[Dana1963]

How many verses? are sung ONLY ONE.
There are four verses three are not sung or played at sporting events.
The first documented time that we know the song was played at a sporting event is in 1862 in Brooklyn. But the thing is, you had to hire a band. That was expensive, so it was only for special occasions - opening day, holidays - up until the time of World War II, where sound systems come in, so they could play a recording. And thus, they started to play it before every game.
In the 1950s, the Baltimore Orioles, of all teams, decided that playing "The Banner" before every game cheapened its impact. The general manager at the time decided that he was going to only play it during special occasions.

The Chicago Cubs owner felt the same way. And he did not play "The Banner" before every game until the '60s, during the Vietnam War. And even in the 1960s, the Chicago White Sox experimented with substituting "God Bless America."
Page Not Found : NPR

[GaryKoca]

If they replaced it with God Bless America, that would be just fine with me. Frankly, a much better song about America than the Star Spangled Banner, and much easier to sing. The range is manageable.

[DavidnJeannie]

Enough is enough; when is all this craziness going to stop!

[JanetMM]

The Star Spangled Banner Was never my favorite patriotic song. Have heard it destroyed by too many people! Yep, it’s that hard to sing. But, we have songs like:

You’re A Grand Old Flag
This Land is Your Land
My Country ‘Tis of Thee
America the Beautiful

These are stirring and say something great about the country and they won’t be torn to shreds every time they are sung.

[davem4616]

Originally Posted by Bikeracer2009

I agree with orangeblossombaby. When I lived in NOVA I worked near the Pentagon and some of my employees worked inside the Pentagon. The area was very patriotic but also very diverse. I would like to see a more inclusive feel to our national anthem so everyone of all races feel it's their country too. Change is a scary thing but it doesn't have to be. The diversity I experienced gave me what I needed to feel good about change.

I just don't get it....people from around the world come to the United States to escape the BS and lack of opportunity in their own country, then they take exception that the USA is different from their former homeland HELLO?

what's with these folks....

They need to assimilate vs. looking at it as just a change of venue, where they can vent their anger that they had to leave their former homeland

To those that say that it's too difficult of a song for them to sing...just speak the words, it's not that difficult...

[The Caretaker]

Ok you were not a slave your mother and grandmother Were not a slave. GET OVER IT. if our flag insults you move out of this country!!!
Sick of this crap.

[Bay Kid]

We should learn from Venezuela....

[airdale2]

When the feds runs out of money best to prepare for them to require all pension funds to be merged into S.S.I. so that they can redistribute it.

I couldn't be more disgusted with any place I've lived in.

The writer of the Star Spangled Banner was a wealthy slave owner and reading his life's story is stomach churning. How can any black person know this man's history and the story behind this song and not be upset?

As far as celebrating traditions is concerned, the song wasn't made our nation anthem until 1931. Hold on to those cherished traditions though, it's too scary to think about changing things to suit the blacks.

From the third verse of “The Star-Spangled Banner”:

No refuge could save the hireling & slave/

From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave:/

And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave/

O’er the land of the free & the home of the brave.

This verse is hardly ever sung anymore and I can't imagine a black person singing it with the same pride as the white folks here at the villages.

I would spend more time on this subject but it would be a waste of my time.

[Martian]

Interesting thread - as a side note, I think this is an excellent example of "conservative" vs "progressive".

Conservatives tend to want to "conserve" things. Historically those things were traditions, culture, religion, etc. The belief (in general) being that traditional values are time tested and worth preserving.

Progressives, on the other hand, want to make changes. It is generally believed by progressives that "we can do better". And while some traditions may be good, some may also be bad.

Sorry for the segue, it just seems we see these types of discussions spring up on almost every topic.

Having volunteered for and served in the Marines, I like to believe I am a very patriotic American. And to me, being patriotic means I want to make America as great as it is possible for it to be. And to do that, I personally believe that righting wrongs and making positive changes is the right thing to do.

But, I can certainly understand why many feel the changes we are experiencing are too much too fast.

Wouldn't it be great if we could discuss things intelligently rather than just jumping straight to "the other guys are trying to destroy our country"...

[robinsdw2]

Hey folks, when we ,if ever, can start attending games again I will not be in attendance without the National Anthem.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

What exactly about the Star Spangled Banner is not inclusive? Why would any citizen of this country not feel that it's their country as well. Read up on the story of the Star Spangled Banner.

There is nothing remotely racist, sexist or exclusionary about it. It is about fortitude and strength. It is about how a group of people defending our country refused to give up. It is about the strength of the United States of America. All Americans should feel proud of this great country. We're not perfect and there have been some mistakes, but the good overwhelms the bad by a huge margin.

Battle of Fort McHenry Facts & Summary | American Battlefield Trust

Well said thank you

[Manhoopty]

A song would be establishing religion?

[Windguy]

I’m all for moving monuments to traitors out of places of honor and putting them in places of context like museums where they are used to tell the story of how divisiveness (like we are experiencing now) can almost destroy a country. But, people of history lived in a world different than we do and just because they behaved in a way that was considered normal at the time doesn’t mean that we should no longer appreciate their contributions. If we did that then we would have no one left to honor. There’s a huge difference between a traitor who attacked our nation and someone who was just a bigot.

That being said, the Star Spangled Banner makes a terrible national anthem for the above-cited reasons. My favorite patriotic song is “This land is your land” by Woodie Guthrie, which talks about the beauty of our country and how it is for all of us. I think it’s perfect.

[WesMan]

Originally Posted by The Caretaker

Ok you were not a slave your mother and grandmother Were not a slave. GET OVER IT. if our flag insults you move out of this country!!!
Sick of this crap.

You are correct, Thanks!!!