BlogHer - When is Singing The National Anthem Considered Unpatriotic? - Comments

Yes, queenesther, all californian

Elisa Camahort — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 18:27:14 -0500

Yes, queen esther: My brother-in-law's family are all Californian. I think it may indeed be a regional thing.

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interesting point re: who knows the song "lift ev'ry voice"

queenesther — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 18:22:04 -0500

i'm tne "commenter above" who said that every negro knows the black national anthem.

when you asked everyone at your bbq as to whether or not they knew this song -- black, white and otherwise -- and no one did (question: was everyone there from california?), you made an interesting point. in considering it, i held an informal poll of my own. as for me and my friends of every ilk and their parents: they all knew the song. it's still sung at ethnic celebrations all over the south/west and midwest, in church gatherings and socials, and at school functions. when i was a co-ed, i distinctly remember singing it at juneteenth celebrations all over texas. so the tradition that i recall from my childhood is still alive and well. but i went a step further.

the last time i was with my extended family -- we are from the deep south, three generations strong -- everyone knew the first verse of the song. as a matter of fact, my 4 year old nephew sang it to all of us after dinner. it seems that this is the kind of thing they believe in teaching pre-K students on the black side of town in the ATL.

at present, i live in harlem and i still don't know any black anyone that doesn't know this song.

and that's my point, really. perhaps knowing this song has everything to do with the region of the country you live in and how you were/are raised.

Art vs. Commerce

Maria Niles — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:37:10 -0500

Your raise many good points, Atena. From a contracts sense she might be in violation. However she wasn't compensated for the performance so there doesn't seem to be anything to be enforced. Enforcement would require her to make the other party to the contract whole or restored to their previous state. An artist might argue that her job is to leave witnesses to her art irrevocably changed.

Another commerce argument is that she might never work in that town again. And probably she is unlikely to be hired to sing at any official functions in the future. However, she might have a wider set of opportunities to sing and probably has gained some new fans who might not otherwise have heard from her.

Perhaps as a business person she failed but as an artist she probably considers what she did both true to her vision and a success. Arguably, an artist is someone who engages in their art because they must not because they think they'll get paid.

Thanks for commenting and sharing great food for thought.

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A bold choice that begs the question of patriotism...

Atena — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 22:17:14 -0500

Interesting that so many people are apparently up-at-arms because she veered away from "what she was hired to do." I don't see that any harm was done and I admire her action.

I don't know if this was the best forum for her to make her statement or not, but I'm not certainly willing to dismiss it just because she didn't do what she was hired to do. But maybe such an impulse makes sense to me because I'm an artist with an affinity for political art.

I wonder how many people would've paid much attention at all if she'd sang the song as intended. How many people would have thought twice about what the words that she replaced actually mean?

To me, this brings up questions of patriotism and purpose. What is the point of the Star Spangled Banner, anyway? Are people inspired by the lyrics (an account of battle), or is it really the melody that captures them? Along those lines, I find it to be a savvy and timely reapproriation of material - a melody that commands the attention and respect of the nation coupled with lyrics that actually describe the ideals of the nation more poingantly (I think) than a surviving flag metaphor battle song (which is admittedly powerful). What does it mean to honor the format, meaning and history of one song over the other? What are we as a nation so attached to? To me these questions are more important than one more performance of the designated national anthem.

The words of Lift E'vry Voice and Sing do no less to honor the state or its citizens than the Star Spangled Banner - it is no less patriotic. I don't think any harm was done there. It was a violation of expectation to be sure, but it appears to me that she has done more good than harm by catalyzing this conversation. Art shouldn't be about try to be provacative while sitting inside a clearly defined box of pre-determined "appropriate" boundaries. Of fcourse boundaries are important and necessary, but in this case - I don't see any harm done. If I had to choose between a forum of expression such as the State of the City and self-publishing on YouTube, I'd pick the former (esp. since in the end, she ended up with both). At least, I'd like to think I would. If I didn't choose it, as an artist, I think I might regret it.

I think her performance had a lot of value.

Assumptions, Biases & Irrational Fantasies

True enough

Adriennevh — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 21:36:10 -0500

True enough. But again she was hired to do one thing and then did another. That's not a protest it's a bad business practice.

