Will, thanks for the anthem column. I stand of course when it is played, but the older I get(71 and counting!)and the more I think about it, it is a stupid tradition, and seeing how Colin K has been treated, a divisive and unnecessary one.
When Little League games, high school football games, and every sporting event under the sun starts with it, it makes no sense. I will give you the medal ceremonies at the Olympics, you are representing the country, but beyond that, it is silly and now is fake patriotism and posturing most of the time. What does the national anthem have to do with a random ball game?
“Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel” and I see that every day. My father in law at age 19 was a Pfc in the Fifth Marine Division on Iwo Jima, and then came home, went to college, and was a public school teacher coach and administrator for 35 years until his death. He never even talked about it. That is real patriotism, not some drunken yahoo at a pro sporting event or a Trump rally dressed in red, white and blue.
Sorry, your column on the national anthem obviously set me off this morning! Thanks for your detailed thoughts on this topic and much more.
Thank you for this. I can understand the idea of the national anthem before a game ... but it sure feels like it has been turned, by many, into something it was never meant to be. Love your description of your father in law.
Bookmarked for my next argument about this topic. Under these circumstances, where you land at the end is tremendous: the discomfort many of us now feel while it plays encourages important reflection.
Why exactly do we have the National Anthem playing before sporting events and not movies, plays or concerts? Why is the specific form of entertainment of sporting events coupled with the National Anthem?
Really well written post, as are so much of what you write. But I am surprised you don't mention the performative patriotism aspect of both playing the anthem AND standing for it in your post. To me, THIS is the main aspect that has led to the weaponization of it, and unfortunately, is one of the hallmarks of so much divisiveness. It's also the hallmark of a certain infamous-failed-businessman-felon and so many of his followers. It doesn't matter what you ACTUALLY do, just as long as you perform for a few moments, then go back to your usual strum-und-strang.
I do stand for the anthem at Illini games, but I absolutely make myself scarce at halftime. Can't stand the Three In One. It just sounds like a knockoff John Ford score.
Great piece! I agree, with all of it! Recently I had a probably obvious epiphany: writers are thinkers. And great writers are people who are particularly good at thinking and arriving at interesting and deep (and often temporary) conclusions. (And poor writers are ones whose thinking is poor.) Your writing reveals good thinking!
Will, I love your articles and podcasts on new releases. Siskel and Ebert were the best, but you know, a couple of guys from Illinois keep the flame alive for many. Wish you guys disagreed more though.
Anyway, I don’t agree much with your politics. I’m a veteran and was happy to see you have many in your family as well.
Unless one has given up time with family to defend our nation as we have, the National Anthem really doesn’t mean much to an individual. But it does to us.
I noticed that kaepernick got a lot of attention in this post. Did his grandfather defend our nation against the goals of the 3rd reich? I’m guessing he has no knowledge of his family’s history of WWII.
Understandably, the United States 🇺🇸 has many sins to answer to. And we will/are.
Thank you for saying you stand up for our Anthem for each sporting event you attend. For that, we are brothers.
Looking forward to your reviews on Joker2 this fall. Would be cool if the 2 of you disagree on your review.
Thumb up, thumb down is what really gets our attention, lol
Thank you for this. I think the national anthem can still mean a lot for even people who haven't done that, but your overarching point stands. Sorry we don't disagree more: Grierson is just fortunate enough to agree with me a lot!
You probably don't agree much with my politics, either, but we share the principles set forth in the Constitution of the United States of America. I stand and sing the national anthem not to signal political preferences but to signify that we are all in this country together.
I recognize that people's actions are divisive; for Pete's sake a Trump supporter in Arizona asked an Arizonia legislator who is Navajo if he is in the US legally! The woman who asked that question probably harbored that mindset for years and years but expresses those thoughts now because Trump has made it acceptable to do that.
If standing for the Star Spangled Banner gives her and me just some shared expression then it a useful exercise.
Will, thanks for the anthem column. I stand of course when it is played, but the older I get(71 and counting!)and the more I think about it, it is a stupid tradition, and seeing how Colin K has been treated, a divisive and unnecessary one.
When Little League games, high school football games, and every sporting event under the sun starts with it, it makes no sense. I will give you the medal ceremonies at the Olympics, you are representing the country, but beyond that, it is silly and now is fake patriotism and posturing most of the time. What does the national anthem have to do with a random ball game?
“Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel” and I see that every day. My father in law at age 19 was a Pfc in the Fifth Marine Division on Iwo Jima, and then came home, went to college, and was a public school teacher coach and administrator for 35 years until his death. He never even talked about it. That is real patriotism, not some drunken yahoo at a pro sporting event or a Trump rally dressed in red, white and blue.
