A BLACK ANTHEM

New York Post ^ | 4/09/04 | ARNOLD AHLERT

[kattracks]

April 9, 2004 -- LATE last month, my niece was invited to perform in a music concert at the Thornton Performing Arts Magnet School in Mount Vernon, N.Y. Prior to the festivities it was announced that the National Anthem would be sung - the Black National Anthem. Written by James Weldon Johnson, the anthem is mixture of God, the civil rights struggle and the dark days of slavery. This might be appropriate material for a church service, or an event dedicated to, or centered around, black achievement. This was neither. This was a public grade school music concert for students and their parents - of every ethnic background.

[TheFamousMister]

This happened to me, too! I was teaching at a local school and went to an assembly, only to be greeted with "Please stand for the Black National Anthem"; I'm black and didn't even know there was one!

It really disappointed me, as there was no mention of, or performance of, the US National Anthem at any school events I attended.

Children are being taught as if they do not truly belong to a country, just that they live on a certain land mass, if that.

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[afz400]

Divide and conquer. Not exactly a new idea, but it means the eventual death of this country. Keep people stupid by teaching worthless crap in public schools, encourage out of wedlock births, tax the intelligent people down to the level of the stupid, and you've got it made.

[mhking]

"Lift Every Voice And Sing" has been touted as an "unofficial" black "national anthem" for more than forty years now.

Usually, it gets trundled out and dusted off during black history month, and is sung at assemblies and church programs across the nation. After which it's put away until the next time a black nationalist needs to try legitimize his/her assemblage of a crowd.

The song is mostly church anthem, slightly rousing; it was adopted initially by the churches that were involved in the civil rights struggles of the 50s and 60s.

Personally, in terms of a "national" anything, the Hitchhikers' Guide would describe it as it describes Earth: "Mostly Harmless."

And, yes, I do know the words (at least to the first verse) -- and no, I don't consider it a "threat" or anything else for that matter. [shrug]

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[E Rocc]

Written by James Weldon Johnson, the anthem is mixture of God, the civil rights struggle and the dark days of slavery.

Hmmm....sounds like one could ding them for violating Separation, if desired. The real national anthem contains no religion, at least in the parts normally publicly performed.

-Eric

[chance33_98]

The song is mostly church anthem

Egads, did you say church? Someone call the liberals, evil goodness is creeping into our schools. Seems the only ones who think their beliefs are worth preaching are those on the left. They don't get, or they do get it and they are just plain evil...

[cyborg]

It's too bad that songs like that are becoming out of style. Some people would like to forget that the church and christian faith saw black slaves through the hardest of times. Instead I meet people who hate such songs because it makes black people look weak. Sheesh.

[EQAndyBuzz]

"The song is mostly church anthem
Egads, did you say church? Someone call the liberals, evil goodness is creeping into our schools. Seems the only ones who think their beliefs are worth preaching are those on the left. They don't get, or they do get it and they are just plain evil..."

And this is what I do not understand. Blacks are very religious people. Their love of god and their praise of the lord are to be admired. I am white and Jewish. I been to a service at a black church and was blown away. Made me want to convert right on the spot.

So why on earth do these people support the politics of black hating secularists that don't care squat about them?

Something is seriously wrong.

[Wolfhound777]

Just refuse to stand up or walk out. It's not the National Anthem and does not deserve the same amount of respect.