Kathy7:00PMJul 4th 2008

Gads, what a joke. Give them an inch and they take a yard. Thumbs down on this one. Is this what America has to look forward too, black America trying to change what has been set in stone for years. Guess we have Obama to thank for that, change we can believe in! Folks hang on to your seats, this is going to be one bumpy ride.

jim7:57PMJul 4th 2008

Shame on her and anyone else who Is ok with this..

I am a non prejudice White Male, but what is going on now with many of he African Americans is outrageous and are going to set race issues back 50 years...

We need a stop to all of this now.. Somebody must stand up and speak out and I dont think it need to be any white Americans..

God help us all

Crystal8:39PMJul 4th 2008

Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Oh! Thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Crystal8:43PMJul 4th 2008

If tomorrow all the things were gone
I'd worked for all my life.
And I had to start again
with just my children and my wife.
I'd thank my lucky stars
to be living here today,
Cause the flag still stands for freedom
and they can't take that away.
I'm proud to be an American
where at least I know I'm free.
And, I won't forget the men who died
who gave that right to me.
And I'll gladly stand up next to you
and defend her still today.
Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land...
God Bless the U.S.A.!

From the lakes of Minnesota
to the hills of Tennessee,
Across the plains of Texas
from sea to shining sea,
from Detroit down to Houston,
and New York to L.A.,
There's pride in every American heart
and it's time we stand and say:

I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free!

Crystal8:47PMJul 4th 2008

And any one who is not proud of America, we will be more than willing to put you on a ship and send you to a place more to your liking.

Bettybb8:49PMJul 4th 2008

Not much of a protest since the audience had not a clue that it was one.

But this is America, and protest often brings progess. Of course, it can also result in regression.

It will be interesting to see if this catches on. If it does, will audiences who do not agree protest by booing, or walking out?

I wonder what her beef is?

Crystal8:52PMJul 4th 2008

Jazz singer, Rene Marie was asked to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" before Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper delivered the annual address on Tuesday. Instead, she took the music from the Star Spangled Banner and sang lyrics from the Black National Anthem "Lift Every Voice and Sing"
"If anyone has got a right to be angry it's probably me," Hickenlooper told the station. "I guess what I feel most is just deeply disappointed."

The mayor said only Marie, her husband and a musical adviser knew what the local jazz singer had in mind.

"What she said was that she was very sorry, that she meant no disrespect, that she was trying to make a creative expression of HER LOVE FOR HER COUNTRY," Hickenlooper said. (Sure you was Marie)

But the change in lyrics angered many residents, including City Councilman Charlie Brown.

"I was mad, I almost walked off the stage."

Brown said the matter needs to be addressed. "There is NO substitute for the national anthem."

Crystal8:55PMJul 4th 2008

Christopher is so wrapped up in this, he thinks it's OK to change the words to The Star Spangled Banner.

Lynn8:56PMJul 4th 2008

She must be acting out that "change" Obama keeps chanting about.

Crystal8:58PMJul 4th 2008

Any of you non Obama supporters to try No Quarters or PUMA, where they are Americans and get the hell off TC's blogs.

kaflooey8:58PMJul 4th 2008

Well, no, I certainly don't see it as an atrocity, but isn't the point of a "National" anthem to be a song that includes everyone in the country? This kind of thing seems to promote separatism as far as I'm concerned.
It seems to me that as of late many Americans have been under the impression that there are only two "kinds" of people in this country.
To me the idea of a National anything is to unite, not divide.

Crystal9:01PMJul 4th 2008

Bettybb8:49PMJul 4th 2008

Not much of a protest since the audience had not a clue that it was one.

But this is America, and protest often brings progess. Of course, it can also result in regression.

It will be interesting to see if this catches on. If it does, will audiences who do not agree protest by booing, or walking out?

