Why I don't see the Star-Spangled Banner as Racist Towards Blacks

Daniel Peres · Dec 3, 2022

I’d like to discuss the accusations that have been made over the past couple of years about the US national anthem, the Star-Spangled Banner. The woke mob claim the song is racist towards African Americans. And yes, I am aware that Francis Scott Key was a racist.

What I find absurd about this claim, is that I feel in a way, African Americans own this song. This is because whenever I think back about the greatest performances of our national anthem, the only performances I can think of were ones done by African American people. This is my list of the greatest performances of our national anthem:

1) Whitney Houston. How can any American forget her incredible performance at Super Bowl XXV. I can’t even remember the teams that played in the game. All I can remember is her incredible performance.

2) I was only two years old for this next one, but I have seen it in film. I am talking about the legendary Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock in 1969. Being a guitarist myself, I can’t even express what that performance does to me whenever I hear it!

3) I can vividly remember Marvin Gaye do a very original performance at NBA All-Star game in 1983. Again, I can’t even remember anything about the game. All I can remember is his incredible performance.

And it’s not just the Star-Spangled Banner. What about “America the Beautiful.” I can only think of Ray Charles at the Sugar Ray Leonard v. Roberto Duran fight.

Like most people, I can’t remember most of my life experiences, yet these performances remain unforgettable!
Furthermore, I’d like to point out that these musical artists were not just great African Americans. They were Great Americans, “PERIOD”! And these performances of our national anthem made me feel truly proud to be an American, and proud of them as Americans.

nhisname · Dec 3, 2022

Daniel Peres said:
I’d like to discuss the accusations that have been made over the past couple of years about the US national anthem, the Star-Spangled Banner. The woke mob claim the song is racist towards African Americans. And yes, I am aware that Francis Scott Key was a racist.

What I find absurd about this claim, is that I feel in a way, African Americans own this song. This is because whenever I think back about the greatest performances of our national anthem, the only performances I can think of were ones done by African American people. This is my list of the greatest performances of our national anthem:

1) Whitney Houston. How can any American forget her incredible performance at Super Bowl XXV. I can’t even remember the teams that played in the game. All I can remember is her incredible performance.

2) I was only two years old for this next one, but I have seen it in film. I am talking about the legendary Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock in 1969. Being a guitarist myself, I can’t even express what that performance does to me whenever I hear it!

3) I can vividly remember Marvin Gaye do a very original performance at NBA All-Star game in 1983. Again, I can’t even remember anything about the game. All I can remember is his incredible performance.

And it’s not just the Star-Spangled Banner. What about “America the Beautiful.” I can only think of Ray Charles at the Sugar Ray Leonard v. Roberto Duran fight.

Like most people, I can’t remember most of my life experiences, yet these performances remain unforgettable!
Furthermore, I’d like to point out that these musical artists were not just great African Americans. They were Great Americans, “PERIOD”! And these performances of our national anthem made me feel truly proud to be an American, and proud of them as Americans.

I believe we all have contributed to the making of America. The blacks as well as the whites served their country under the flag during the Civil War and wars after. We are a nation made of many nations, we are unique and everyone has contributed to this great country.

PsaltiChrysostom · Dec 3, 2022

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 wash'd out their foul footstep's 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

Slaves free by the British asked to be put in combat. According to British historian Robin Blackburn, the phrase allude to the thousands of ex-slaves in the British ranks organized as the Corps of Colonial Marines, who had been liberated by the British and demanded to be placed in the battle line "where they might expect to meet their former masters."

Fantine · Dec 3, 2022

Very interesting.

Semper-Fi · Dec 7, 2022

The Story behind the national anthem

Star Spangled Banner As You've Never Heard It

Daniel Peres · Dec 8, 2022

PsaltiChrysostom said:
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 wash'd out their foul footstep's 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

Slaves free by the British asked to be put in combat. According to British historian Robin Blackburn, the phrase allude to the thousands of ex-slaves in the British ranks organized as the Corps of Colonial Marines, who had been liberated by the British and demanded to be placed in the battle line "where they might expect to meet their former masters."

My point is that nobody even knows that horrible verse. Everybody does know the great performances by black artists. The song has been transformed as the nation has as well.

JimR-OCDS · Dec 8, 2022

Personally, I think "America The Beautiful," should be the national anthem.

