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Why do we sing the National Anthem at sporting events?

mentalfloss.com — The song gained popularity over the course of the nineteenth century and was often played at public events like parades and Independence Day celebrations (and, on occasion, sporting events). In 1889, the Secretary of the Navy ordered it the official tune to be played during the raising of the flag.

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  • ironeus, on 08/01/2008, -1/+56In 1889, the Secretary of the Navy never could have known it will lead to Roseanne's version of the National Anthem.
  • ameologger, on 07/05/2008, -7/+10no idea really why they do that , but some said that sports is like war and this even need some encouragement
    • yuanzhoulu, on 07/06/2008, -7/+2it's because torrents are for sweaty people, so if they are going to sweat they are going to need a torrent, such as that of the national anthem.
      • DaHuuuuuudge, on 07/06/2008, -0/+3What?
      • Temo1, on 07/06/2008, -0/+1I'm hoping that your logic is just so damn powerful that it transcends my feeble brain's understanding. Because I don't see any other way I can reconcile your statement with anything that's been said so far in this thread.
  • desmonrock21, on 07/05/2008, -14/+44To recognize your beloved country.
    • Enfenestrate, on 07/06/2008, -2/+12I'd venture to say that 90% of the population doesn't ever recite the anthem outside of sporting events and the 4th of July, so why not get everyone saying it at least a few times a year?
    • dood, on 07/06/2008, -7/+20I'd rather they read the constitution and the bill of rights. Maybe they could do a different article or amendment at every event. Hell, print the thing on the cups that they serve piss in.
      • BOFH2, on 07/06/2008, -1/+2never heard of piss being served. What sporting events do you go to?

        I realize your probably talking about warm beer but you left it out there.
    • yahoofrom, on 07/07/2008, -0/+2I always wear flag pins for the same reason. two flag pins for both my nipple positions.
  • roshill, on 07/05/2008, -34/+1Hey nice post now i know where did this singing tradition came from lol.. hey do check out my post they not much but yea i am tryin 2 gain speed
  • ChickenNugNug, on 07/05/2008, -7/+18I always thought MC Hammer would be better at sporting events.
    • whorunbartertwn, on 07/06/2008, -0/+0He played at halftime of a Phoenix Suns game I was at a few years back.

      Oh how the mighty have fallen.
    • funkyloki, on 07/06/2008, -0/+1Did you know he was a batboy for the A's years ago? Frackin awesome dude, I don't care what anybody says. I met him through someone who worked for the A's and he was a real cool guy, as long as u didn't say "Can't Touch This" to his face while touching him.
  • idreamnow, on 07/06/2008, -11/+8Nice Post!
  • vroom101, on 07/06/2008, -34/+4And once again I have been pleasantly DIGGucated -- increasing the breadth & depth of my knowledge . . . pushing my IQ towards 100 . . . going where no digger has gone before! -- while attending the University of Diggers ("Where DIGGucation IS Education")!
  • tj241, on 07/06/2008, -6/+4I learned something new today....now I can vedge
  • jetboyterp, on 07/06/2008, -3/+73Now, if we could only get some of these "recording artists" to stop turning our national anthem into a pop or R&B tune when they sing it...
    • Amadeus2490, on 07/06/2008, -3/+29But it's patriotic to see a girl hold her hand out while she goes climbs up and down between notes of the scale.

      "Ohhhh, sayyyy-ee-ayy-ee-ayy-ayy-ayyy___"

      /tears of joy.
      • theexitwound, on 07/06/2008, -2/+15Thats' because they're not trained to actually learn how to hold a note properly.
      • Amadeus2490, on 07/06/2008, -0/+4They learned that from Mariah Carey. . .but coincidentally, she holds a single note for like 38 seconds in "We Belong Together."
    • zombies187, on 07/06/2008, -6/+1Is Hendrix just as bad?
      • Amadeus2490, on 07/06/2008, -2/+5***** you for saying the words "bad" and "Hendrix" in the same statement.
  • AchaIemoipas, on 07/06/2008, -7/+9Because Europeans did. Ethnocentric history is ethnocentric.

