Really? Did everyone but me know that it's the law that we have to put our hand over our heart when the national anthem plays? Standing up and removing your hat, I knew, but hand over the heart? No idea. I thought that was just for the pledge. I've noticed lately that more and more people were doing it but I just kind of assumed it was a by-product of the war.
Who's with me on this? Who remembers a time when most people didn't put their hand over their heart for the anthem? Anyone? Mrs. Boyd, my 1st grade teacher, had us sing the national anthem every single morning and not once did we put our hands over our hearts. And you would be crazy to call Mrs. Boyd unpatriotic (we sang This Land is Your Land every morning too. Mrs. Boyd = America. She was also from Punxsutawney, PA - Home of the Groundhog, which means that Mrs. Boyd = Awesome.)
It really bothers me when people use patriotism as a bullying tactic. Like you can't possibly love your country if you don't shout it from the top of your memorial flag pole in front of your house. Do we really believe that Obama hates that flag? I can guarantee that about half of those people who are criticizing him have a pair of American flag pants in their closet. How much do you respect the flag if you sit on it every 4th of July?
4 comments:
Mrs. Boyd sounds like my old principal Mr. Doyle. Every Monday morning he'd play the piano while the entire school gathered around to sing patriotic songs. Some of our favorites were This Land is Your Land and Lady of the Light Holds the Torch of Freedom. Oh and I don't own flag pants either.
You know how patriotic me and my family are, so I won't express too many of my opinions on this. I could write about this kind of topic for pages!
Do I think Obama hates the flag? Probably not. Do I think someone in his position should know the proper customs? Absolutely.
Although, I don't think this is big enough to not vote for him. I don't agree with his politics, so wouldn't vote for him anyway...but if I did, this alone wouldn't be enough to change my vote.
I had a music teacher at Evergreen Elementary named Mrs. Gilliland. We sang patriotic songs too - I definitely remember "This Land is Your Land". We also sang "Old Dan Tucker" from LHOTP!
I am a hand over my heart while singing girl! I am always a little surprised and uncomfortable when people don't and I've wondered before if I was the weird one, so I do have to say that seeing the picture did surprise me. It doesn't make me not like him, but it does make me wonder if he was trying to make a point because I would have assumed that he knew. That's just my two cents. For what it's worth.
I have to say, I didn't know about the hand over heart thing during the national anthem. I thought it was more of a cultural thing than an actual law.
Good to know!
Now, if I can only remember that by the time the 4th of July comes around so I can wow my family with my patriotic knowledge.
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