Bush criticises Record Which has The US anthem Sung In Spanish

Uhhhhh . . . yeah. Someone misspelled "white supremacist mouthpiece site."

As you can guess, the other quoted source -- which is described of course only as a "think-tank" -- is associated with FAIR, better known as the "no darkies in my neighborhood plz" lobbying group.

"Immagints, I knew it was them!" - Mo Syzlak

O, you say, it is possible, or barely is quickly, as for us is the ‚» of some hail'd ‚ê end wide line gleaming? Whose clearness ASTRE and thro ' as for dangerous fight and O'er as for watch'd where us meets to this methodological inflated in the doctor of disaster, this method bravely streaming? As for And in bewijsthro the flag which does those ASTRE which ' the night to of the the shining where the rocket which destruction intensity it could point with the air is red it gave and is our flag boom o calls still, is inlaid there was done, was, in spite even to that as for waveO'er on the other hand the country and the house of brave so?

God bless the free online translator!

apparently being an american now means making all your decisions based on what hardcore french nationalists would do

Or "doctor of disaster".

Not to mention France doesn't have a large English-speaking minority.

I can't stand it. When I saw the thread subject, all I could think of was that the only way I could even imagine the national anthem being listenable on an album is if it was done by Seu Jorge in the style of the Life Aquatic soundtrack.

The news through OLYMPUS immediately flew;
When OLD THUNDER pretended to give himself Airs
"If these mortals are susser'd their Scheme to persue,
"The Devil a Goddess will stay above the Stairs.
"Hark, already they cry,
"In transports of Joy,
"Away to the Sons of ANACREON we'll fly,
"And there, with good Fellows, we'll learn to entwine
"The Myrtle of VENUS with BUCCUS'S Vine.

"The YELLOW-HAIRED GOD and his nine lusty Maids
"From Helicon's Banks will incontinent flee,
"IDALIA will boast but of tenantless Shades,
"And the bi-forked Hill a mere Desart will be
"My Thunder, no fear on't,
"Shall soon do it's Errand,
" and, dam'me! I'll swinge the Ringleaders, I warrant,
"I'll trim the young Dogs, for thus daring to twine
"The Myrtle of VENUS with BACCUS'S Vine.

APOLLO rose up; and said, "Pr'ythee ne'er quarrel,
"Good King of the Gods, with my Vot'ries below:
"Your Thunder is useless." - then, shewing his Laurel,
Cry'd, "Sic evitabile fulmen, you know!
"then over each Head
"My Laurels I'll spread;
"So my Sons from your Crackers no Mischief shall dread,
"Whilst snug in their Club-Room, they jovially twine
"The Myrtle of VENUS with BACCUS'S Vine.

Next MOMUS got up, with his risible Phiz,
And swore with APOLLO he'd cheerfully join
"The full Tide of Harmony still shall be his,
"But the Song, and the Catch, & the Laugh shall be mine
"Then, JOVE, be not jealous
Of these honest Fellows.
Cry'd JOVE, "We relent, since the Truth you now tell us;
"And swear, by OLD STYX, that they long shall entwine
"The Myrtle of VENUS with BACCUS'S Vine.

Ye sons of ANACREON, then, join Hand in Hand;
Preserve Unanimity, Friendship, and Love!
'Tis your's to support what's so happily plann'd;
You've the Sanction of Gods, and the FIAT of Jove.
While thus we agree
Our Toast let it be.
May our club flourish happy, united and free!
And long may the Sons of ANACREON intwine
The Myrtle of VENUS with BACCUS'S Vine.

James Gardner of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History said Americans have long enjoyed different versions of the Star Spangled Banner, including gospel and country interpretations.

Did they totally change the words in the gospel or country "interpretations"? How anyone can possibly think this won't be totally inflammatory boggles my mind. I really hate to sound reactionary, but look, I have no effing idea what's being sung. And then you tell us not only is there a Spanish version, but there's a version written to criticize immigration policy... Come on!

So, what, you're saying that the Republicans have hired a British producer to record a song that will irritate the hell out of their electoral base so as to get out the vote? Get real.