    • igyigyigy, on 07/06/2008, -0/+3In Europe it's more common to do it at a match where teams from more than one country is present, mostly as a mark of respect to the foreign team
  • FirEnRain432, on 07/06/2008, -14/+6we sing the national anthem at sports games so that people have a chance to look at the mascots with their hands over their hearts. it's a tradition that ive enjoyed now for a good 7 months. baseball is quite dumb though so i pretty much just stick to football(soccer), but that doesn't limit me from playing some frisbee golf on tuesdays after it finishes raining because thats when my frisbees fly the best. i enjoy throwing watermelons into large bodies of water.
  • geoffg, on 07/06/2008, -36/+5Because Americans = Nazis.
    • imbob, on 07/06/2008, -17/+2The Pledge was actually written by a NAZI
      go figure
      • zombies187, on 07/06/2008, -3/+17The pledge was written by a baptist minister. WTF are you talking about? The fact that he was a socialist? That is not the same as being a Nazi. Criticize him for socialism if you must, but don't label him a Nazi. That just turns the conversation into a referendum on just how mistaken you are.
      • Anarchrist, on 07/07/2008, -2/+3NAZI stands for National Socialism and Bellamy was a socialist who wrote the pledge to be used as a tool to teach children obedience to the state. So imbob may not have stated his point very well, but it is actually valid.
    • SwedishNinja, on 07/06/2008, -2/+110/10

      Troll harder.
  • wagadugo, on 07/06/2008, -6/+2Ever wonder why the SSB ends in a question? It's because it's only the FIRST phrase of a longer poem that went on and on. Most of the people who say they know all the words to the SSB, don't realize it's actually just a small portion of a Much longer work
  • spamcrusher, on 07/06/2008, -16/+69It's a beautiful song for a beautiful country. Granted, we have our problems as a country everyone does, but it's still nice to appreciate what we have. I'll probably get dugg down by the anti-American crowd on this, but I get goosebumps every time I sing that song in a large crowd.
    • birdmanrush, on 07/06/2008, -2/+11Well said. I thought you would have to. I will bump you up to 11.
    • diskit, on 07/06/2008, -2/+19It's nice to see that someone else recognizes that no single country is perfect.
    • Sanderson9009, on 07/06/2008, -2/+6Amen brother
    • Micetro, on 07/06/2008, -8/+3America ***** YEA!!!
    • drlha, on 07/06/2008, -1/+3Its great when people sing along, but it hardly ever happens in my experience. Perhaps because its played too often that people don't bother to sing along.
    • Temo1, on 07/06/2008, -1/+4I love hearing the national anthem before the superbowl, knowing that almost a billion (or less, depending on whose numbers you use) people are watching.
    • Ortheos, on 07/07/2008, -6/+1Russian/Soviet anthem is much more inspiring. But work with what you've got I guess.
  • robomonster, on 07/06/2008, -18/+10When its a sporting event between 2 countries i can understand it, Americans seem to sing it at any and every event they can though. They're far too patriotic for their own good.
    • FeartheKnighted, on 07/06/2008, -2/+7Don't hate us because our country is better than yours :P
    • mrremy, on 07/06/2008, -2/+6So one having a great pride for their own country is bad?

      Then you can label me... ba-ba-baa.... bad to the bone!
    • notadiggtard, on 07/06/2008, -2/+5What happens when you are "Too Patriotic"?
      Maybe you have the audacity to pull Europe out of the Nazi death grip,Liberate Japan,the Philippines,Italy,hasten the destruction of the USSR which liberated Eastern Europe,Free Kuwait,help stop genocide in Croatia,and yes,bring freedom and real elections to Iraq.
      Maybe we should be like our European brothers and just watch evil win!
      Again,we sure aren't perfect.Far from it.But we are the greatest country on Earth.The last best hope for humanity's freedom.
      No?Who is,France?The Netherlands?China?Venezuela?The UN?
      Don't make me laugh.
      • robomonster, on 07/06/2008, -1/+0You use the word 'we' like you were actually there. Were you in the D-day landings? Did you fight for the liberation of Eastern Europe? I'm not talking about your country's military patriotism. To better explain; when i stayed in America I couldn't turn on the TV without seeing an American flag being used to promote a generic product that no-one needs, with some hick singing about how America is the greatest country in the world in the background. Patriotism is fine, commercial capitalization of patriotism isn't. Ive got nothing against Americans, but some of you are just so full of yourselves.
  • Syphon8, on 07/06/2008, -20/+3The Star Spangled Banner is like the worst national anthem ever. I don't really like any I've heard, but I can't stand listening to America's.
    • jetboyterp, on 07/06/2008, -1/+9Like, you're Canadian, like....right?


