Should we expand it to two months?
It’s surprising how many conservatives confuse not requiring with banning.
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Oh my God, bleed your heart out why don’t ya.
You know the things I’ve seen on this very board about my community at large???
Anyways… clears throat Would a little Black American acknowledgement really hurt? Full stop.
How much is a little?
No it’s not.
So address me as an individual…as I address you. What people say on this board has nothing to do with me. You painted me with the same broad brush you’ve been painted with. Only I am not a painter. And from what I know and remember of you neither are you. That’s why your expression is upsetting. My point initially was no one even knows the third stanza of the Star-Spangled Banner. Are we going to ban the song based on an unknown line in the third verse. Maybe heighten that verse and use it to help the world acknowledge Black America.
Conservative caucasians are under such oppression…removal of statues, song under attack…Don’t know how you find the strength to go on.
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Nor do the people of the past. 
Disagree. People of the past have a lot of wisdom in their words. We would be foolish to not acknowledge them all.
That doesn’t mean you had anything to do with that they said or did.
Yes, but I acknowledge what was wrong or right with what was said.
Lots of wrong back then, just like now. Strange how if you ask any one of them, they’re all the good guys with the right answers.
Any one of whom?
Meh, forget it. I’m not trying to add to the defensiveness.
You know who’s never going to have a statue made of them? People who tear down statues.
You know who’s never going to have songs written about them? People who want to change songs.
You know who’s never going going to lead a nation, or build a society? People who want to riot.
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I get that. I’m not trying to be defensive either. Just didn’t understand what you meant.
Two different things.
Our heritage, the symbols that have been in the public squares, the offical songs that have been sung.
Our history, that when those songs were adopted and those statues erected, the decision “is this a worthy statue, is it a song for our nation” was made by rich white men, who ignored (or in some cases were actively against) the black people whose hands built this country, from the very start.
And now, when (I hope) we are recognizing the contributions of black Americans, when we are admitting the history of what our white predecessors did, it is fitting that we dedicate our public spaces and our common symbols to our posterity rather than leaving them an ossified reminder of past oppression.
The government of the US is designed to “to secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity”, not to perpetuate the errors of our past.
It wasn’t even written until 1900. It’s a “Negro Spiritual” that the NAACP adopted as “The Black National Anthem” in 1919.
Is there any possibility we could pick something racially neutral?
My point is this…is the Star-Spangled Banner as we sing it and hear it today a song worthy of being stripped of its place in our heritage or history? What we sing as our anthem is not. I think looking back I should not said I don’t care about the third verse of the song said. I should have said do we drop the banner, for a stanza that isn’t and hasn’t ever been sung as our national anthem? That was the point I was trying to make. I mean how many people know all 5 verses of Joy to The World…again my point…do we throw the baby out with the bath water?
I GET IT dude, it wasn’t meant as a personal attack. The “you” was general, but I understand how it could be taken personally.
That being said, again, this isn’t about banning the anthem. Simply replacing it with something inclusive that reflects our shared history. “Lift Ev’ry Voice” is a great contender in MY personal opinion. It reflects American ideals without villainizing or degrading anyone.
