Why do we sing the National Anthem?

 As a member of the Rotary Club, I look forward to Fridays where I join with other Rotarians to hear information of interest to the members that often has a message of optimism and community spirit. In this group of women and men, are lawyers, accountants, bankers, social workers, leaders, doctors, and business owners, academicians, and every kind of profession between. Each Friday we begin with a prayer, followed by the singing of the National Anthem, and the pledge. We then give "sunshine" moments and play a little game of drawing a card to receive a pot of money. 

I enjoy singing the National Anthem despite its difficulty. The anthem has a large vocal range, wide melodic leaps, harmonic changes, and a complexity of words that makes it difficult to memorize. The range alone seems to prevent many people from singing the notes accurately. Yet, on certain days, I will admit to a surging of emotion that must be a form a pride in my country. The National Anthem reminds me of the battles for freedom and the inherent joy of living in America. In that respect, the weekly routine is a good one that I hope always remains. 

Yet, sometimes I wonder about the true benefits of this. We sing it at sports events, concerts, public gatherings, and various types of celebrations. We rarely sing it in small groups and I do not recall ever singing it at any of the thousands of meetings I have attended. I have heard wonderful performances of it from trumpet players, to pop singers, opera singers, and still occasionally listen to the amazing performance of master guitarist Jimi Hendrix. Sadly, I have also heard terrible performances including children, poor singers, overly ornamented, odd approaches, and mixed up words. Who can forget the funny although a little offensive performance of Leslie Nielsen in Naked Gun! 

Now we have this kneeling situation at sports events and are including other anthems. Baseball games include God Bless America in the 7th inning stretch. Symphony Orchestra concerts often begin with the Anthem but in a rather formal way (no clapping or yelling afterward). The other morning before a group run, around 50 of us stood still and listened to a recording of the National Anthem before we took off on our 9.11k run. 

I suppose the obvious reason we sing this is for unification and patriotism. At a competition, the National Anthem starts us all together without anger and bitterness toward the rival team. I do appreciate the respect that is applied and it is rewarding and unusual to see 50,000 people or more stand very still. What would happen if we did not sing it? Would we be overrun with anger at the opposing team? Would the concert be less interesting or would the run not be as rewarding? 

While I acknowledge right of players to kneel at the game, I do wonder why this has become a social and/or political opportunity to express a position? After all, it is simply a game and not even all that complex of a game at that. Why are we even patriotic at all at sporting events? 

Perhaps it is time to relegate the National Anthem to concerts or strictly patriotic events? Would this further divide and polarize a nation that struggles with unity? Or would this allow for personal freedom from coerced patriotism at games? 

As I write this post that asks more questions than provides answers, I wonder if my thoughts are somewhat subversive and un-American? Certainly, that is not my intent, but I do think we should examine our motives and goals in everything we do. 

In the end, I must say that I sincerely enjoy singing the National Anthem and find it a challenge to sing it accurately. It is the challenge itself that gives me satisfaction and I look forward to those moments at all events. Being patriotic is just part of the story. The song itself is a toughie, but rewarding when sung well. 

Revisiting Louis L'Amour

It began in 1971 when I was in 5th grade in El Paso, Texas. My father and I went to a TG&Y for some household goods. I cannot recall what else we purchased, but we stopped by the paperback rack to look through the books. This was not an uncommon practice having grown up around books with weekly trips to the public library and a love for reading that has not disappeared to this day. Still loving the smell of books, my pulse quickens when I enter a library or a used book store. Having long ago closed my online bookstore and donated my thousands of books to various libraries, I remain a book lover and find myself collecting once again. 

The world was both different and the same in 1971. No computers, cell phones, flat screen televisions, or devices all over the house. It was a time of the turntable, 3 channels on the tv which was located in a nice piece of furniture. Yes, we had an unusual oil lamp with a statue of a nude woman showering in the oil, but that is another story! What was the same was the love of family that remains today and even though I later resisted, deep down I loved being with my remarkable and different Dad, a man who loved his family, music, books, church, people, building things, fixing things, laughing, singing, and being the life of the party. 

As we looked at the paperbacks, I saw the book called Tucker by someone named Louis L'Amour. Curious about it, Dad bought it for me. I read it and enjoyed it although I normally did not read westerns much. That changed with Tucker and Dad and I soon devoured every L'Amour book we could find. I realize now that my father enjoyed sharing the experience with me, his oldest son, of reading the same books. We would discuss them, analyze them, and quote them at every opportunity. How many times did we remind each other that you could "hide an army out on those plains." And be sure to avoid staring into the campfire since it would temporarily blind you if you had to fight. Oh...and drink as much water as you can since you never know when you could run out. And save the last bullet for yourself so the Indians cannot capture you. He and I shared other books including David Morrell, Taylor Caldwell, Kenneth Roberts, John D. MacDonald, Matt Helm books, James Bond, Elmer Kelton, and Larry McMurtry, but it was L'Amour that we quoted and discussed the most. 

Life moved on and with it came my own family, several jobs, moves, and lots of experiences. My father passed away in 1999 at age 60 and I still feel a void in my life when I think of him...almost every day. He gave me a love of great stories, books, travels, and multiple experiences. A brilliant man, he never allowed the challenges of life to negatively affect his eclectic interests, his desire to make a difference, and his sheer joy and optimism. Even a few weeks before he died, he was at an elementary school playing guitar and singing songs for children. One week before he died, he and I were out hunting deer. 

Now at age 61, I feel a desire to return to the books that shaped me so profoundly. Books by Steinbeck, Morrell, Victor Hugo, Thomas Hardy, Larry McMurtry, James Michener, and yes, Louis L'Amour. Some books don't age well and feel rather dated. Some of L'Amour comes across at times as sort of basic and even primitive in style. Many of the plots are similar and the hero in the story often seems larger than life while the bad guys always lose in the end. Yet, there is something special in Louis L'Amour books. The descriptions of the environment are accurate and expressive and the people, although rather one dimensional, are clear in their values. The stories move with energy and the building tension causes page-turning all the way to the satisfying conclusion. 

And so I am revisiting Louis L'Amour books and enjoying them. Perhaps, however, I am really revisiting my time with my father, a time I treasure in my memories, and a time of growing up into manhood.