      • Syphon8, on 07/06/2008, -1/+1Yes? I said like in that sense once in that comment... And twice total.

        I don't care for O Canada, either.
      • Sanderson9009, on 07/06/2008, -0/+0The United States of America >
  • IAmCuteKitty, on 07/06/2008, -7/+4don't know.
  • KDyneria, on 07/06/2008, -15/+3Better yet, why in the NHL, where more than half of the players are Canadian, do they only sing the Canadian national anthem if the game is being played in Canada. If an American team comes to canada to play a game, the star spangled banner is played. But if a canadian team goes to the US to play, only the American anthem is played. Makes me sick.
    • nemojonze, on 07/06/2008, -0/+8Untrue.
    • godinster, on 07/06/2008, -0/+6This is actually incorrect. I've never seen a hockey game in the US involving a Canadian team where the Canadian anthem was not played. In fact, in Buffalo, even if there are only American teams involved, they will still play the Canadian anthem largely in part due to their large Canadian fan base.
    • kelpee, on 07/06/2008, -0/+41. I don't know if half the players are Canadian. There seems to be a healthy portion of Eastern Block European players lately.

      2. They play both anthems even if playing in the U.S.

      3. Canadians although very patriotic care more about the hockey game than whether or not the anthem is played. It's Just how we are.

      Now like someone up there said, if you could get the stars and such to sing it the way it was meant to be sung rather than putting their own personal slant on it every time it would be nice.
    • smitty1479, on 07/06/2008, -0/+1At MSG Rangers Canadiens they played it. I was there
    • mrremy, on 07/06/2008, -0/+2See: all games played at RBC Center for Carolina Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup. Been to almost all of them, and they had both played. Fights almost erupted because some Canadians disrespected the American National Anthem.
      • kelpee, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1I'm sorry that happened. Most of us just aren't like that.
  • zyklon, on 07/06/2008, -6/+3That's funny, I thought the Star Spangled Banner was only made the National Anthem in 1933?
    • uhbeta, on 07/06/2008, -1/+6The song was around before it was the National Anthem.
  • technoob, on 07/06/2008, -3/+2Very good question. If this is for America's history, why do other countries sing their national anthem also.
    • kazikame, on 07/06/2008, -1/+3I dunno about other countries, but here in England it's only sung at internationals and major games such as the FA cup final.
  • mcsenget, on 07/06/2008, -5/+27Nationalism.
  • apc3161, on 07/06/2008, -5/+15I actually like listening to the national anthem. I always think of its backstory when listening to it, which is a very inspiring story.

    The pledge of allegiance on the other hand, I'm not so fond of, just like I don't like pledging allegiance to a king; I don't like pledging allegiance to a flag. Most people don't know that the pledge of allegiance was not written during the founding of our country, but rather during the 19th century by a fanatic religious socialist nut. In my opinion, the pledge actually goes against a lot of what this country stood for during its founding. I used to get so pissed when I had to do that crap during school.
    • ObamaWins08, on 07/06/2008, -1/+5Wouldn't it make more sense to make a pledge to follow a constitution than a flag?
      • uhbeta, on 07/06/2008, -0/+1The flag represents what our country is supposed to stand for, good and bad.
      • bdbr, on 07/06/2008, -0/+1It would. The military and the president take an oath to support and defend the constitution, not the flag.
      • ShadowMerchant, on 07/07/2008, -0/+0I think the part about "to the Republic for which it stands" encompasses the Constitution.
    • freakstyle571, on 07/06/2008, -1/+4I can understand having qualms about saying "under God". But really, what else in the pledge goes against the foundations of America? I quick over view from wikipedia showed that it originally said "my flag" instead of "the flag". But really... what else???

