Over at the Whiskey Bar, Billmon in one of his now less-frequent, but no less thoughtful posts writes:
I've never liked our national anthem much. I usually wince every time I have to listen to it, and if I'm listening to it on TV I always fumble for the mute button. I've often said that if I were dictator (which, as Shrub has noted, makes things easier) my first decree would be to change it to This Land is Your Land, and let the bombs burst and the rockets glare in some other country.
Respectfully, I disagree, but perhaps that is after growing up with the dirge that is God Defend New Zealand, about which the standard joke is that you have to ask God to defend the country because no one else will.
In any case, I do like the Star Spangled Banner, even though I think it is overplayed. National anthems should be played for national celebrations (July 4, Memorial Day), political ceremonies, state funerals, and international sporting events.
They should not be played at the start of local running races, high school football games, or every major league baseball game (unless between an American and Canadian team).
If I were dictator, I would keep the anthem and just decree that people did not play so often.
Posted by robe0419 at July 27, 2004 7:26 AM