National Anthem

[GMDino]

I thought there was a thread or post about this already?

Anyway, the Dallas Maveri6stopped playing the anthem before games.  It took 13 games before someone noticed/complained.

Now the league says it MUST be played before all games and Texas wants to make it mandatory at ANY event that receives public funding.

https://twitter.com/AlexSamuelsx5/status/1359611899642580994?s=19

Quote: Lt. Gov. @DanPatrick announces “Star Spangled Banner Protection Act” — Senate Bill 4 — that will require that the national anthem “is played at all events which receive public funding.” #txlege https://t.co/OajGhksIKd

Thoughts?

I don't care one way or the other.  I never experienced a game without it.  But on the other hand something about me hates the government mandating it be played also.  That changes the dynamic for me.

[*jason*]

(02-11-2021, 12:23 AM)GMDino Wrote: I thought there was a thread or post about this already?

Anyway, the Dallas Maveri6stopped playing the anthem before games.  It too 13 games before someone noticed/complained.

Now the league says it MUST be played before all games and Texas wants to make it mandatory at ANY event that receives public funding.

https://twitter.com/AlexSamuelsx5/status/1359611899642580994?s=19

[quoteInbox: Lt. Gov. @DanPatrick announces “Star Spangled Banner Protection Act” — Senate Bill 4 — that will require that the national anthem “is played at all events which receive public funding.” #txlege https://t.co/OajGhksIKd

Thoughts?

I don't care one way or the other.  I never experienced a game without it.  But on the other hand something about me hates the government mandating it be played also.  That changes the dynamic for me.
[/quote]

It's interesting that this is happening at Dallas Mavericks games. Mark Cuban has been able to sorta toe the line with folks from the right and the left.

I also find it interesting that it took 13 games for anyone to notice. I guess it's because only 8-9 cities are allowing fans in the arenas at NBA games. It also took a while for anyone to notice Kaepernick wasn't standing for the anthem... A lot of people forget or never knew that damn near a quarter century ago Mahmoud Abdul - Rauf also stopped standing for the anthem in the NBA. He pretty much suffered the same fate as Kaepernick... He was forced out.

Again... It took quite some time for anyone to notice that he wasn't standing.

Quite frankly, I really don't understand playing the anthem at a sporting event two privately owned teams. I know the history of it, but just don't understand it. It doesn't play before I go to work. In fairness I do hear it at noon if I have the local independent oldies station or the right wing talk radio station on while I'm at work... Close enough I suppose.

[Benton]

It shouldn't be mandated.

I like the playing of the anthem, but if a team opts not to, no big deal. Forced patriotism isn't really patriotism.

[Forever Spinning Vinyl]

I go to sporting events to watch athletes compete, not to be reminded that I should love America or show my patriotism.

A local musician, Hobo Jim, always thanks our troops and likes to single them out at shows so maybe someone will thank them and maybe buy them a beer or two. One night, after his third dedication to a service member, which were not sitting together, he started to play the national anthem.

All three guys immediately got up and 'went outside for a smoke'. They came back and enjoyed the show. Nobody gave them shit or said that they disrespected the flag but Hobo Jim sure looked confused.

[Belsnickel]

Playing a national anthem before a game between two teams of the same country that are privately owned reeks of performative nationalism. It's a stupid tradition, anyway, and I'd be happy to see it go away entirely. It has a place in international competition, but not domestically.

[Au165]

(02-11-2021, 08:11 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: Playing a national anthem before a game between two teams of the same country that are privately owned reeks of performative nationalism. It's a stupid tradition, anyway, and I'd be happy to see it go away entirely. It has a place in international competition, but not domestically.

This. No one stands around listening to the national anthem before they start their workday, not sure why it makes any sense to do it before sporting events. 

[CKwi88]

Studying and living abroad really changed my perception of nationalism. I'm all for being proud of your country, even if you've done little or nothing to contribute to its perceived greatness. But the sheer amount of indoctrination here is pretty eye-opening when looked at from the outside.

I'd echo others, shouldn't be mandated. Save it for international competition.

[*Nately120*]

(02-11-2021, 09:14 AM)Au165 Wrote: This. No one stands around listening to the national anthem before they start their workday, not sure why it makes any sense to do it before sporting events. 

I wonder how people would react if before they got served at a restaurant or at the DMV or before their dental hygienist started cleaning their teeth they had to stand and sing the anthem.  I feel like a lot of normally patriotic people would be pretty annoyed by it.  

[BmorePat87]

If you all want to play a song celebrating Baltimore beating the British, by all means do so.

[CJD]

I've never understood the riling up that inevitably occurs when the National Anthem comes up in "political" discussion.