      I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands. One nation, under God, with liberty and Justice for all.

      we are saying the same pledge right?
      • BebopBlues, on 07/06/2008, -0/+2you forgot "indivisible", so it's: "... one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all".
      • freakstyle571, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1I guess that shows how often I say it. I knew I was forgetting something though
    • ConanTL, on 07/06/2008, -5/+2Unfortunately it forgets to mention the part where we stole land from the natives and murdered, enslaved and raped them.

      I'm sure it was just an oversight.
      • Pillage, on 07/06/2008, -0/+4you could be talking about pretty much any country.
      • ShadowMerchant, on 07/07/2008, -0/+0The natives were no slouches at stealing, murdering, enslaving, and raping before white-eyes ever came on the scene. Also human sacrifice, cannibalism and some fiendishly effective and inventive methods of torture.
    • bdbr, on 07/06/2008, -0/+3I don't see a problem with it. The history of America has (mostly) been one of gradually increasing "liberty and justice", and it should be these goals to which we continually aspire and hold our leaders accountable.
  • dontwhine, on 07/06/2008, -13/+5canada sucks.
  • nemojonze, on 07/06/2008, -1/+2That's 100% untrue, and it also is played for The Blue Jays, and Expos (RIP) when they play here. Get your facts straight.
  • jussipupu, on 07/06/2008, -2/+2You basically have to be pretty drunk to sing the tune. I cannot imagine listening to people miss all the high notes sober.

    I wonder if any other country's national anthem is a drinking song. And if it is, do they have health care?
    • ShadowMerchant, on 07/07/2008, -0/+0"I cannot imagine listening to people miss all the high notes sober."

      The secret is to realize that the third note is the lowest in the whole song. Practice the first three notes so they are at the very bottom of your vocal range, and it is a piece of cake to hit the high notes.
  • Electric_Sheep, on 07/06/2008, -18/+14I've always thought being overtly patriotic was a sign of insecurity.
    • ObamaWins08, on 07/06/2008, -5/+7Well, I believe that those of us who are overly patriotic are generally so out of sense of gratititude for the sacrifices of those who became before us. Some fought for an ideal and Constitution ( some were made to), so I generally get warm fuzzies thinking about it.. call me soft.
      • Leomarth, on 07/06/2008, -2/+3Only in rare instances did you choose to be here, and making that choice should give you some pride. Otherwise, if you were born here, where you began life was not your choice and there is no good reason why you should have pride about it.
    • Juicediggs, on 07/06/2008, -1/+1Where did you come up with this? Being overly patriotic may be a sign of being naive or ignorant, but I've found very few of the patriotic types who are insecure.

      I'm sure you've done a TON of research though.
  • crackerjack20, on 07/06/2008, -13/+5I always figured it was those over-patriotic nuts that forced us to sing it. They're the same people that have American flag stickers all over their cars and wear flag clothes and probably sleep on flag bedsheets.
  • ChileanGoD, on 07/06/2008, -7/+1We should do this more... we should sing the national anthem before we see a movie, before we watch a live show, before.....
    • xodex, on 07/06/2008, -0/+2sex?
      • onux16, on 07/06/2008, -0/+1No, bad idea. Show devotion to something other than your woman during intimate times and you'll probably sleep on the couch.
  • kookbutt, on 07/06/2008, -1/+22If the song was written today, the RIAA would have sued everyone for performing it without their permission and would demand royalties from everyone. Shoot, I'm not surprised that they haven't claimed they own the copyright for it already since they still own copyrights for works that have been around over 50 years since it was created.
  • kthoma22, on 07/06/2008, -14/+9America F U C K Yeah.
    • timusca, on 07/06/2008, -1/+1What are you in 1st grade? You can say ***** on Digg. If you did it just to get past filters on a very small % of people's settings, then shame on you. You're pathetic.
  • KIERANMULLEN, on 07/06/2008, -10/+3Didn't know this was a huge controversial issue.

