Posted on 02/20/2010 7:37:58 AM PST by tellw
'Oh, Say, Can You See, by the...Um...Help!'
They can ski down steep slopes at lightning speeds, perform quad spins on ice and do backflips on halfpipes, so how's this for a new, novel Olympic challenge: Singing your country's national anthem on the medal stand.
A scant 21.2% of gold-medal winners in these Games actually sang their entire national anthem, with an additional 18.2% mustering bits and pieces while mumbling or entirely missing other parts, according to a Wall Street Journal study of 33 winners through Thursday's events.
Six Americans were part of this assessment and only one, snowboarder Seth Wescott, sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" at all (though he stumbled over the lyrics a couple times). Another American snowboarder, Shaun White, didn't sing at all—he was busy pointing to the crowd, pumping his fists and playing the air guitar. This shouldn't be surprising: A 2004 Harris Poll survey of 2,200 Americans showed 61% didn't know all the words to the national anthem.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
I remember a summer olympics where a punk American breast stroker won the gold. When he was on the podium and the national anthem started, you could see him struggling to hold in his emotions.
There is no way I could sing the national anthem when being awarded the gold medal. I would break down in tears of joy and pride for winning a medal for my great country.
I don’t worry about them “singing” the anthem. I have been somewhat concerned that the athletes can’t even stand still and show some amount of respect when anthems are played. Many of them are wiggling about, giggling, waving, making silly faces. And it isn’t just the Americans. Saw an Australian gal that looked like she should have went to the bathroom before she accepted her medal.
I do sing fairly well and have no problem with the national anthem. I do know from experience, that it is very difficult to sing in a situation which could bring you to tears. I had to sing at a couple of funerals. I had to totally divorce myself from the emotions of the event or I wouldn’t have made it through the pieces I was asked to sing.
Much ado about nothing. Been watching, and most of these kids show proper respect, even if they aren’t sure of all the words. Plus, as others have pointed out, the school systems do a rot, rot, rotten job of teaching patriotic stuff these days.
Beats the heck out of all the NASCAR drivers and NFL players who stand there without even putting their hand over their heart when the anthem is sung.
Our country has been winning a slew of medals, and our competitors have been pretty darn classy.
This wasn’t an American, but I was really impressed with some guy...think he was Swiss...he fell spectacularly during the Super G...IIRC, he’s old enough that this was probably his last chance to win a medal in that event, and now that’s impossible...he gets up off the snow, looks around, spins one ski pole around for the crowd like a dancer with a cane, then plants the pole and still pretending it’s a cane, walks off with this stylish gait and a big smile. There’s a guy who has his priorities straight. Even at that level, it’s just a game.
[if he’s not proud of the U.S. then he should not be representing our great nation.]
Exactly; and you can bet your arse he won’t have any problems holding his eyes up while cashing the checks the privilege of doing so will afford him either.
Love it or leave it, punks.
What do you expect? He voted for Obama just to vote against McCain and Republicans, and probably would have voted for the Green party in other years. He probably also hates American values.
Wait a minute. You'e supposed to remove your hat and place your right hand over your heart for the Pledge of Allegience. Not the National Anthem.
The confusion comes in because you see on military installations that personnel will salute when in uniform or otherwise stand at attention during colors, during which the Star Spangled Banner is played. It's the flag we're honoring; not the song.
I would expect the athletes and those in the audience to do the same thing. Stand respectfully while the national flag is raised.
I agree that Shaun White and his air guitar was the worst.
I don’t think they have to sing along, just behave respectfully.
Who cares whether they sing it or not? I know that if I won a Gold medal, I would be crying on the podium if I attempted to sing it. I tear up in my living room during the anthem of dumb ol’ baseball and football games.
FWIW (wiki)
United States Code, 36 U.S.C. § 301, states that during a rendition of the national anthem, when the flag is displayed, all present except those in uniform should stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart; men not in uniform should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold the headdress at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart; and individuals in uniform should give the military salute at the first note of the anthem and maintain that position until the last note; and when the flag is not displayed, all present should face toward the music and act in the same manner they would if the flag were displayed. The national anthem is also played on U.S. military installations at the beginning of the duty day (0600) and at the end of duty day (1700). Military law requires all vehicles on the installation to stop when the song is played and all individuals outside to stand at attention and face the direction of the music and either salute, in uniform, or place the right hand over the heart, if out of uniform. Recently enacted law in 2008 allows military veterans to salute out of uniform, as well.[16][17]
However, this statutory suggestion does not have any penalty associated with violations. 36 U.S.C. § 301 Moreover, generations of students who were introduced to flag etiquette prior to its enactment in 1998 were taught that the hand over the heart gesture was exclusively for the Pledge of Allegiance which has had the statutory requirement for much longer.(4 U.S.C. § 4)[citation needed] This behavioral requirement for the national anthem is subject to the same First Amendment controversies that surround the Pledge.[18] For example, Jehovah’s Witnesses are not allowed to stand for or sing the national anthem
I agree. Athletes are NOT supposed to sing the anthem but WIN THE GOLD. that’s the objective.
Of course it helps to do it correctly. The goal is to thrash other countries in the medal count and leave Vancouver the top dog. As long as they win for America, I’m content.
Megadittos!
Borders, language, culture. . . and products of two generations of communist infiltration of everything, especially our schools. .
Well, they probably don’t teach it in school any more, and when it is sung in public the so-called singers jazz it up so much it is unrecognizable.
I am disappointed in those who do not place their hand over their heart while the National Anthem is being played. That is the way I was raised in Texas. I do not think it is necessary for the athletes to sing the anthem but they should stand respectfully with their hand over their heart.
[I agree that Shaun White and his air guitar was the worst.]
I also cringed when I saw that.
It doesn't have to be. The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra opens their season every year with the full orchestra playing and the audience standing and singing the National Anthem. They adjust the key downwards so that everyone can reach those high notes. Any band, orchestra, or organist can and should do the same.
I am accustomed to dropping out on the highest notes, but I could sing the whole thing at the MSO. And I did. And so did everyoen else. You should have heard them at the first concert after 9/11. Very emotional.
Copying Obama?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.