Daniel Peres · Dec 8, 2022

JimR-OCDS said:
Personally, I think "America The Beautiful," should be the national anthem.

It is a beautiful song. However, maybe since I am a guitarist, I am so moved by Jimi Hendrix’s performance of the Star-Spangled Banner that I cannot think of changing it.

JimR-OCDS · Dec 8, 2022

Daniel Peres said:
It is a beautiful song. However, maybe since I am a guitarist, I am so moved by Jimi Hendrix’s performance of the Star-Spangled Banner that I cannot think of changing it.

I play the guitar too, but never liked Jimmy Hendrix.

Just a matter of taste.

Daniel Peres · Dec 8, 2022

JimR-OCDS said:
I play the guitar too, but never liked Jimmy Hendrix.

Just a matter of taste.

Blasphemy! You shall burn in the eternal fire of hell!

JimR-OCDS · Dec 8, 2022

Daniel Peres said:
Blasphemy! You shall burn in the eternal fire of hell!

Nah, God doesn't like Hendrix music either.

kidkaos2 · Jan 4, 2023

Daniel Peres said:
I’d like to discuss the accusations that have been made over the past couple of years about the US national anthem, the Star-Spangled Banner. The woke mob claim the song is racist towards African Americans. And yes, I am aware that Francis Scott Key was a racist.

What I find absurd about this claim, is that I feel in a way, African Americans own this song. This is because whenever I think back about the greatest performances of our national anthem, the only performances I can think of were ones done by African American people. This is my list of the greatest performances of our national anthem:

1) Whitney Houston. How can any American forget her incredible performance at Super Bowl XXV. I can’t even remember the teams that played in the game. All I can remember is her incredible performance.

2) I was only two years old for this next one, but I have seen it in film. I am talking about the legendary Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock in 1969. Being a guitarist myself, I can’t even express what that performance does to me whenever I hear it!

3) I can vividly remember Marvin Gaye do a very original performance at NBA All-Star game in 1983. Again, I can’t even remember anything about the game. All I can remember is his incredible performance.

And it’s not just the Star-Spangled Banner. What about “America the Beautiful.” I can only think of Ray Charles at the Sugar Ray Leonard v. Roberto Duran fight.

Like most people, I can’t remember most of my life experiences, yet these performances remain unforgettable!
Furthermore, I’d like to point out that these musical artists were not just great African Americans. They were Great Americans, “PERIOD”! And these performances of our national anthem made me feel truly proud to be an American, and proud of them as Americans.

Couple points.
1) You can't decided something isn't offensive to someone else. That's up to them.
2) Extraordinary claims require extraordinary support. Your post acts as if the burden of proof on the flag not being offensive is on you. It isn't. It's on them. If they want us to think the flag is offensive, it's their job to prove it. We don't just take that at face value and it becomes our job to prove it isn't offensive. No. Innocent until proven guilty. When I see a compelling case for it being offensive, then I will consider a counterargument. So far their argument for the flag being offensive is "slavery". That's not an argument.

What you're doing is like people calling themselves cis. There is no cis. That's a made up word by activists to try to control the language and make themselves look normal and you be the abnormal one. It doesn't work like that. We've been who we are in every human society since the dawn of time. They don't get to come along in 2020 and announce we're "cisnormative" or "cisgender", which by the way contradicts their claim that gender is a spectrum. If gender is a spectrum then there is no such thing as "cis" or "trans" since each of those depend on an objective standard upon which to be cis or trans in relation to.

If someone comes along and decides the flag or anthem are problematic, the answer is "so what?" It's no different than someone coming along and tell you the moon is made of cheese or the earth is flat. So you think that. Good for you. Your opinion does not determine my or anyone else's reality. You're so fond of saying "don't like an abortion, don't get one". Well, don't like the anthem then don't sing it. Don't like the flag don't look at it. Not my job to accomodate your neurosis.

kidkaos2 · Jan 4, 2023

kidkaos2 said:
Couple points.
1) You can't decided something isn't offensive to someone else. That's up to them.
2) Extraordinary claims require extraordinary support. Your post acts as if the burden of proof on the flag not being offensive is on you. It isn't. It's on them. If they want us to think the flag is offensive, it's their job to prove it. We don't just take that at face value and it becomes our job to prove it isn't offensive. No. Innocent until proven guilty. When I see a compelling case for it being offensive, then I will consider a counterargument. So far their argument for the flag being offensive is "slavery". That's not an argument.

