The tune was a popular British drinking song, back when men sitting around bars would amuse themselves by singing he-manly hymns. The words, a poem written by a doctor who had overheard secret attack plans thus held captive on an enemy vessel until the battle was over. And it all came together because of a little goading by a man named Ripley, believe it or not! Stretching over an octave and a half, it is fairly described as “difficult to sing” and who among us actually know any of the other 3 verses?

As it happened, last week I had the opportunity to see a couple baseball games. As is the custom, before the game the national anthem was sung which has been happening since the late 1800’s, so it was no surprise. What has changed over my lifetime is the way it is sung.

When I was young, *everyone* sang it. The banker, the guy sweeping the bleachers, the fellow selling hot dogs. The players, the coaches, the announcers. Oh, someone would lead it but everyone would sing along, and it was quite rousing and moving. People would sing it OUT LOUD. Policemen, Veterans, and anyone else who’d ever served in uniform would stand up straight and salute. Punk kids would take their hats off. It was honored, respected, and united us all if just for a minute or two. It Was Important™ and you didn’t fool around with it or during it.

Now when we go to games, someone is using it to make a “statement” or expression of some sort. Frankly, it makes me pretty angry sometimes. Our national anthem is not an advertisement nor open to interpretation. It is not a joke. It is not Gospel, Country, Hip Hop, Rock, Soul, Calypso, or anything else. It should not be customized or commercialized. It is what it is. If folks don’t want to sing it that way they can do whatever they want – on their own. I hate being a captive audience and pandered to for cheap, nationalistic applause.

You see, I am an American. We as Americans have great freedoms. We can work hard or starve, we can save or spend, we can live in a valley or on a hilltop. While there are consequences, the choices made are mine. We are not puppets of the state. But we must respect our country, for freedom truly isn’t free, it was bought with a price, and the price was blood. With all these rights come some responsibilities, and they are not horrible to bear. I refuse to belittle the blessings of liberty, to myself or my posterity, and my appreciation – and respect – for my country is immense.

As spiritual people, we also have great freedoms. We can work or starve, we can save or spend, and we can live in sin or in justice. While there are consequences, the choices made are mine. We are not puppets of God. But we must respect the kingdom of Christ, for our great freedoms are likewise not just free, they were bought with a price, and it was Christ’s blood. With all these rights and blessings come responsibilities, and they are not horrible to bear. I myself refuse to belittle the blessings of liberty, and my appreciation – and respect – for my savior and King is immense.

When someone sings our national anthem wrong by accident, I don’t get angry. I understand it is difficult, but not impossible, to sing right. All that pressure of everyone listening to you can be tough. I don’t get angry when people make mistakes in their lives, because righteous living is difficult and everyone – especially my ungodly friends – are sharp eyed watching for us to mess up. But when someone trashes my national anthem on purpose – and when someone flaunts sin in the “face” of God – that really ticks me off. Yes, both are quite important to me.

Dave Dugas thinks my reaction is silly. I suppose it is, after all I should just get used to people stomping all over things that are precious to me. Why should I get upset that people have no regard for my nation, when with their foul cursing mouths they demonstrate a similar disregard for my creator? Dave and I disagree on this, because he is more forgiving, more merciful, more like Christ who forgave those who crucified him. I guess this is my stumbling block to overcome. I’d fry ‘em.

Dave is also a Yankee Doodle boy, sharing a birthday with Uncle Sam on the 4^th of July. So you think he’d have more room to talk. But my birthday is the 3^rd of March – the same day that marriage between a beer hymn and impetuous poem became my Star Spangled Banner.

Randy