    If you dont like the anthem don't go.

    I only go if the games are free. Personally they waste to much time between innings and the whole process is to drawn our and boring.
    • freakstyle571, on 07/06/2008, -0/+5try watching Cricket...
    • notadiggtard, on 07/06/2008, -0/+1I only go to the free home Braves games
  • farTart, on 07/06/2008, -14/+9It always creeps me the ***** out. By making it something you *have* to do (or get stared at - speaking from experience ;-) it makes it feel really weird to me.
  • nastronomical, on 07/06/2008, -6/+16So whats wrong with showing pride and love for ones country? Not all of us a lazy CHE wearing t-shirt wanna be commies, you know.
    • Owwmykneecap, on 07/06/2008, -8/+9Blind national pride can be a very dangerous thing.
      • Juicediggs, on 07/06/2008, -7/+5Yeah and spending two minutes playing a song before a sporting event is BLIND AND DANGEROUS NATIONAL PRIDE. Idiot.
      • nastronomical, on 07/06/2008, -1/+2TO : Owwmykneecap


        So is blatantly hatred for ones country and people that make it possible for you to live free and chose whatever path you want in life.
      • Owwmykneecap, on 07/06/2008, -1/+1That's except being a communist or socialist right?
    • Enfenestrate, on 07/06/2008, -4/+5In a stadium with 50k people in it, how many would you say are reciting the anthem out of genuine pride and love for the country? How many do you think are doing it just because it's what you do at games and how many do you think do it just because everyone else is and they'd feel out of place if they didn't?
    • farTart, on 07/06/2008, -4/+4I think it has a lot to do with the huge chasm that lies between the imagery that the anthem evokes and the actual reality. Add to that the fact that it is manipulated to force an agenda (wtf was patriotic about the PATRIOT Act?) and it adds up to make me feel really uncomfortable.

      Blind faith in any institution (a country, a politician, a religion) scares me. When you have blind faith, rationality goes out the window.

      I would have thought we'd learned 60 years ago where that leads to.

      I have no problem with other people expressing their patriotism as long as they equally respect my decision not to. Am I the only person who sees the irony of pretty much forcing someone to stand to sing about "the land of the free"?
      • nastronomical, on 07/06/2008, -1/+1Liberalism is blind faith in utopian dreams.


        Now that is dangerous.
  • LMControl, on 07/06/2008, -4/+10If it has to be explained to you, then you have bigger issues than worrying about "wasting" a few moments of your time at a ballgame. :(
    • Leomarth, on 07/06/2008, -1/+5Right. They haven't figured out the concept of allegiance to imaginary lines and believing that they are somehow special because they were accidentally born in a geographic region. They need help.
  • kreatre2007, on 07/06/2008, -2/+6I think it's a good thing to sing the national anthem at sporting events or any other public event. I honor this tradition because we have the freedom to either have allegiance to the country or not to. Hopefully the few who are offended by this tradition won't try to ruin it.
  • zombies187, on 07/06/2008, -2/+11I grew up on Air Force bases around the world. Never having been much for sports, I spent a lot of time at the movies. On base, they always had one giant theater which always played The Star Spangled Banner before every film. It had a film of patriotic stills to accompany. I always liked that part even though you had to stand up in a dark theater which a lot of kids didn't like.
    • chingazo, on 07/06/2008, -0/+1I grew up on Army bases, and I remember watching the Anthem played before a movie. Wierd, but if a theater were to play the Anthem on their own before movies, I would probably frequent that one more others. Another thing I remember about living on base is that at 5pm or so for the lowering of the flag, all vehicles on the road had to stop and everyone had to get out of the car and look towards the flag while it is being lowered. All soldiers in uniform also had to salute until the flag is down. It was kinda cool to watch everything come to a standstill, all cars and pedestrians, and show respect for the flag while it is being lowered for the day. Good stuff.
  • diskit, on 07/06/2008, -5/+35If we don't the terrorists will win.
  • Balinsky, on 07/06/2008, -8/+3to kill the mood...
  • xkrwlng, on 07/06/2008, -8/+2because sports suck...