I wonder what her beef is?
~~~~~~~~~~
Christopher thinks he scooped this one but it was out three days ago.

Peggy9:03PMJul 4th 2008

"An event like this beautifully showcases what is so great about America, the freedom to disagree"

The freedom to disagree, like every other freedom, comes with certain responsibilites. Dissent must be open and honest. This lady was neither open nor honest. When she was invited to sing the Star Spangled Banner at the event, she had several options. She could have let the mayor know she refused to sing the Star Spangled Banner and declined the invitation. She could have accepted with the proviso that she would sing "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" rather than the National Anthem. She could have honored the request, then, as a second verse she could have chosen the words to "Life Ev'ry Voice and Sing". This was more like a "gotcha" then an act of defiance and the lady's behavior was very juvenile. Her statement that she "pulled a switcheroonie" shows that. I don't consider this atrocious or a cheap, distasteful publicity grab. It was just plain rude and childlike. If you can't be a good guest, you shouldn't go to the party. Black Americans like this woman are doing more to define themselves as separate from the rest of Americans than they are doing to unite us as a nation. Then, they accuse us of being racists and bigots.

By the way, I didn't know there was an official African American National Hymn. Who defined this as a black song rather than a song with moving and thought provoking lyrics? No one I know considers this or "We Shall Overcome" as black music anymore than we consider "Rock of Ages" or Onward Christian Soldier" purely white music.

I think that I'll go the Mayor Oscar Goodman's next State of the City address and sing the official Irish American National Hymn. After all, he's Jewish and it's probably time for the Irish to slap them around a little. I'm sure they don't understand the richness and fullness of the Irish experience in America. (I do need a little help though. Does anyone know what the official Irish American National Hymn is?)

Crystal9:04PMJul 4th 2008

I can see the white people looking confused but the two poor black men didn't even know what to do. They were looking around and hanging their heads. She even embarrassed her own.

Crystal9:09PMJul 4th 2008

Peggy:

I think that I'll go the Mayor Oscar Goodman's next State of the City address and sing the official Irish American National Hymn. After all, he's Jewish and it's probably time for the Irish to slap them around a little. I'm sure they don't understand the richness and fullness of the Irish experience in America. (I do need a little help though. Does anyone know what the official Irish American National Hymn is?)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
While you search for the Irish-American Hymn, I'll be looking for the Italian-American Hymn.

Crystal9:11PMJul 4th 2008

I better find it because if I leave it up to Rev Wright he will create one with the words "garlic noses" in it because we know he hates Italians. Hell, he hates everybody!

Crystal9:13PMJul 4th 2008

kaflooey8:58PMJul 4th 2008

Wow, Kaf - nice to see you back!

Natural Puppy9:25PMJul 4th 2008

If one is commissioned to sing the National Anthem one should sing the National Anthem. Marie is guilty of devisiveness. "lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" is and always was, of course, an African protest. It's relevance to society in 2008 is much different than it was in 1900. The other tune you mentioned, We shall overcome", had its origins as a folk song, and has benefitted from the input of several people, black and white, not the least of whom was Pete Seeger, as has been brought to America's attention by Public Television programming.

It must be recognized that those people who are ignorant of "Black History" are ignorant of American History, for the story of African Americans is the story of America. No American history that doesn't include the complete and unadulterated history of black Americans can approach veracity.

Race relations in America are evolving towards racial equity. Our efforts must be sensitive to that goal, even if it sometimes may require us to stifle our personal druthers.

I would advise Marie to foregoe pursuing or agreeing to any more requests to sing the National Anthem.

Robert E. Plonsky, C.S.,CO.

Jo in SoCal9:26PMJul 4th 2008

You lost me at "crowd eager to hear The Star Spangled Banner". When is a crowd ever "eager" to hear this song? Isn't it just an obligatory formality of ceremonial nature? Wouldn't we rather hear something by Clapton instead? Let's be honest...

Seansmama9:44PMJul 4th 2008

I find this terribly embarrasing.
Colorado has many fine points and fine people, but we rarely put our best out for the rest of the world to see.
Given that the Democratic National Convention is being hosted in our fair capitol next month -- do you suppose this singer will be invited to sing for Senator Obama? Or will he try to hide one-half of his paternity to appease the other half?