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

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

btw, thanks for giving me a reason to revisit Marvin's rendition. it's been too long.

SSB has at least three verses, one of which says "and this be our motto, in God is our trust"

Google says 4. Hmm

My younger daughter says they got the pledge in 1st and 2nd grade, but not in 3rd or (so far) 4th. So file it under one of those "now that we've got that shit out of the way, let's get on to important" things. I've always thought that the worst thing about the national anthem (forgetting for the moment that there are apparently verses that literally no one knows about, let alone sings), is that the fucking song is unsingable.

I did some minimal research and learned that national anthems around the world, as a thing, are by and large only from the last 150 years or so.

SSB has at least three verses, one of which says "and this be our motto, in God is our trust"

― Neanderthal, Saturday, September 17, 2016 3:57 PM (twenty-three minutes ago)

huh i feel as though i must have known this bit of trivia at some point in my life but that's all it is -- trivia -- no one ever sings those other verses

SSB has that verse about killing slaves, that's a nice bit.

SSB has a bridge in 5/4, almost always omitted

SSB has a wicked drums and space section, only present in versions by the Grateful Dead.

SSB has Forever Changes inspired bit where some of the singers say 'air' and some of the singers say 'earth' at the same time

SSB covered by James Brown as "Funky Banner, Pts. 1 & 2"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPM9oIJgk1Y

All this reminds me that, growing up as an Army brat, when we went to see movies at the post theater, they played the anthem before movies. And everyone stood, took off hats, hands over hearts. Etc.

They should change the National Anthem

That verse is comparably offensive to the Washington Redskins.

Trump's had a particularly glorious day on Twitter.

Saw some of that earlier...He keeps the best running enemies list since Nixon, easy. His timing, as always, is unfathomable.

"Crazy Maureen Dowd, the wacky columnist..."

Dopey Robert Gates. Failing NY Times. Boring Anti-Trump Panelists. Losers in Life.

He's pissed at the Times because they published a huge article on all the tax breaks he's gotten from New York City since the '70s. The best quote, IMO:

“Donald Trump is probably worse than any other developer in his relentless pursuit of every single dime of taxpayer subsidies he can get his paws on,” said Alicia Glen, Mayor Bill de Blasio’s deputy mayor for housing and economic development, who first battled Mr. Trump when she worked in Mr. Giuliani’s administration.