How different is a song with different words from a "stars and stripes" that was black and orange instead of red and blue?

And as far as meaning goes, well, when Dubya says "liberty" and I say "liberty" the words aren't changed, but the meaning is. I just don't buy it. This is a completely symbolic thing, not the instructions for a driver's licence or whatever.

xpost to Shakey:

Sorry to be lazy, but talk me through it, then. The media were reporting on it before Bush commented and not just Fox. There are lots of potential criticisms of the media, including on this issue, but you (seemed to) suggest it was part of an effort to relieve stress on the ruling party.

Now I'm not saying immigration is not a fit topic for debate - sure it is, we need to address how to deal with illegal immigrations, have a policy that is humane and effective, etc., but focusing on it NOW, at the exclusion of other issues, particularly during this election, at this particular point in our political history when there is so much more at stake is highly highly suspicious.

Really illegal immigrants in '06 = gay marriage in '04.

Bush: No I don't. Because I think the national anthem aught to be sung in English. And I think people who want to be a citizen of this country aught to learn English and they aught to learn to sing the national anthem in English.

I understand what you're getting at, but unfortunately that's a dead end for me, as I have only returned to the US last summer. I've been asking myself the same question since I've been here. It does seem, though, that something has changed relatively recently: the immigrant community has never been so active in my memory. Marches all around the country? Boycotts?

In my less misanthropic moments, the whole thing reminds me of the controversy around Islam. What (or who) your average American really hates are terrorists and those who support them. Unfortunately the most prominent terrorist have identified themselves with Islam, thereby playing into the racism that's just under the surface for a lot of people. Similarly with immigration: what your (again) "average American" gets emotional about is illegal immigration. If all this "immigrant activism" is about people who are legally in the US, then they are doing an absolutely terrible job of communicating what their problems are.

Did Bush spell out his response to the question? Yeah, he's an idiot, but if you're going to take shots at him, at least take good ones.

Me personally, I live in a working class latino neighborhood in California and its always been pretty politically active.

you can listen to it in full there.

but I don't really recommend you do.

Now I'm not saying immigration is not a fit topic for debate - sure it is, we need to address how to deal with illegal immigrations, have a policy that is humane and effective, etc., but focusing on it NOW, at the exclusion of other issues, particularly during this election, at this particular point in our political history when there is so much more at stake is highly highly suspicious.

That I can buy, I guess. And it only takes a couple of key commentators (cue Lou Dobbs) to take an issue and make it the center of debate.

My gut tells me that one of the reasons its surfacing is exactly because so many things are going badly. Even though many economic numbers seem good (did I hear today that we had the highest quarterly GDP growth in years?), most people feel very very uncertain about job security, and they've got pressure from gas prices. And when you're looking for a scapegoat for why you might lose your job (or why your health care benefits are being cut back or...), immigrants are an easy target.

I just read the English lyrics and I have no idea what they mean, so I can't tell how literal a translation it is in general.

So, by definition, the words can't mean the same thing, then, can they?

Wow, you see that? You can just make it out now that the sun's rising. It's our flag, still standing from last night. Remember, there was that big battle going on, and we looked up and we were like "check out that flag, man." And then there were bombs going off all night and all kinds of crazy explosions and stuff, but it was pretty cool, because every time there was an explosion, you could see the flag was still there, so we were all like "sweet." Anyway, check it out -- you see? It's still over there, still waving and shit.

I.e. we still have the defensive "can't bring us down" anthem of a plucky upstart nation.

Amanece: ¿no veis, a la luz de la aurora,
Lo que tanto aclamamos la noche al caer?
Sus estrellas, sus barras flotaban ayer
En el fiero combate en señal de victoria,
Fulgor de cohetes, de bombas estruendo,
Por la noche decían: "!Se va defendiendo!"

Coro:
!Oh, decid! ¿Despliega aún su hermosura estrellada,
Sobre tierra de libres, la bandera sagrada?

