Not allowing the largest minority population to sing the National Anthem in their native language. For being tolerant of other cultures, Bush rejecting the spanish version is rather intolerant.
British music producer Adam Kidron, who came up with the idea of the Spanish anthem, said it was not intended to discourage immigrants from learning English or embracing American culture.
"We instead view `Nuestro Himno' as a song that affords those immigrants that have not yet learned the English language the opportunity to fully understand the character of 'The Star-Spangled Banner,' the American flag and the ideals of freedom that they represent," Kidron said in a written statement.
As you can see, this version was well intentioned and I believe them. It was supported by artists such as Wyclef Jean, hip-hop star Pitbull and Puerto Rican singers Carlos Ponce and Olga Tanon.
Read Michelle Malkin's take on this issue.
Update:
shirley buxton said...
I'm with Bush. I love people of all nationalities, but this is America, and the national anthem should be sung in English.
My reply: You speak as though English is the state language of the US. Unofficially, maybe but that doesn't mean that people can't express patriotism in the language that they are most comfortable with. It almost seems like speaking english is critical to being American. I think if you or anyone else thinks that, you are delusional. In a cosmopolitan nation like the United States, diversity must be encouraged and cherished. Not suppressed. Are you scared of diluting US culture? You don't have an ethnic culture to dilute. Actually, we come into the country making you realize that there is more outside than just yourselves..
Tags: Politics
7 comments:
I'm with Bush. I love people of all nationalities, but this is America, and the national anthem should be sung in English.
Blessings,
shirley
You speak as though English is the state language of the US. Unofficially, maybe but that doesn't mean that people can't express patriotism in the language that they are most comfortable with. It almost seems like speaking english is critical to being American. I think if you or anyone else thinks that, you are delusional. In a cosmopolitan nation like the United States, diversity must be encouraged and cherished. Not suppressed. Are you scared of diluting US culture? What culture? You don't have an ethnic culture to dilute. Actually, we come into the country making you realize that there is more outside than just yourselves..
English is the original and official language of this country, and speaking it always has been critical to being an American.
"Cosmopolitan" nations become Balkanized in time, and in the end the lack of a central core of language and customs leads to the destruction of the nation.
There's plenty of historical precedent for that view: look at Eastern Europe or Africa.
We don't have an ethnic culture, but we do have a culture, that has been torn down by those who are either too lazy or too ethnocentric to assimilate.
This would not be tolerated in Mexico, or France, or India, or any other nation. Why should we feel it's necessary here?
Ok. English has been the official language since the European emigration in the 1700s.
India has a plethora of cultures, 40 official languages, and over 6500 dialects. We seem to be doing fine, and not being destroyed.
You think Africa's problems are from culture? I think it's more from corruption.
I agree that there are many people who are stubborn and refuse to adapt. I don't like such people. But there are people like me who keeps their original identity at heart and adapts to the surroundings.
You don't know for sure that change is not good. We will find out with time.
I do not condone the spanish version of the song if the lyrics are degrading the US. but if the hispanics choose to expression their patriotism in a foreign tongue, so be it. Why should that be supressed?
While on that topic, why learn spanish, or french, or german in school, if English is all you need? I'm glad to see the US adapting to the infusion of culture. It moves it away from stagnation.
Reverend Neo-con herself Condy Rice on Face the Nation today said - or rather dodged the question -:
"I've seen the national anthem sung many different ways - counrty, rap, slow,and fast. "
Funny, up here in Canada, we've always had our anthem in both French and English. Aside from the fact that it sounds retarded in french (to me at least) NO ONE CARES. It's tolerated here because it's the same bloody song, just in another language. NOT A BIG DEAL. But hey, it's yet another smokescreen to distract you from even more dead soldiers-who ironically enough, tend to be members of minorites, some not even american citizens yet.
As nations of immigrants, we can never say we're ONLY one thing, one race, etc, etc. Why would it bother you for someone to sing the anthem in their language-it means they WANT to be part of the country, they WANT to show their patriotism, and retain their own cultural identity.
Anyway, neat blog-blogmad hit.
I think language divisions are for the paranoid and my only concern is the prejudices underlying those who focus on national languages, but as US citizen I say this to others who are or who want to be:
I wish we'd consider a less violent and more beautiful song for an anthem... it's a war song, after all... are we really all about war?... do we want to be?... we're already arrogant enough as a national character in this multi-cultural story called humanity to be drilling "bombs bursting in air" into people's psyches...
to paraphrase an attempt at forgiveness by guy who was hit while he was down by several law enforcement officers, can't we all just evolve?
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