Oh Say, Can You See, Too

HOTS touched a nerve, which isn’t a bad thing. But, sometimes when you touch a nerve in the hand, it’s the foot that twitches. That’s what I see happening with the subject of the National Anthem supposedly being sung in Spanish. The two responses to last Wednesday’s posting about the National Anthem point out part of the problem with controversial political discussions in a country that seems addicted to polemics. When we generate an issue in American politics, the participants in the debate don’t always listen to one another. The words from one participant often don’t connect to the words of the other participant. The body isn’t registering what’s happening to the hand; its transferring the reaction to another body part.

The problem I see in the comments is the tendency to divert the discussion to another topic, such as what should be expected of someone “demanding citizenship”. I wasn’t writing about citizenship, in the hoped-for form, the requested form, or the demanded form. That’s another issue. I have no problem whatsoever with requiring an applicant for American citizenship to have a certain level of proficiency in English before being granted citizenship. If they want all the benefits of citizenship, they should learn the lingo.

But, we have a lot of immigrants who are here legally who are not hoping for, requesting or demanding citizenship. They’re here on legitimate visas or they hold a green card; they’re quite happy with their citizenship status; and they may or may not speak English. Their English proficiency will probably turn on the basis for their legal presence here. For example, student visa holders will speak English; work visa or green card holders who have been sponsored by an employer are quite likely to speak English, based on the requirements of their job; a green card holder sponsored by a spouse or other family member may or may not speak English.

If someone wants to propose that all green card or visa holders must speak English, they can make that argument. I don’t support it, in part because Americans won’t be interested in playing by the same rules when they’re in other countries, but that also wasn’t the subject I was addressing in the prior posting.

Another diversionary issue is the reference to “another national anthem”. I said nothing about “another national anthem”. There is one and only one National Anthem for the USA, and I honor that National Anthem as much as the next person. The Spanish song in question is just that – a song written in Spanish that is being sung and used by a group of people. We can call it an anthem without creating any substantive issue, because anthems are not national anthems, much less the National Anthem. Anthems are sung in churches, schools, fraternities, clubs and organizations around the country, giving praise and devotion to this or that person, place, or thing. National Anthems are an entirely different matter. Nuestro Himno is not a national anthem; and it certainly isn’t a substitute for our National Anthem. I’m no more interested than the next person in having “another national anthem”.

I still have no problem with another person singing our National Anthem in another language. I’m referring to a direct translation, not something like Nuestro Himno, which isn’t a translation. If that person is standing and honoring America by singing the same thing that I’m singing, the language is not relevant to me because our intention is the same – our hearts, the symbolic seat of our devotion, are aligned. If s/he is more comfortable singing in a native language how does that diminish what I’m singing in any way? It doesn’t. And any assertion that it somehow diminishes the power of the words being sung in the heart of the singer is a throw-away comment.

Another comment addressed the fact that there is nothing wrong with national pride. I agree, as long as it doesn’t become jingoism or excessive nationalism. History is filled with the carnage that can flow from severely twisted patriotism. I’m proud of America, and I have the deepest respect for our flag and our National Anthem. That’s why the bozo gnawing on the Dodger Dog during the National Anthem bugs the hell out of me. I get very aggravated with the countless Americans who can’t stand up, shut up, turn off their cell phones and iPods, take off their hats, put their hands over their hearts, and honor our country when the flag passes or the National Anthem is played. But, my deep respect doesn’t lead me to worship these symbols as holy.

That last sentence tempts me to jump into a discussion of whether such symbols are sacred. Personally, I save that word for something more directly consecrated to or belonging to God; I see it as a synonym for “holy”. Sacred “things” can easily bump up against idolatry and it’s my understanding that God has issues with idols. In any event, I doubt we can cut through the semantic overgrowth on that discussion.

As for illegal immigrants – that also wasn’t the topic of last Wednesday’s posting. But, alas, that topic is the foot that twitches when almost any other semi-immigrant-related body part gets touched. I’ve previously posted on that subject and I’ll probably come back to it some day. But, today, I’m going to go get a nice, soothing foot massage. Anyone care to join me?