    bad.
    • Juicediggs, on 07/06/2008, -1/+1Maybe you should stay out of Sport topics then and worry about your World of Warcraft character.
  • smitty1479, on 07/06/2008, -7/+2Listen to me I'm super serial! We need to stop singing the national anthem! It attracts Manbearpig
  • pinguwin, on 07/06/2008, -12/+4I don't stand for national anthem at a public gathering. I think it's stupid. When I was in first grade, we had to say the pledge of allegiance. Even in first grade, I didn't like to do it. I stood, but NEVER said the words. Now that I'm older, I won't bother with standing. I don't believe in standing, bowing, or kneeling before any icons or idols. If others want to do so, I won't criticize them or think them stupid (even if it's stupid to me), but I don't care for others who expect me to do as they do. Once a guy (gently) grab my shirt to make me stand. I told him to screw himself. On the rare occasions where I'm somewhere when the national anthem is played and I'm going with someone, I tell them ahead of time that I'm not going to stand, in case this makes them uncomfortable.
    • Smaulz, on 07/06/2008, -0/+8Well, aren't you special. Can I be like you when I grow up?
      • lajaw, on 07/06/2008, -0/+5pinguwin is not grown up.
      • notadiggtard, on 07/06/2008, -0/+2how very proud you must be to be different and an independent thinker!
  • CharlesDance, on 07/06/2008, -9/+4Americans crack me up!
  • franlee, on 07/06/2008, -16/+8Because Americans are brainwashed and dumb sheep
    • Sanderson9009, on 07/06/2008, -4/+3Jelous much?

      More powerfull than your counrty...

      USA USA
      • jussipupu, on 07/06/2008, -0/+1Pound for pound you're correct. The fatter the better, I say.
      • DeFex, on 07/06/2008, -0/+2This person seems to work for the chinese government.
    • JorgeGT, on 07/06/2008, -0/+7You're a sad person full of hate. Let's see your history:

      "America's Imperialism is finally catching up to it. That's alright, maybe Chinese companies might hire you as sanitation workers to clean up after rich and prosperous Chinese."

      "More worthless American propaganda about China. China is far less polluted than America. America is still the largest polluter in the World."

      "Enjoy it now because China will have the medal count to be envied by the entire World by the end of the Olympics."

      "America's gangsta rap suits America's image nowadays. "

      "You people are idiots for a pretty face. I bet most of you believe what the strippers tell you. Losers. "

      "You idiots think you are doing some good by sitting on your butts behind the computer and posting political articles to digg and commenting on them. But guess what, all you have accomplished is showing what big idiots you are. You people aren't going to …"

      "What stupid comments. You people need to not have children so not to spread your idiot genes around"

      "Nobody cares what you diggers think. Opinions are like assholes and you idiots are one big one."

      "Americans are selfish. You Americans are responsible for most of the pollution on Earth. Why don't you Americans outlaw plastic bags like China has? Or is it because you americans are so selfish that you don't care what happens to the rest of the world …"

      ...

      I am very sorry for you. Have you joined this website just to insult other people and spread your hate? How sad.
      I am not even going to comment about your idealized version of a country governed by an oligarchy of elderly tyrants that cool-bloodily shot a square full of unarmed youths of his own people to maintain a dictatorship.
    • trumpcard, on 07/06/2008, -0/+2Only in digg you will ever find liberal and funny ones who don't support chinese dog eating jokes.

      ***** CHINA.
  • bananaspiders, on 07/06/2008, -7/+18If there is one thing the US government has done well is marketing patriotism... something I have not seen in any other country.
    • Carlix, on 07/07/2008, -0/+3Then I guess you never got out of USA....
    • bananaspiders, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1Well I live in Mexico, and I've live in Asia for 4 years... Never seen anything like it.
  • Owwmykneecap, on 07/06/2008, -0/+5thats not "why", that's "how come".