What you're doing is like people calling themselves cis. There is no cis. That's a made up word by activists to try to control the language and make themselves look normal and you be the abnormal one. It doesn't work like that. We've been who we are in every human society since the dawn of time. They don't get to come along in 2020 and announce we're "cisnormative" or "cisgender", which by the way contradicts their claim that gender is a spectrum. If gender is a spectrum then there is no such thing as "cis" or "trans" since each of those depend on an objective standard upon which to be cis or trans in relation to.

If someone comes along and decides the flag or anthem are problematic, the answer is "so what?" It's no different than someone coming along and tell you the moon is made of cheese or the earth is flat. So you think that. Good for you. Your opinion does not determine my or anyone else's reality. You're so fond of saying "don't like an abortion, don't get one". Well, don't like the anthem then don't sing it. Don't like the flag don't look at it. Not my job to accomodate your neurosis.

<wouldn't let me finish the message>

If you come to me and say you're feeling so much bottled up negative emotion that hearing the national anthem causes a flood of negative emotions in you, well then come on in. I'm more than happy to listen to how you feel and why you feel that way, and I will let you know the history and philosophy behind the anthem and flag, and I will work with you to come to some sort of understanding so you don't have to suffer with those emotions.

But if you just get in my face demand to ban the national anthem, forget it. You get respect when you show respect. You cannot expect a flag and anthem which has served as a global symbol of human rights and freedom for centuries to be banned or changed because you don't like it. An entire nation with its culture, population, and history cannot be expected to capitulate to someone's demands because their feelings are hurt. You absolutely deserve compassion and understand and dialog. You just don't get to be the only one who's opinion counts.

JacksBratt · Jan 11, 2023

I think that there will always be racist people. Some are white folks, some are black, some are asian....whatever.

No one race has a monopoly on being racits.

I also believe that anyone who thinks that North America is still racist, they need to really look into how bad things were when the laws, people, governments, education etc WAS really racist.

It wasn't that long ago, really.

Danthemailman · Feb 12, 2023

WHO IS SHERYL LEE RALPH, SINGING THE BLACK NATIONAL ANTHEM AT SUPER BOWL 2023?

https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2023/02/12/who-is-sheryl-lee-ralph-singing-the-black-national-anthem-at-super-bowl-2023/

Fantine · Feb 12, 2023

Could the last line be a problem? "O'er the land of the free," when many were not free, and when "the brave" were not brave enough to speak out against the immoral practice of slavery?

Sheryl Lee Ralph won a Tony Award playing the Diana Ross inspired role in "Dreamgirls." Currently she appears as the principal in "Abbott Elementary," for which she has won back-to-back Emmy's.

I am sure she will do a great job at this historic game featuring competing black quarterbacks for the first time.

Of course, the poor Native Americans aren't getting much respect when the Tomahawk Chop begins with the Chiefs fans. (

To counteract the innate racism in the KC Chiefs name and "fight song" perhaps we could play the Lakota National Anthem on the big screen following Ms. Ralph.

Equal time, equal justice for all.

Danthemailman · Feb 12, 2023

Apparently not everyone sees things the same way on this subject.

Black national anthem at Super Bowl stirs debate on social media

The pregame festivities for the Super Bowl will feature the Black national anthem on Sunday but it stirred debate on social media before the players took the field.

www.foxnews.com

Danthemailman · Feb 12, 2023

It's Super Bowl time! Go Chiefs!!!

Danthemailman · Feb 13, 2023

Chiefs win the Super Bowl 38-35! :clap:

My hat still goes off to the Philadelphia Eagles. They are a great football team! It just wasn't there night.

What an Amazing Moment! Eagles Coach Nick Sirianni Cries During National Anthem at Super Bowl LVII

What an Amazing Moment! Eagles Coach Nick Sirianni Cries During National Anthem at Super Bowl LVII (VIDEO) | The Gateway Pundit | by Joe Hoft

Nick Sirianni was named head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles on January 24, 2021.

www.thegatewaypundit.com

What a beautiful moment. Meanwhile, on the other side of the field Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes took a knee and prayed before the game.

Postvieww · Feb 13, 2023

What nation was the Black national anthem for? I thought we we were “one nation under God indivisible “.

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