As a child there was nothing more fun in grade school then singing those wonderful patriotic songs.  This Land is Your Land, America, America the Beautiful, God Bless America, The Battle Hymn of the Republic and the mother of them all, the Star Spangled Banner.  The room would shake with the voices of us wee bairns singing our hearts out.  Loudness was more present then accuracy, but heck we were enthusiastic.

Now days I think you would be harder pressed to find that happening, but the Star Spangled Banner remains legend in it’s own right.

In the Air Force there were not too many days where I did not hear it played.  When the music played we stopped whatever we were doing, we saluted the flag and we maintained silence and respect.  Like my views about the flag,  I admit I am somewhat biased about the Anthem.

But even the general public treasures their Anthem.  Sung at sport events, played to honor athletes at the Olympics and even the rock instrumental versions by Boston and Hendrix: It is timeless.  Whitney Houston, in her glory years. brought the nation to its knees with her rendition years ago, and Roseanne Barr brought the same nation to its feet in anger with hers.

It is powerful, emotional and inspiring.

And of course, controversial.

Spanish Version of ‘Star-Spangled Banner’ Draws Protests

British music producer Adam Kidron says that when he came up with the idea of a Spanish-language version of the U.S. national anthem, he saw it as an ode to the millions of immigrants seeking a better life.

Take a moment to savor the irony of a Brit wanting to use the Anthem, considering it’s place in our history.  More on that later.

But in the week since Kidron announced the song — which features artists such as Wyclef Jean, hip-hop star Pitbull and Puerto Rican singers Carlos Ponce and Olga Tanon — it has been the target of a fierce backlash.

Some Internet bloggers and others are infuriated by the thought of the "Star-Spangled Banner" sung in a language other than English.

I wonder why he felt need to single bloggers out?  Could it be we bloggers make an impact?

"Would the French accept people singing the La Marseillaise in English as a sign of French patriotism? Of course not," said Mark Krikorian, head of the Washington-based Center for Immigration Studies, a think tank that supports tighter immigration controls. 

Er, well I guess I agree, but at the same time, I hate to let it rest at a comparison with the French.  I don’t think there is a comparison, but I digress.

The interesting thing about this is who has spoken out and who hasn’t.  The loudest comment must easily be President Bush who clearly stated his belief it should stay in English, and even went as far as to echo the feelings of most of the country when he said:

"I think people who want to be citizens of this country ought to learn English,"

Yes I know, how insensitive and anti-multicultural.  But the fact remains that he spoke for millions, and not just a few stereotypical rednecks at a Larry The Cable Guy Concert.

People really do associate being American with speaking English.  Deal with it.

But lets examine the merits of the translation itself.  The record label has said they would release the lyrics tomorrow so we can see if this was a translation or a paraphrase. (I found a reported translation on Wikipedia)

What’s that?  Does it matter?  Yes, absolutely.  See, when I consider this, if they translate it literally into another language I don’t necessarily see that as bad in and of itself, for making the power of the ideas in that song understandable goes a long way in my mind to sharing why America is great.

If they intend it as a tool for understanding, I am ok.

But.

If they play with it, as it is rumored they have, and mess with the meaning to fit their Immigration Rights agenda, then yeah, that is wrong.  (I will post at the end the reported translation I have found.)

And there is a bit of irony lost on most of these people.  If any of them had ever really read and understood the lyrics of the song, they would be ashamed.

The song was inspired by watching the bombardment of Ft McHenry (edited spelling error, my apologies~LSU) by the British (oh the irony) during the war of 1812. (edited- LSU)

The song was inspired by a victory, a battle to maintain freedom.  And yet, if reports are correct and they are making this an anthem to inspire illegal aliens to demand recognition, that would be in some ways akin to making it be a song bemoaning the loss of the British at Fort Henry.

The Anthem is not Holy by any means.  Heck most Americans likely have never sung the whole song, and don’t even know there are 3 more verses to it that we do not sing at ball games.

But at the same time it in many ways represents a history of the people who fought to create this country, who fought to protect it from invasion, and who fight even today to protect it from foreign terrorists.  The same country that the illegal aliens are trying to force their way into, whose borders they violate and whose laws they disregard.  Is it any wonder people are offended?

Harsh?  Yes.  But true. 

You make the call:   Here is the real thing:

O say, can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming!
And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there:
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

Here is the (reported) Spanish translation (translated back to English):

Do you see arising, by the light of the dawn,
That which we hailed so much when the night fell?
Its stars, its stripes yesterday streamed
In the fierce combat, as a sign of victory,
The brilliance of battle, in step with freedom,
Throughout the night they proclaimed: "It will be defended!"
Oh say you! Is it still waving, beautiful, star-covered,
Over the land of the free, the sacred flag?

Its stars, its stripes, liberty, we are the same.
We are brothers, it is our anthem.
In the fierce combat, as a sign of victory,
In the fierce combat… (My people, keep fighting!)
…in step with freedom, (Now is the time to break the chains!)
Throughout the night they proclaimed: "It is defending itself!"
Oh say you! Is it still waving, beautiful, star-covered,
Over the land of the free, the sacred flag?

Did they capture the essence of the original, or did they change it to serve their agenda?

Others concerned: Sister Toldjah, Michelle Malkin, Stop the ACLU, Church and State

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