It is what it is. Our country should move forward.
Do you think they should remove the third verse of The Star Spangled Banner ? With it's reference to slavery?
Oh god more politically correct crap. Hell no
Honestly Rooster, if you asked most folks, they might not be aware there is a third verse. Certainly no one sings it, few know the words. Much ado about so minor a thing.
Slavery was a fact of that age, we do no one any justice by censoring it out. Also a common topic in classical literature, even the Bible and Qu'ran both mention slavery, we wouldn't consider censoring any of that. Once you start down that path, where's the line drawn?
It reflects a time in history .. You can't change History
The most common version of "God Save the Queen" here in the Uk contains the verse:
"Lord, grant that Marshal Wade,
May by thy mighty aid,
Victory bring.
May he sedition hush,
and like a torrent rush,
Rebellious Scots to crush,
God save the King."
Crushing rebellious Scots? No wonder they sing "Flower of Scotland" instead, an insipid feeble little tune.
This is part of the unfortunate history and will carry as long as possible.
As long as i see this idea that history can not be changed. Pretty much it can easily be changed. People are weak and political power by time and effort and new education over the new generations everything can get changed and removed without people notice it ever existed. "Animal Farm" and "1984" " are must read books for everyone to get a concept of this idea.
And we don't need to remove it. It's been removed already. For many years this is the anthem that people are singing. Slavery verses are long gone for many many years. Less percent of people singing those today.
I believe this is the third verse. I also believe the assumptions made as to the writers' intentions are just that assumptions. Having said that, I also believe at the time slavery was the norm (wrong as it was) and certain people were considered as and in many areas legally defined as property. Should we re-write history, or make changes to correct past wrongs? I would think it better to teach and use (and not hide or erase) these issues as examples in order to prevent the future from committing the same wrongs.
"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."
I have a problem understanding that verse. Is it saying that the "hirelings and slaves" no longer have hope, or is it saying that they are free under the US flag?
Slavery?
Slavery is history, bad history, but still something that happened in the real world.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto - "In God is our trust,"
This bit of malarkey irks me about the anthem.
Why give props to delusion?
Why trust a delusion?
Our motto is E Pluibus Unum!!!
It's a product of the times, but removing it probably wouldn't help anything, but probably wouldn't hurt anything either.
Dear Rooster,
This turned out to be a really interesting Q, I learned lots!
Basically my answer would be NO, leave the poor old song alone... First of all nobody even seems to know now what Francis Scott Key meant by those lines about slavery.
* * *
However, I myself DO like political correctness. Before there was even a name for it, African-American co-workers and friends in 1967 San Francisco would say; "Oh please don't say it that way, say it like this instead?"
My speech was loaded with racist colloquialisms...I enjoyed learning a more cosmopolitan way of expression. Then when gender bias came up in the 1980's I adapted my speech further. Again it was fun.
Apparently this 3rd-verse controversy arose out of Colin Kaepernick protest? This article gives the argument against that third verse. And interestingly, the verse was already taken out for a while not to offend Britain in WWI !
Interesting question. Of course, most of sang it (or tried to) in grade school. The fact that I and probably many many others could never hit those high notes is part of the reason that I was unaware (or perhaps just forgot) it there are 4 total verses.
At any rate, My answer is "no"---but not on principle, but because I am older and exercise my right to not involve myself in everything that comes across my dashboard.
But as I said, interesting---and here's a link I found that makes is so for me: http://theundefeated.com/features/lets-take-the-national-anthem-literally-and-the-songwriter-at-his-word/
And to save someone the trouble of looking it up, here's verses 3 & 4:
(And the word freeman is defined as: In U.S. Colonial times, a person not under legal restraint.)
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.
O thus be it ever when freemen shall stand
Between their lov'd home and the war's desolation!
Blest with vict'ry and peace may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the power that hath made and preserv'd 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.