Lucky indeed

Maria Niles — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:49:07 -0500

That's sounds like a wonderful perspective, experience and education your mother provided you. And, I'd encourage you to read Rene Marie's explanation of her choices linked above but I don't know that it would lessen your confusion about those choices. :)

Thanks for sharing your perspective!

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Timing is everything

Maria Niles — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:45:50 -0500

She had performed her version of the song at previous events and says that it is an artistic statement. However, by performing it at a government event it gives it the appearance of being a political protest. But she says that she was not protesting anything specific. So the timing and location of her performance led to an interpretation that it was an empty political statement.

I think it has turned into an example of the law of unintended consequences. But among those UC's are the thoughtful dialogue (along with the knee jerk noise) it has generated and the opportunity to learn more about our history.

Thanks for adding to the discussion here, Pamela!

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I guess I'm lucky! And confused.

BaltimoreGal — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:15:39 -0500

I did know the song (although not all the lyrics) and that it was important to the civil rights movement. My mother was raised in SW Georgia during the end of segregation- she lived down the road from Koinonia, the precursor to Habitat for Humanity, which was an interracial community often attacked. These events shaped her childhood and early adulthood very strongly, so I was taught from an early age about the civil rights movement and to not accept racial discrimination or hatred in any form.

So. I guess if I had heard Renee Marie had sung "Lift Ev'ry Voice", in it's regular melody, instead of the Star Spangled Banner- I would have thought, OK, she was making a statement. And I'm no "Star Spangled Banner" lover, even being from Baltimore and an Army Brat. I just don't get her message. She fit "Lift Ev'ry Voice" to the "Star Spangled Banner" which was fit to a British drinking song. And Dixie? Well, better she sing it than some people, I guess. But I guess I don't get why she would sing it.

Timing is Everything

pamlyn — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 12:01:00 -0500

First, Kudos to Maria for sharing this post as well as to everyone who has thoughtlully and eloquently shared their thoughts.

The feedback that this incident has solicited has been amazing.

My first impressions of the incident were:

1. Renee Marie forget the lyrics to the National Anthem and after beginning "Lift Every Voice and Sing' just kept going. I've seen other singers confuse "God Bless America" with "The Star Spangled Banner".

2. She picked the wrong time and place to make either an artistic or social/political statement.

After reading Virginia Debolt's comment on how Renee has been known to sing Dixie at her concerts, I'm leaning to the latter assessment.

However, timing and location are everything. To sing "Lift Every Voice & Sing" as the National Anthem in a concert setting is an artistic statement. To substitute one song for the other at a political rally is an obvious political statement. But to intentionally substitute "Lift Every Voice & Sing" after being contracted to sing "The Star Spangled Banner" at a city's public event is a questionable call at best and playing into racial anxieties at worst.

As far as Barack Obama being asked to comment on Ms. Marie's decision, it's expected in our current political climate but obviously a little silly. Maybe one day our society will reach a point when every Black person is not accountable for the individual choices of every other.

Pamela Lyn

No apologies necessary

Maria Niles — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:37:50 -0500

This is a great conversation and I appreciate the different directions and added dimension you and Nordette have brought. Thanks to all who have commented. I can't tell you how much this discussion has meant because I was seriously upset reading many of the blog posts about this issues. BlogHer community to the rescue :)

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"Protest" is all about not toeing the line...

Yvette Perry — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 10:31:04 -0500

when you are on someone else time and/or dime, you do what they expect of you

To borrow an old saying: "Women who make history rarely go around doing what is expected of them." :-)

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Furious.

Rita Arens — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 09:27:43 -0500

I just hopped over and read Leslie's post. I realize this conversation is now veering from The Star-Spangled Banner, and I apologize, Maria, but I think it's a good conversation.

Silly me, I assumed students were now reading Langston Hughes and Malcolm X. I hoped things have changed.

Seriously, is it not 2008? Afrocentric? Seriously? It's the melting pot, for God's sake. We should be presenting the history of every group that lives in America, not just Europeans. Whites won't even be the majority in this country soon if population rates stay on the same trajectory they are now.

When are we going to wise up?

