect towards our National Anthem by playing some other so-called “National Anthem” is part of the problem. I will never watch another NFL game and I hope that they lose tons of money over it.

 

[Nepperhan]

So, you don’t think that the very phrase “black national anthem” implies that there is also a “white national anthem”,

No, no, no! No I do not. Actually “Lift Every Voice and Sing” became known as the Negro National Anthem; that is not the name of the spiritual.

Just like “Jolie Blonde” became known as the Cajun national anthem.

 

[Nepperhan]

At this point it seems many blacks want to re-segregate.

No, the society has to appreciate some aspect of American black culture, that’s all. Since “Lift Every Voice and Sing” was obviously unknown to so many, there certainly is a dearth of knowledge in some quarters about some features in racial and ethnic cultural traditions in the US. This takes nothing away from whites. Let’s enjoy a little diversity. The overweening popular culture in the US is not so fragile as to be expunged by a few songs.

 

[Nepperhan]

Why would they do such a thing in America?

Well, it is a private school teaching kids some international lessons. At a Kiwanis meeting in Oregon I had to sing “O Canada” with the group before the meeting started. We learned “God Save the Queen” at my Catholic high school in the sixties. Somehow I survived.

People continually want to tear our nation apart. They have no interest in any unity as an American people whatsoever.

Check how divisive Trump was at Mt. Rushmore. He’s pushing a feeling of ‘us vs. them’. That’s not stressing unity at a time when groups in this country badly need reconciliation.

 

[Shasta-Rose]

I hate to bring up Godwin arguments but from my study of history, this is exactly how both Fascism and Communism worked. They basically infiltrated and took over every club and society, ranging from football teams to boy scouts to chess clubs to amateur theatrical groups to kindergartens and got their people in there by stealth and slowly turned them into political machines, turning people’s hearts and minds to make them willing servants of the system. The organizations who resisted the takeover were banned.

So right. Unfortunately, many Americans are not very well educated and don’t know how the other side works. They don’t seem to teach this in schools.

 

[Dan123]

So right. Unfortunately, many Americans are not very well educated and don’t know how the other side works. They don’t seem to teach this in schools.

Is it right though? The NFL is playing a song with cultural significance to African Americans. A song most folks here have never heard of despite it’s long history because of how overlooked black history is in those same schools you mentioned.

 

[Shasta-Rose]

disrespect towards our National Anthem by playing some other so-called “National Anthem” is part of the problem

I was going to post a post or two, John, but I think you have said it all for me and probably more comprehensively. Well done.

 

[Shasta-Rose]

Or we could maybe play America the Beautiful, instead. Isn’t the goal to all be Americans together? Or is the goal to divide Americans? Or maybe we don’t all have the same goals?

 

[Odilon]

Check how divisive Trump was at Mt. Rushmore. He’s pushing a feeling of ‘us vs. them’. That’s not stressing unity at a time when groups in this country badly need reconciliation.

I’m sorry, but I do not see where his speech was divisive in any way. He was telling it like it is with lines such as: “And yet, as we meet here tonight, there is a growing danger that threatens every blessing our ancestors fought so hard for, struggled, they bled to secure.” Or “Angry mobs are trying to tear down statues of our founders, deface our most sacred memorials, and unleash a wave of violent crime in our cities.” Maybe it was this one: “In our schools, our newsrooms, even our corporate boardrooms, there is a new far left fascism that demands absolute allegiance.” All those things are true and are actually happening right now in America. Sticking ones head in the sand and pretending they are not happening will not make them go away. These mobs in the streets cannot be talked to or reckoned with, they need to be defeated. We are not going after them, they are coming after us.

 

[Odilon]

And I wouldn’t want “Jolie Blonde” to be played before any New Orleans Saints games either.

 

[Odilon]

Or we could maybe play America the Beautiful, instead. Isn’t the goal to all be Americans together? Or is the goal to divide Americans? Or maybe we don’t all have the same goals?

A directive like that from Roger Goodell would not be pandering to the black players. The NFL under his leadership is turning into a black-centric organization. As for having the same goals, when people are tearing down statues of George Washington or Frederick Douglas it is clear we don’t all have the same goals for the country.

 

[Nepperhan]

I’m sorry, but I do not see where his speech was divisive in any way.

Well we had a long thread on its divisiveness and many commentators found it divisive. I’d say your opinion was in the minority.

 

[Odilon]

Well we had a long thread on its divisiveness and many commentators found it divisive. I’d say your opinion was in the minority.

President Trump could cure cancer and people would say that was divisive.

 

[Dan123]

Or we could maybe play America the Beautiful, instead. Isn’t the goal to all be Americans together? Or is the goal to divide Americans? Or maybe we don’t all have the same goals?

What about the lyrics to Lift Every Voice and Sing is divisive?

 

[RuthAnne]

I’m talking about the “R” word - REPARATIONS!

Oh, you mean where people have never owned slaves are required to pay people who have never been slaves?

 

[Shasta-Rose]

The fact it is now being called the “Black National Anthem” is divisive.

What is objectionable about America the Beautiful?