    Why is far more philosophical.
  • Sanderson9009, on 07/06/2008, -9/+7We get to vote, you don't!
    We get to vote, you don't!

    Sing it loud and sing it proud!

    God bless the USA!
    • bagelmaster, on 07/06/2008, -2/+3Obviously America is the only democratic country on earth. And we did it first. And best. Yep.
      • Sanderson9009, on 07/06/2008, -2/+2In no way, shape, or form did I declare that the United States of America is the only democratic nation on the planet. I was however insinuating that some (not all) of the anti-american population is made up of individuals who do not get the same privlages as we lucky americans do.

    • DeFex, on 07/06/2008, -1/+1yep you get to chose between 2 people who have been pre selected to make sure nothing changes for the better.

      turd sandwich > giant douche.
  • mptsxtps, on 07/06/2008, -1/+3Well WE don't, we let pop stars butcher the song like the SNL skit http://vodpod.com/watch/295712-snl-maya-rudolphs-n ... We should all sing it like how pretty much every country sings their own.
  • Leomarth, on 07/06/2008, -7/+3We have an odd allegiance to imaginary borders, and we consider the accident of the location of our birth to impart some special meaning about us.
    • notadiggtard, on 07/06/2008, -0/+5The borders are NOT imaginary.If you think so I suggest you try leaving North Korea through the DMZ.
      Maybe you meant "arbitrary"?

      I don't think I am special because I'm American,but I do think America is special.

      What a sad unpleasant depressing world you live in!
  • jetboyterp, on 07/06/2008, -3/+4@Syphon8...

    But why do you dislike The Star-Spangled Banner so much? Because of America? The lyrics? Why?

    Truly, I would like to know.

    As for the Canadian anthem, I do like the tune, but the words are a bit much.
    • bagelmaster, on 07/06/2008, -1/+3Because of blind patriotism. Read a little into what caused WWI. And WWII to an extent.
      • jetboyterp, on 07/06/2008, -0/+1I'm patriotic, but I don't do it blindly. And how does German patriotic fervor compare to a patriotic American? Didn't the USA fight in WWI and II AGAINST the Germans?
    • Juicediggs, on 07/06/2008, -1/+6Seriously. Excellent question. Because it is a tradition. Bottom line. And for those it offends I'm sorry. (not sorry for the act that offends you, moreso that if you are really that bothered by it you are a douche).

      Anyone ever notice the most patriotic sport there is, Soccer (football to you all) seems to get a free pass. At the European Cup (World Cup, etc) everyone covers themselves in flags of their respective Country and spends the entire match chanting patriotic slogans and singing National Songs.

      But of course people on Digg only have a problem with Patriotism if it is American...
      • Edrick, on 07/06/2008, -2/+3On the contrary, I have a problem with patriotism/nationalism in general.
    • jussipupu, on 07/06/2008, -1/+2I think as well that is a good question. It's a stupid song. A good national anthem would be one people could actually sing. Note I said "sing" not "butcher".
    • mlrigsby, on 07/06/2008, -0/+5The National Anthem is a harmless little tradition, but I hate it when they try to overdo it with a bunch of nationalist ***** at sporting events. I was at a Seahawks game a couple years ago and there was some kind of a re-enlistment ceremony before kickoff. Somewhere in the oath was a reference to following the President, which was met with a loud chorus of boos from the crowd. Just kind of an awkward moment. Even my father, a lifelong Army officer, who was attending the game with me acknowledged that was a totally inappropriate venue for that kind of thing. People are there to watch a football game.
  • Juicediggs, on 07/06/2008, -4/+2Give me an f'ing break.
    It has become a Tradition you Digg panty-wastes. There are lots of pregame traditions in every sport. Lets get rid of cheerleaders, marching bands, and fly overs while were at it.

    I'm no "ra-ra" USA these colors don't run, blah blah blah, pro-America dude, you but you obsessively self-loathing anti-Americans are growing overwhelmingly lame.
    • RogueMountie, on 07/06/2008, -1/+1"Lets get rid of cheerleaders, marching bands, and fly overs while were at it."

      Well, now that you mention it...
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