Surrender, Dorothy - When I was your age, we just let them ride in the back window.

Rita Arens is a contributing editor for BlogHer -- Mommy & Family.

you bet

Adriennevh — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 17:57:48 -0500

I look forward to a hug I hope my flag pin doesn't poke you! LOL.

I enjoy performance art and punk rock. Please tell me you never let the flag touch the ground!

I do have to stick with the opinion that she was hired to do a job and she didn't do it. She can protest on her own time, that is her inalienable right, but when you are on someone else time and/or dime, you do what they expect of you.

Dangerous thinking, Rita

Nordette — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 17:54:25 -0500

Rita, did you read Leslie's post about the teacher in California who was fired because her teaching was considered too afrocentric? It relates directly to your wondering what's being taught. She had students reading, per Leslie, "excerpts from Malcolm X, a book approved for use by the LA Unifed School District, having her students read the poetry of Langston Hughes, and quoting the late rapper Tupac Shakur."

Egads! What was she thinking? :-)

If anyone doesn't recognize the name Langston Hughes, then you may when I tell you that he's the Harlem Renaissance poet who wrote the famous poem "A Dream Deferred." Loraine Hansberry's play A Raisin in the Sun takes its title and some inspiration from that poem.

A Dream Deferred

By Langston Hughes

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up

like a raisin in the sun?

Or fester like a sore--

And then run?

Does it stink like rotten meat?

Or crust and sugar over--

like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags

like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

I think the administrator there is a nutcase moving backward through time who went overboard based on misinformation about afrocentrism, but that's just me.

Leslie's post is "Why should the high school classroom be Eurocentric?"

Nordette is a Contributing Editor with BlogHer.com whose personal blog is hosted on another site at this link.

America the Beautiful as national anthem

Nordette — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 17:31:52 -0500

I agree on not changing the anthem to "Battle Hymn of The Republic" and for the reason you stated. I said something similar about people who want to change the anthem to "America the Beautiful." That would open an entirely new can of worms because it's a religious song.

I didn't think your thing about people being disrespectful during the singing of the national anthem was in reference to "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing." I was talking about respecting why some African Americans call the song a "black" national anthem and understanding how it came to be called that.

I'll be glad when we move past that, and I wonder if the singer thought she was implying that we're moving past it and can blend as one people. However, I think she went about it poorly. We only have one national anthem, and that's the one she was expected to sing. She also showed insensitivity to the mood of the nation and even Obama's special challenge of having to prove he's a "true patriot."

Still, one person said the singer's "artistic statement" is what's causing this discussion, and perhaps that's a good thing. (Looking for the silver lining)

BTW, I also think people should show respect during the singing of the anthem. Traditions can also unify.

Nordette is a Contributing Editor with BlogHer.com whose personal blog is hosted on another site at this link.

When is Singing The National Anthem Considered Unpatriotic?

Maria Niles — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 16:12:23 -0500

Rene Marie Sings Black National Anthem Instead

Jazz Singer Rene Marie was booked to sing the national anthem at the annual Denver mayoral state of the city speech (click to read more of Amy Gahran's take on the reporting of the event).

Marie has said that she was engaging in both art and protest.

As Barack Obama was stopping in the state of Colorado the day after, the Democratic convention will be held in Denver and Obama is black, he was asked to make a statement about Marie's performance despite the fact that he was in no way associated with Marie or the event.

Reactions have ranged from supportive, nuanced historical perspectives, anger, outrage, calls for Marie to be sued for breech of contract (she was not paid for the performance), to extreme racism (white racist websites and blogs are having a field day with this).

I am disappointed, though not at all surprised, that most of the reaction has been facile anger with very few examinations of the legitimacy of Marie's claims that her performance constituted art or how it functioned as a form of protest. Similarly I'm saddened but, again, not at all surprised by the depth of professed lack of knowledge of US history.

Yes there is a song titled "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" which became known as The Negro National Anthem or Negro National Hymn (which is how it was formally recognized by Congress). As the term Negro has fallen out of use, it is now often referred to as The Black National Anthem.

