I've had people say it's a hardening, actually ~ US presidential election 2016 part 9/11 never forget

Ha -- not with our state legislature. Black athletes kneeling + high school sports + white supermajority = SOOL

xpost

schools can police children p much however they want though

― esempiu (crüt), Saturday, September 17, 2016 9:06 AM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

only to an extent. public schools can ban things like obscenity on t-shirts/school newspaper and what not but are limited in banning other forms of speech/expression unless it "materially and substantially interferes with the requirements of appropriate discipline in the operation of the school."

granted, schools get away with this kind of rule-bending *all the time* cos most students are too afraid to challenge them, but I can't imagine what discipline issues would occur here other than resulting from the faculty ostracizing the students by calling attention to it. Also think the parental proviso kinda negates the 'free speech' part cos it relies on them sharing the same beliefs.

anywho, brief diversion...back to yer regularly scheduled programming.

I don't even fucking know why we have the national anthem at sporting events, let alone the pledge of allegiance in schools (do they even do that anymore? I should ask my kids).

at some sporting events that occur on Sundays, we even have prayers before the game. which usually eerily invokes some kind of blatant, unwavering support for the military.

I like soccer matches where teams from other countries come over here and play cos then I get to hear another fuckin' national anthem for once.

I'm not offended by the national anthems at games. I'm offended that, out of all of the singers in Central Florida, they seem to get the worst volunteers to sing the thing at Orlando City games. last match I went to had a jazz quartet where the soprano should have been fired. and then there was an awkward attempt at a Bobby McFerrin-esque version where the dude couldn't stay in the same key for the entire song.

Pledges/anthems aren't necessarily the problem - it's their use as a litmus test to identify internal enemies.

I wondered why people who flubbed words were getting escorted out of the stadium

You know what I mean.

I miss the good ol days when Obama caused a mild controversy for not wearing a flag pin on the campaign trail.
can we have *that* America back?

Right! It's not an expression of patriotism it's something to measure people's failure to be maximally patriotic by.

best version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73ZsDdK0sTI

Bunch of bombs in the air

my friend likes to shout "It's Enrico Pollozzo (sp?)" at baseball games

Because I read it today, Robert Paxton: "no swastikas in American fascism, but Stars and Stripes (or Stars and Bars) and Christian crosses. No racist salute, but mass recitations of the pledge of allegiance. These symbols contain no whiff of fascism in themselves, of course, but an American fascism would transform them into obligatory litmus tests for detecting the internal enemy."

i admit I get a little annoyed when people shout shit during the anthem, but I think that has less to do with admiration for it and more to do with it being rude to interrupt someone singing.

my earlier joek aside I do agree w/ you tho - look at the shit given to that Olympian for merely not putting her hand over her heart (though that had a lot to do with sexism too as many male counterparts did the same and got no grief).

whadya think Trump's going to change the anthem to when he wins

whadya think Trump's going to change the anthem to when he wins

Tina Turner, "Simply the Best"

America by Neil diamond, sans irony.

Depends on who the highest bidder is. I'm rooting for the Fantanas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIhVR2OolWk

These symbols contain no whiff of fascism in themselves

except that part in the national anthem that talks about how awesome slavery is

Yeah, I think he was trying to avoid alienating folks who would otherwise like that stuff.

I mean, I'm Scottish, the UK national anthem used to (still does?) gloat about conquering us. And either way, I don't sing it - the only time it comes up is in church, and I feel it's somewhat blasphemous.

is that true? i know what line you're talking about but i thought it refers to british impressment (that's why it's coupled w/ 'hireling'). doesn't really make sense as just a non-sequitar. xxp

"the pledge of allegiance in schools (do they even do that anymore? I should ask my kids)"

i'm in berkeley schools and they do a pledge to the earth and society. it would probably make my republican relatives blow their fucking brains out screaming about liberal indoctrination

(after typing that post i did some research and apparently a. this is a point of contention and b. i didn't know but there were UK regiments made up of former slaves fighting for their freedom to which it could be referring - which is still gross as hell to begrudge them their fight for freedom but still not really celebrating the institution of slavery...)

(nb i know key was a pos)

My niece is learning it and is getting taught the colors of the flag.

No pledge at my daughter's school, she has no idea what it is

that Cave 76 National Anthem is literally my favorite joke of all time

I wondered why people who flubbed words were getting escorted out of the stadium

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzBq0n8dxFQ

... the story behind that is, because of a lack of Tories in Wales, an Englishman had to be installed as Secretary of State for Wales and that is him and that is the Welsh National Anthem.

lol I like how he's emulating mouth shapes to appear to be singing the right words. I've done that at times

http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=32&v=DrHsOQfiptA

Secretary of State for Scotland isn't exactly representative at the moment.

lol omg this anthem by Kat Deluna

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cf1HMZbTcz0

i was about to say it wasn't THAT bad, but "land of the free" to the end went to a new level

the breathing three times in one phrase is, I suspect, something that will bother DJP and I more than most of the other posters itt.

but yeah, the end was...Bleeding Gums Murphy territory.

and the home of the brave

...
the brave

Apparently Trump is saying he'll roll back the opening to Cuba - Will this be meaningful? (deferring to our resident expert)

Pledges/anthems aren't necessarily the problem - it's their use as a litmus test to identify internal enemies.

My school pledges every morning, it's gross. The most annoying, fake ppl are the first ones to stop your conversation and ostentatiously face the nearest flag with their hand over their heart. I'm sure the principal doesn't really care but it would be UPROAR if she stopped doing it.

In fact I heard something the other day about how some students are refusing to stand, and the principal had to MAKE AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT that the teachers aren't legally allowed to FORCE students to stand and pledge.

o'er the laaa...and ofthe FREEeeeeeEEEuhEEEEEuhhEEEEEEEEUH

ILX introduced me to this gem a few years ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLDDvlcNSMo

dig his imitation of Link holding up the triforce at the end

Good piece on Marvin Gaye's rendition:
http://grantland.com/features/the-marvin-gaye-national-anthem/

that madison rising version is pretty special

We did the pledge at elementary school (minus the God line, which is a McCarthy-era add-on anyway) but not in junior and senior high school. Anthem only at games, never more than the first verse.

i don't think the SSB has verses ?

we did the pledge though high school. i remember a good friend of mine was the guy who would do the morning announcements on the PA, which included doing the pledge -- one morning, because he was a goofball, not necessarily a provocateur, he performed some sort of irreverent version of it and there was talk of him being disciplined. it was a huge deal, the health teacher (who, looking back, was a good dude) was passionately standing up for his right to free speech, etc...ah, small town america

i'm gonna go see a lynda barry gallery show here in a minute and one of the endearing/enduring images from the Marlys stories is when a pair of kids visit the grave of one of their father and they approach it, stand silently and then the son puts his hand over his heart and they both say the pledge of allegiance over his grave because it's the only words that feel sacred enough to matter