O Canada…
So I said goodbye to my therapist on Friday. I just said that if I felt I needed someone to talk to in the future I would give him a call. I’m not going to call him again though. If I need more psychotherapy I’ll be calling someone else. It’s tough to find someone as good as I had at UW-Madison. David knew his shit.
I’m sure it’s news to many of you that the Stanly Cup Finals are going on right now. The Edmonton Oilers have managed to bring the 7 game series to a tie with the Carolina Hurricanes after Saturdays 4-0 win.
It was a good game, but I noticed something else. Before the game, the Star Spangled Banner was sung, and then O Canada was sung. The dude singing sang the entire Star Spangled Banner with maybe 10% of the crowd singing along.
OK, they’re in Edmonton this isn’t a big surprise to me. The guy starts singing O Canada, and after a few lines he stops singing and just holds the mic up and the entire arena proceeds to belt out the rest of O Canada. These people weren’t just mumbling the words. They were heartily singing out like they actually loved their country. As the camera panned around the crowd, you could see that everyone was singing, word for word.
I haven’t been to all that many sporting events in the United States, but the few that I’ve been to, I’ve never seen that kind of nationalistic pride that those Canadians had. Most American’s don’t sing, or they just mumble the words to the Star Spangled Banner. I would guess that most people don’t even know the words.
Just another example of how we American’s are pseudo patriots at best. We want to kill terrorists, but don’t want to actually go fight. We want good paying jobs, but we shop at Wal-Mart. We love our country, but we really don’t like singing in public.
I’m sure it’s news to many of you that the Stanly Cup Finals are going on right now. The Edmonton Oilers have managed to bring the 7 game series to a tie with the Carolina Hurricanes after Saturdays 4-0 win.
It was a good game, but I noticed something else. Before the game, the Star Spangled Banner was sung, and then O Canada was sung. The dude singing sang the entire Star Spangled Banner with maybe 10% of the crowd singing along.
OK, they’re in Edmonton this isn’t a big surprise to me. The guy starts singing O Canada, and after a few lines he stops singing and just holds the mic up and the entire arena proceeds to belt out the rest of O Canada. These people weren’t just mumbling the words. They were heartily singing out like they actually loved their country. As the camera panned around the crowd, you could see that everyone was singing, word for word.
I haven’t been to all that many sporting events in the United States, but the few that I’ve been to, I’ve never seen that kind of nationalistic pride that those Canadians had. Most American’s don’t sing, or they just mumble the words to the Star Spangled Banner. I would guess that most people don’t even know the words.
Just another example of how we American’s are pseudo patriots at best. We want to kill terrorists, but don’t want to actually go fight. We want good paying jobs, but we shop at Wal-Mart. We love our country, but we really don’t like singing in public.
posted by lawryde at
9:25 AM
6 Comments:
I've seen people who don't even stand during the National Anthem. Perhaps they don't understand what freedom is about. If these people were to contemplate the circumstances under which Francis Scott Key penned the words we all know by heart, and the foundation on which our country was built, they would realize how lucky we are have the freedoms we do. Then they would jump to their feet and sing out loud like Canadians.
By
Chris, at 9:42 AM, June 19, 2006
Try not taking your hat off sometime near some old folks though, they'll kick your ass!
Good post... America is losing it's patriotic edge, which is probably Bush's fault too.
By
Steve, at 11:55 PM, June 19, 2006
I'm sure only about .01% know the whole thing. It's only the first verse that is sung usually.
But in all fairness, O Canada is considerably shorter :)
Most kids in this country can't even point out all the states on a map. How on earth can we expect them to know a song that isn't set to a rap beat?
By
Nick, at 11:43 AM, June 20, 2006
I'm from Canada and I know probably 80% of the American anthem just from watching hockey. :)
When I was growing up I had meets in Washington, and the guys there said they had to sing the anthem before class everyday. I guess that's not the case anymore?
I'm only 26, but I've always been under the impression that Americans were more patriotic than we were...
By
neurotik, at 3:23 AM, June 21, 2006
yo just checked out the whole American anthem. Fuck thats long. We only sing the first verse up here before the game. Man, we'd be here forever if we didn't. :)
By
neurotik, at 3:45 AM, June 21, 2006
We used to do the Pledge of Allegiance before class, never heard of anyone doing the National Anthem.
I think they stopped doing it because it says - one nation under God. And we all know that's state sponsored religion...
BTW - I only know the National Anthem because I learned to play it on the guitar :)
By
Nick, at 8:23 AM, June 21, 2006
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