Sorry, your column on the national anthem obviously set me off this morning! Thanks for your detailed thoughts on this topic and much more.
Thank you for this. I can understand the idea of the national anthem before a game ... but it sure feels like it has been turned, by many, into something it was never meant to be. Love your description of your father in law.
Bookmarked for my next argument about this topic. Under these circumstances, where you land at the end is tremendous: the discomfort many of us now feel while it plays encourages important reflection.
Thank you.
Will, thank you for this piece
My dad got into Bowie in his early 50s. Now I’m trying to get him into Dan Bejar (Destroyer) because he’s so Bowiesque.
I like Boyer’s way of looking at the situation.
Why exactly do we have the National Anthem playing before sporting events and not movies, plays or concerts? Why is the specific form of entertainment of sporting events coupled with the National Anthem?
I sure hope they don't start doing it before movies, trailers take long enough.
That’s funny
Really well written post, as are so much of what you write. But I am surprised you don't mention the performative patriotism aspect of both playing the anthem AND standing for it in your post. To me, THIS is the main aspect that has led to the weaponization of it, and unfortunately, is one of the hallmarks of so much divisiveness. It's also the hallmark of a certain infamous-failed-businessman-felon and so many of his followers. It doesn't matter what you ACTUALLY do, just as long as you perform for a few moments, then go back to your usual strum-und-strang.
There's a great line in the new mostly-okay movie "Daddio" about this. "Looking like a family man is more important than being one."
Thanks, Will. Yes, that's it, exactly.
Very well done. I have to write a Fourth of July piece and I envy this one. In particular, I enjoy how you embrace the ambiguity.
I'd love to read yours!
Just flying the flag has become a political statement now that it has been co-opted by those of a certain agenda.
I refuse to let it be that. Even if they try.
I do stand for the anthem at Illini games, but I absolutely make myself scarce at halftime. Can't stand the Three In One. It just sounds like a knockoff John Ford score.
I find it strange they still do it, post-Chief. Didn't they stop for a while?
AFAIK they've never changed their repertoire.
Well said, Will. We really need to try to see the others perspective before we judge.
I'm doing my best ...
Well said.
There may be folks in Columbus who think that a coordinator job at OSU is a pinnacle of a career surpassed only by the head coaching job.
Ha. I suspect this is true!
Great piece! I agree, with all of it! Recently I had a probably obvious epiphany: writers are thinkers. And great writers are people who are particularly good at thinking and arriving at interesting and deep (and often temporary) conclusions. (And poor writers are ones whose thinking is poor.) Your writing reveals good thinking!
I just want to say Bullet Train should be higher up the list. Not as high as Sisu, but close.
We are down on Bullet Train! Neither Grierson nor I were into it. (And it's even directed by a Leitch!)
Will, I love your articles and podcasts on new releases. Siskel and Ebert were the best, but you know, a couple of guys from Illinois keep the flame alive for many. Wish you guys disagreed more though.
Anyway, I don’t agree much with your politics. I’m a veteran and was happy to see you have many in your family as well.
Unless one has given up time with family to defend our nation as we have, the National Anthem really doesn’t mean much to an individual. But it does to us.
I noticed that kaepernick got a lot of attention in this post. Did his grandfather defend our nation against the goals of the 3rd reich? I’m guessing he has no knowledge of his family’s history of WWII.
Understandably, the United States 🇺🇸 has many sins to answer to. And we will/are.
Thank you for saying you stand up for our Anthem for each sporting event you attend. For that, we are brothers.
Looking forward to your reviews on Joker2 this fall. Would be cool if the 2 of you disagree on your review.
Thumb up, thumb down is what really gets our attention, lol
Godspeed
Thank you for this. I think the national anthem can still mean a lot for even people who haven't done that, but your overarching point stands. Sorry we don't disagree more: Grierson is just fortunate enough to agree with me a lot!
You probably don't agree much with my politics, either, but we share the principles set forth in the Constitution of the United States of America. I stand and sing the national anthem not to signal political preferences but to signify that we are all in this country together.
I recognize that people's actions are divisive; for Pete's sake a Trump supporter in Arizona asked an Arizonia legislator who is Navajo if he is in the US legally! The woman who asked that question probably harbored that mindset for years and years but expresses those thoughts now because Trump has made it acceptable to do that.
If standing for the Star Spangled Banner gives her and me just some shared expression then it a useful exercise.
Not that they aren't always, but this was a very well-written piece, Will. Thanks, as always, for sharing.
I have seen Mike Garson, better known as Bowie’s piano man, in concert several times. If you get a chance to attend a show of his, go.