In the video it appears that nobody recognizes the lyrics Marie sings to the tune of "The Star Spangled Banner." Outraged reaction followed once it became known that the lyrics (originally written as a poem) were from something known as The Black National Anthem.

While I remain of the belief that the discussions of race which are arising during this political season are important as catalysts to painful but necessary discussions, I fear this incident unfortunately has only served to fuel mostly anger, hatred and prolonged ignorance.

Maybe we can have a discussion here that digs a little deeper. Do you think this a legitimate form of performance art? Did it serve as subversive protest? Does Lift Ev'ry Voice still serve a roll as a "national anthem" for black Americans? Why do we require Obama to speak to every controversial action a black person takes in this country?

Personally I enjoyed the musical mashup and found it interesting from an artistic perspective. And I thought it was effective as a form of protest. Who better than artists to be subversive, to shake us up and get us talking? I wish deeply that some folks will be inspired to learn more about this song, the role it has played in this country's history and will move beyond the superficial reaction many are having to the reference to race in the alternate title. And, seriously people, Marie's choice and expression of thought has nothing to do with Senator Obama.

Jill Tubman at Jack & Jill Politics observes (and click through to see the site's gorgeous and cheeky redesign if you haven't seen it):

I suppose I’d be more sympathetic if her decision to hijack Denver’s annual state of the city meeting was promoting awareness for a specific injustice happening in America or locally Colorado perhaps. Then perhaps it might be construed as a courageous act. As it is though, it seems deceptive — she wasn’t contracted to sing the black national anthem (which is a gorgeous inspirational song). They asked her to sing the National Anthem, the Star Spangled Banner, which all African-Americans recognize and sing as our nation’s official anthem.

I’m not sure why this has received so much media attention unless the goal is to portray African-Americans, including and especially Barack Obama as unpatriotic. That’s not real and is Afrpatently false. And shame on the media for trumpeting the story. It’s like a gift to Fox News. Ugh — I’m personally embarrassed.

Queen Ester at Kudzu, Mon Amour recalls the importance of Lift Ev'ry Voice to the black community:

every black anyone in my little kid world knew this song and they knew it cold. they sang it from the heart, with feeling. and in a way, all of us knowing this song gave us a kind of solidarity and a unity that bloomed all the time.

feeling this togetherness as a child in the south amongst black folk gave me a glimpse into the jim crow years that my now 92 year old father lived through and how, in the moments when all we had was each other, we looked out for each other in so many unspoken ways that don't seem to happen anymore ...

i don't know every negro in america but i can't think of any black people that don't know this song. don't believe me? ask an african-american you know to sing it. i don't think we should stop singing it until they acknowledge what happened and apologize for it. there has never been a collective reckoning amongst all americans, where we talk about these things openly and deal with our feelings in a supportive way. like south africa, we need a truth and reconciliation commission of our own.

Sheryl at Girl, Get Me Started! asks "can the black national anthem ever be inappropriate?"

Yes, sometimes we are angry at the way we are treated, but you don’t have to shake red, white, and blue pom-poms all the time to show how much you love this country—any more than loving your relatives means that you must grin at them all the time.

All of that being said, Marie’s action also introduces this question: why can’t the Black National Anthem—its call for hope, faith, and perseverance in the face of oppression—belong to all Americans?

Sociologist Sue Greer-Pitt deconstructs an email forward she received expressing outrage over Marie's performance and asks:

Here's my bet -- if this woman had substituted Amazing Grace for The Star Spangled Banner how upset would these same people be? Would it have made a national news story? Or if a white woman had sung these exact same words, with no one mentioning the phrase "black national anthem" wouldn't these same people be defending her against the ACLU for bringing God (mentioned 4 times in Lift Ev'ry Voice and only 1 time in The Star Spangled Banner) into a political arena?

Content Black Woman points out:

Look at the words of the Black National Anthem. There is nothing about it that is un-American or unpatriotic. Look at your negative reaction - if you have one. It might speak more to your own insecurity and fears of loss.

Fredric at Young Black Professional Guide believes:

Art is always meant to push the envelope and stretch our comfort zones, sometimes uncontrollably. Whether its in the form of raunchy comedy like Chappelle show or unique painted art from Picasso, art tickles are practicality and laughs in its face for being so stubborn.

