Why do we sing The National Anthem prior to every single sporting event? Is it really necessary??
Since Alicia Keys delivered a jazzy/bluesy/soulful ballad rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner” at last Sunday’s Superbowl, social media has been all abuzz with criticism for her “butchering” the song that is considered our national treasure. But when you ask Alicia Keys to sing the anthem, one should not expect the sounds of Ethel Merman to flow from the sound system. She is Alicia Keys and she is going to perform it the “Alicia Keys” way, just as any other celebrity would perform it their own way. Why anyone would expect otherwise is a mystery.
But I digress… Why do we HAVE to sing the National Anthem before a sporting event anyway? It’s a football game, not a government event. The “rockets red glare” has nothing to do with a touchdown and “the twilight’s last gleaming” is really irrelevant to an NBA 3 point shot. But have we gone too far with this National Anthem thing? After seeing it sung before each of the 416 Republican debates last year, I say yes!
So where does the madness end? If we’re going to continue singing the anthem before irrelevant entertainment events, should we start reciting the Pledge of Allegiance before a rock concert? Should someone deliver the Gettysburg Address prior to the American Idol finals? How about “My Country Tis Of Thee” at the start of every Broadway show?
Since when is forced patriotism prior to an entertainment event a necessity? It wouldn’t make any of us less of an American to save official anthems and such for OFFICIAL events of the nation. Then there would be no need to criticize Alicia Keys, or anyone who sings it this way or that way.
Wearing patriotism on our sleeve doesn’t make us more patriotic — but it could be totally overdoing a good thing!
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I couldn't agree with you more DJ. I have never understood it?!
But then, when I stop to consider that American history books are filled will fabricated stories pushing phony patriotism (the most recent example being the lies peddled by the Bush/Cheney regime to justify an all out illegal and unjust WAR against Iraq), I'd say singing the National Anthem at sporting events is among the least harmful acts of phony patriotism.