I'm not an American but....

[MorganGrayson]

Originally Posted by TheEnforcer

You are absolutely correct Nick. Pisses me off just reading about it.

To echo, TE, you are most correct, Nick. We were taught to stand respectfully still, our hands - or hats, as you'll see baseball players do - over our hearts. Even the '60's, when protesting was de riguer, all the students in my high school managed to do to "protest" was not put their hands over their hearts. They still stood.

Singing along is quite acceptable, for those who can manage to sing that most difficult song.

Who is "R. Kelly"? I'm unable to think of any part of the anthem where "clapping along" would fit.

And yes, it's any nation's anthem that deserves respect. We're supposed to stand respectfully for all of them, even if the "hand over the heart" thing is only reserved for their own.

Question: do Canadians do the "hand over the heart" for the beautiful "O, Canada"?

You guys knock our socks off in the national anthem department, frankly. Every once in a while somebody will restart the attempt to change the US national anthem to "America, the Beautiful," which many feel is much more suited to be our national anthem, rather than the one that references war.

My favorite trivia: Francis Scott Key was a poet and a lawyer. He wrote the words, but the music is from the British song, "To Anacreon in Heaven." Considering that the Battle of Fort McHenry was fought against the British, I consider swiping one of their songs for our national anthem was the ultimate in cheek.