I never thought I would have a good thing to say about Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, but she has made the most sensible statement I've heard yet in the silly debate over the national anthem being sung in Spanish. What she said is (from Reuters):"I've heard the national anthem done in rap versions, country versions, classical versions. The individualisation of the American national anthem is quite under way," she said on the CBS show "Face the Nation."Amen sister Secretary. Ok, I'm not a big fan of hers, but when she's right, she's right. There are so many ironies here that it is hard to know where to go first. There's President Bush suggesting that people need to learn English. He should take his own advice and then we'd no longer have to worry why our President isn't learning. It never ceases to amaze me how supposed patriotism can be so at odds with the ideals that are supposed to be the highest ideals of this country. One of those ideals is freedom of speech and expression. Seems to me that applies in this case."From my point of view, people expressing themselves as wanting to be Americans is a good thing," she added. "I think what we need to focus on is an immigration policy that is comprehensive and that recognises our laws and recognises our humanity," she added.
I wonder if the people so outraged over this song even hear themselves. How can the ideals that the national anthem represents through words they so revere in English, somehow suddenly become offensive when the same words are sung in Spanish? Can democracy, freedom, justice and all the ideals of this great nation be lost in translation?
1 comment:
"How can the ideals that the national anthem represents through words they so revere in English, somehow suddenly become offensive when the same words are sung in Spanish?"
The same words when sung in Spanish are not offensive. The problem is that a great deal of the song was changed, to say something completely different than the English version. Particularly offensive is the addition (rapped in English) of:
"Let's not start a war
With all these hard workers
They can't help where they were born"
What does that have to do with the American National Anthem? Why did they see fit to force that into the song?
That version isn't the American anthem anymore. Instead, it is merely a song that uses elements of the melody and structure of the Star Spangled Banner, mocking it to make a narrow political point of temporary utility.
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