The Star Spangled Banner - to sing or not to sing.

[3catwoman3]

I happen to like our national anthem. I know it's historically a British drinking song. I know the lyrics of the verses we never sing are quite awful. I like the verse we do sing, and I do like the melody.

It bugs me that most of the American athletes do not sing when atop the gold medal podium. If you are in the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, MLS etc and don't want to sing during regular season play, fine. But if you are representing our country at the Olympics, then sing our nation's anthem, dammit!

This seems to be an American thing, for the most part. In almost every medal ceremony I saw, athletes from other countries sing lustily, often with tears in their eyes. I enjoyed seeing the women's soccer team singing enthusiastically.

[onecaliberal]

1. It's hard when that country doesn't recognize your humanity.

In some cases actually are working to harm people.

[Eko]

2. It doesnt bug me.

I think its rather silly.

[SeanHG]

3. There's a REASON the 1st Amendment

is first. Thank the Founders that they thought enough about the uniqueness of the citizens to give them the right to show (or not) their support for the fledgling country any way they want. As a Vet, I am proud to have fought for the rights of athletes to kneel, stay silent, wear the flag as a cape, or even burn the flag in protest. I always sing it, but that's just me.

Let's not worry about each other's patriotism...

[hlthe2b]

4. I think they can stand there respectfully without singing. Hell, do any of us want a repeat of Rosanne Barr?

gawd forbid... (Now if any of them can sing like the reincarnated Whitney Houston, that is a different matter)...

And respectfully does not preclude them from taking a knee in some settings, as far as I am concerned. Albeit, I would not.

[slumcamper]

5. As a member of oppressed classes,

it takes a somewhat greater effort to sing, or even pledge allegiance. Depending on the events of the moment, it may even be impossible. I try. But I also understand the deep angst that many feel. The shred of hope that sustains me is the personal belief that we are a nation in the process of “becoming,” and forward progress in pursuit of the fullest meaning of our ideals is inexorable. MAGA has been an affront to this belief, and the effort to sing through it all the more a struggle. But I love my country, and they have not destroyed that.

[mitch96]

6. Funny you should mention that. When the USA got the gold medals and sang the nation anthem

I noticed that the goalkeeper, Naeher did not sing or mouth the words. I thought that was odd.
The others were singing their hearts out from what I could see..
m

[stopdiggin]

7. with absolute sincerety - the greatest respect I can show

for our national anthem - is to let someone who CAN sing - do the honors.

the caterwauling produced here (and by many of our fellow denizens) - is a long, long way for anything like honor or respect.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[Jirel]

8. Hell no.

I’m tired of hearing this jingoistic crap. George Carlin said it best: “I don't get all choked up about yellow ribbons and American flags… I consider them symbols, and I leave symbols to the "symbol"-minded.”

Expecting athletes (or anyone else) to say the pledge, fly the flag, sing the song, whatever is not part of appreciating, respecting, loving, or representing their country. Expecting these shows of play patriotism is pretty disgusting, IMO. Whether people are happy to be Americans as an accident of birth is their personal business, and nobody should ever feel pressured to display their “patriotism.” Rethuglucans wearing flags and such have further put faux demonstrative patriotism into disrepute.

I personally will never sing the song, put my hand over my heart, fly the flag, etc. I happen to love and care for my country, by the way. But it is up to everyone who does, to express that in their own way. It should never be reduced to some kind of idiotic fraternity handshake.

[FemDemERA]

9. I have seen several scenes of USA athletes

Singing along, or at least mouthing the words, in the past couple weeks. One golfer got so emotional during the anthem that he broke down in tears.

I love it when they sing along, but For those that don’t, I just figure that Perhaps it’s such an emotional moment for them that it’s all they can do to just hold themselves in check. Or Maybe they are just overwhelmed in their be moment to even register the words in their mind. Or maybe they just find it a difficult song to sing. In any case I don’t perceive it as is a lack of love or respect for their country.

This has been an amazing Olympics and the athletes from the various countries have overall impressed me with both their patriotism and sportsmanship.

[quaint]

10. Raise a fist for justice

...or sing your heart out. Do what is right for you.

[Keepthesoulalive]

11. When America lives up to the words

With liberty and justice for all maybe then we can do these symbolic feel good moments . Until then the pledge and national anthem are nothing more than hollow symbols meaning nothing.

[Croney]

12. Maybe they don't know the lyrics. Not everybody grew up having to sing it all the time.

Many people who do know the words have no idea what they're singing, the phrasing is so convoluted.

Those of us who understand what we're singing might have good reasons not to. Sometimes I sing it and sometimes I don't. My conscience, my choice.