En la costa lejana que apenas blanquea,
Donde yace nublada la hueste feroz
Sobre aquel precipicio que elévase atroz
¡Oh, decidme! ¿Qué es eso que en la brisa ondea?
Se oculta y flamea, en el alba luciendo,
Reflejada en la mar, donde va resplandeciendo

Coro:
!Aún allí desplegó su hermosura estrellada,
Sobre tierra de libres, la bandera sagrada!

¡Oh así sea siempre, en lealtad defendamos
Nuestra tierra natal contra el torpe invasor!
A Dios quien nos dio paz, libertad y honor,
Nos mantuvo nación, con fervor bendigamos.
Nuestra causa es el bien, y por eso triunfamos.
Siempre fue nuestro lema "¡En Dios confiamos!"

Coro:
!Y desplegará su hermosura estrellada,
Sobre tierra de libres, la bandera sagrada!

(or perhaps I should say, "the difference I have tried to argue")

Except there are thousands of types of salsa and only basically one type of ketchup so it's not really a fair comparison.

I guess I put this in before you joined the thread. Hotel California and Oh Donna are just pop songs. SSB is a song specifically adopted by the US government as the country's official anthem.

A couple of times I also suggested - perhaps tendentiously - this official status meant singing the anthem with different words as a show of patriotism was not although different from waving a green white and orange stars and stripes.

Okay, enough of this thread for me, really. I get enough negativity off the telly, don't need to find more here.

saying someone can't sing the lyrics (in whole or part) of a national anthem on a record somewhere or as part of a record in a language other than that nation's first is v strange/stupid, I feel

if people were lobbying for the national anthem (in schools and at events and so on) to always be sung in a language other than that nation's first would also be v strange/stupid, I feel

only one of these is happening, I think

Heniz family to thread!

thanks for pointing this out

why the sarcasm?

xpost

you also haven't explained the difference between your problem with this song and right-wingers' problem w/gay marriage, to me both positions are pointless, selfish, exclusionary and above all, deeply paranoid

in other words, rjg otm

xpost HA HA BY THE POWER OF GREYSKULL

you imagine wrong on the flag-burning amendment. and i have no problem per se with the spanish-language version EXCEPT to the extent that people want to argue that it's the same or patriotic or an obvious expression of common values or whatever.

and i just hadn't gotten to the gay marriage issue, although frankly i probably won't get to it. i have no problem with gay marriage whatsoever, and i don't care whether the two positions or logically consistent or not.

truce, okay?

Hahahah -- OK, what now? I mean, get one Louisiana Purchase, plus maybe Florida, etc. and there are some German-speaking Pennsylvanians who almost won the early "official language" debate who want to talk to you. Some Dutch-speaking New Yorkers, too.

...and this spanish version of SSB is, effectively, just a pop song in a way, yes? So whats the big deal again?

END THIS EXCLUSIONARY SEAMSTRESSING

McClellan Says Bush's Spanish Not Good

Thu May 4, 11:48 AM ET

WASHINGTON -
President Bush likes to drop a few words of Spanish in his speeches and act like he's proficient in the language. But he's really not that good, his spokesman said Thursday.

"The president can speak Spanish but not that well," White House press secretary Scott McClellan said. "He's not that good with his Spanish."

McClellan's comment was noticeable because presidential press secretaries usually boast about a president's ability rather than talk about any shortcomings. McClellan is in the last days of his job, leaving the White House next week.

McClellan made his remark in response to a report that Bush had sung the Star-Spangled Banner in Spanish during the 2000 campaign. Just last week Bush said the national anthem should be sung in English, not Spanish.

"It's absurd," McClellan said of the report, suggesting that Bush couldn't have sung it in Spanish even if he had wanted to.

Yeah, there is a big weird leap in here that will forever be baffling to me.

(For the record, my typing the sentence above should not be construed as a "refusal" to type other sentences expressing similar thoughts.)

"The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt."
-- Leviticus 19:34

Scott McClellan today:
White House spokesman Scott McClellan said the assertion did not ring true to him because, "The president speaks Spanish, but not that well."
"I'm saying that not only was that suggestion absurd, but that he couldn't possibly sing the national anthem in Spanish. He's not that good with his Spanish," McClellan said.

http://thinkprogress.org/2006/05/04/laura-flip-flop/