The real question, however, is whether the current political climate and ‘frank conversations about race’ will ultimately drown this event into an argument about what it means to be American. I’m betting that it will…

Jefferson Morley at The Colorado Independent offers a history lesson in a post that examines Rene Marie's patriotic lesson:

By all accounts, after her performance Marie received a warm round of applause from the slightly puzzled crowd. And there was nothing unpatriotic about it. By singing the melody of "The Star Spangled Banner" but not the familiar “Oh say, can you see...” Marie's effort was likely more an attempt at racial healing. In effect, she forgave the man who penned the national anthem, Francis Scott Key, for his racism....

Those who see controversy in Marie’s song choice not only miss the point, they miss the patriotism.

“As we begin our fourth century as a nation,” Sen. Obama had said the day before in his patriotism address, “it is easy to take the extraordinary nature of America for granted. But it is our responsibility as Americans and as parents to instill that history in our children, both at home and at school. The loss of quality civic education from so many of our classrooms has left too many young Americans without the most basic knowledge of who our forefathers are, or what they did, or the significance of the founding documents that bear their names. Too many children are ignorant of the sheer effort, the risks and sacrifices made by previous generations, to ensure that this country survived war and depression; through the great struggles for civil, and social, and worker’s rights.”

Too many children — and too many adults — are ignorant of the complex strands of race and history that are woven into our history but this presidential campaign may be starting to change all that.

However, many bloggers are outraged:

Sugar and Sugar N Spice believes Marie is an "Obamazoid:"

Seriously though, Ms. Marie was way out of line. Way out. They didn't ask her to come up with "something special" for the occasion. She was asked to sing the "Star Spangled Banner". I don't know this woman from Adam, but I'm willing to bet everything I own, she's one of these crazed Obama supporters. I mean, what.in.the.hell!? She could have even talked to them and told them she was going to do this, but to just spring it on them? hahahahaha Too crazy! She needs to lay off of the Obama kook-aid (not a typo) something terrible!

Bridget at Don't Get Me Started says:

This is ridiculous! There is NO substitute for the national anthem and what this woman did was rude and in poor taste. There should be no such thing as a ‘black’ national anthem. We’re all Americans. If you want to separate yourself, then go form your own country somewhere and you can use that song as your national anthem.

Carol at The Median Sib writes:

I didn’t realize there was a “Black National Anthem” but apparently there is. Video and lyrics are here. Now we learn that the black national anthem is “Lift Every Voice and Sing” which is a great song. I just didn’t realize it had been designated as the black national anthem. I wonder if there is a national anthem for Irish-Americans, Asian-Americans, Mexican-Americans, gay Americans. Most of all, I wonder when we’ll just be Americans and end all these divisive sub-groups. Having a “Black National Anthem” does no one - of any color - any good....

And folks, it is time to stop all this stupid division... Let’s stop allowing ourselves to be boxed in and all be AMERICANS.

And Venomous Kate at Electric Venom asks "how many national anthems do we need?"

Not surprisingly the response has been heated with the word “racist” being bandied about by both sides. And me? I just don’t get it. I don’t understand any circumstances under which a person would think it’s appropriate for them to swap out lyrics to a national song to be sung at a civic event just to advance their own agenda, which is precisely what the singer was trying to accomplish. Under Marie’s own reasoning, would it still be “art” if, say, some good ol’ boy bluegrass singer in Mississippi decided to sing “Dixie” at the start of a city government meeting?

BlogHer CE Maria Niles last sang Lift Ev'ry Voice at her Great Aunt's funeral.

BlogHer - When is Singing The National Anthem Considered Unpatriotic? - Comments

Yes, queenesther, all californian

interesting point re: who knows the song "lift ev'ry voice"

Art vs. Commerce

A bold choice that begs the question of patriotism...

True enough

Lucky indeed

Timing is everything

I guess I'm lucky! And confused.

Timing is Everything

No apologies necessary

"Protest" is all about *not* toeing the line...

Furious.

you bet

Dangerous thinking, Rita

America the Beautiful as national anthem

When is Singing The National Anthem Considered Unpatriotic?

"Protest" is all about not toeing the line...