[GMDino]

Based on the responses I wanted to share this anecdote:

My brother in law is ex-navy...very republican...and has been on a rant about the kneeling during the anthem and huge Trump supporter.  Oh and he's in a union.

Anyway a few years back we were watching a football game together, as we did, and he is going on and on about how disrespectful the players are, he hates the NFL, etc.  I promised my wife I wouldn't say anything but after 15 minutes I turned and said to him "I thought you said you weren't going to WATCH football anymore?  Some of us are."  He stormed off to another room to watch golf.

Last weekend we got together to watch the Super Bowl.  Again my wife asked me to not make a big deal if he said anything.  I promised her I would only say something if he didn't stand for the anthem. 

Anthem starts and he's sitting at the bar in my SIL's basement and he's talking the entire time about...who is singing and did they sing it wrong, etc.  I turned to ask my wife if that was as disrespectful since he didn't stand and in fact never shut up and she told me to shut up. 

[masonbengals fan]

Who would have thought the day would come when playing our national anthem would become so controversial.

https://time.com/4955623/history-national-anthem-sports-nfl/

[*Nately120*]

(02-11-2021, 10:31 AM)masonbengals fan Wrote: Who would have thought the day would come when playing our national anthem would become so controversial.

If there is political capital to be made by making something controversial, it will happen.  I don't know how old you are, but we aren't really that far removed from times where a man not having a haircut like Johnny Unitas was a sign of blatant disrespect for all things decent. 

[Belsnickel]

(02-11-2021, 10:31 AM)masonbengals fan Wrote: Who would have thought the day would come when playing our national anthem would become so controversial.

https://time.com/4955623/history-national-anthem-sports-nfl/

The national anthem has a place. Domestic sporting events just aren't it. That's just my opinion on it.

[GMDino]

(02-11-2021, 10:38 AM)Nately120 Wrote: If there is political capital to be made by making something controversial, it will happen.  I don't know how old you are, but we aren't really that far removed from times where a man not having a haircut like Johnny Unitas was a sign of blatant disrespect for all things decent. 

...and Communism.

[*michaelsean*]

I don't care either way. It's become tradition, and I don't see it as some sort of forced nationalism.

Oh and Dino seems to be the troublemaker we always suspected he was.

[GMDino]

(02-11-2021, 11:13 AM)michaelsean Wrote: I don't care either way. It's become tradition, and I don't see it as some sort of forced nationalism.

That's where I am with it unless it is mandated by the government.

(02-11-2021, 11:13 AM)michaelsean Wrote: Oh and Dino seems to be the troublemaker we always suspected he was.

I never denied being a smartass.

I also have zero problem pointing out when someone says one thing and does another. It's why I don't care if someone says the same of me. We all usually have gray areas in what we say in do on some subjects.

In the case of my BIL all I can say is he never talked politics until Trump then suddenly it was "I'm a vet" and "America First". He was an ass before that but then he wanted to argue. He also doesn't believe that Covid is real (he and his daughter had it) and that anyone should wear masks or get the vaccine.

I'm just the guy who will actually talk to him when gets on a rant and he doesn't want to hear anything other than what he already knows so in general I DON'T argue to keep the peace for my wife. She knows how he is.

Point is I don't START the discussions because I already know what will happen, but I also will respond.

[masonbengals fan]

Just read this on another website & think I it's fitting here too.

"Why are we having this conversation? So a segment of our society who are unable to feel a part of this country, for whatever their reason may be, do not want to hear the national anthem but the overwhelming majority like it. Play it. And to those who don't like it, I suggest instead of being angry about something the country does not do for you try searching for something that it does do. Because believe me there is plenty."

[*Nately120*]

(02-11-2021, 11:40 AM)masonbengals fan Wrote: Just read this on another website & think I it's fitting here too.

"Why are we having this conversation? So a segment of our society who are unable to feel a part of this country, for whatever their reason may be, do not want to hear the national anthem but the overwhelming majority like it. Play it. And to those who don't like it, I suggest instead of being angry about something the country does not do for you try searching for something that it does do. Because believe me there is plenty."

This quote seems more tone-deaf than Carl Lewis singing the anthem.

[GMDino]

(02-11-2021, 11:40 AM)masonbengals fan Wrote: Just read this on another website & think I it's fitting here too.

"Why are we having this conversation? So a segment of our society who are unable to feel a part of this country, for whatever their reason may be, do not want to hear the national anthem but the overwhelming majority like it. Play it. And to those who don't like it, I suggest instead of being angry about something the country does not do for you try searching for something that it does do. Because believe me there is plenty."

I would suggest that this kind of quote feeds into the "nationalism" argument.  "Love it or Leave it" should have died as a slogan in the 60's.