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[IvanJ]

Not American. I am probably in the situation to listen to our anthem maybe once every two years, so it's not that hard to stand up for a minute or two. So everybody stands up.
If I had to listen to the anthem every single day like in the US, I'd probably remain seated after a week or so.

 

[karmaforgotme]

Not American. I am probably in the situation to listen to our anthem maybe once every two years, so it's not that hard to stand up for a minute or two. So everybody stands up.
If I had to listen to the anthem every single day like in the US, I'd probably remain seated after a week or so.

This is a misconception I think. I can't remember the last time I heard the national anthem, and I am American. Maybe the last football game I went to which was 6 or 7 years ago?

 

[Skel1ingt0n]

Not American. I am probably in the situation to listen to our anthem maybe once every two years, so it's not that hard to stand up for a minute or two. So everybody stands up.
If I had to listen to the anthem every single day like in the US, I'd probably remain seated after a week or so.

You don't have to hear it every day. You hear it before sporting events and OCCASIONALLY at school functions.

Unless you're going to a professional sporting event every day, it's not that often. I'd wager I hear it, live, maybe 10 times a year - more than half of those were at MLB and NFL games.

 

[Reckheim]

Always thought it was weird it gets played before every sports game, over here you only get the anthem(s) during international matches.

Pretty much, hearing your national anthem should instill a sense of pride in you, if you hear it everyday (talking about school here) or every time you watch a sporting event it kind of defeats its purpose.

 

[kavanf1]

I worked for a summer in Wildwood, New Jersey. Every morning as I walked to work along the boardwalk, the national anthem would play. Everyone just went about their business, from what I can recall.

 

[The Albatross]

Not American. I am probably in the situation to listen to our anthem maybe once every two years, so it's not that hard to stand up for a minute or two. So everybody stands up.
If I had to listen to the anthem every single day like in the US, I'd probably remain seated after a week or so.

Aside from elementary school children, I don't think anybody hears the national anthem every day.

The last time I heard it played was probably at an NFL football game last season, although it's usually played like 10 minutes before kick off when I'm shuttling into the stadium, so if I sat down, it would cause a ruckus fo people being stuck around me.

That said, whenever I hear any country's national anthem being played at an event I stand up and take my hat off if I'm wearing one, and stop talking. Maybe it's stupid or some people think it's unfashionable or not the right behavior for the modern man, but I don't care, I do it as a sign of respect for people from that country who may feel that the anthem is important to them.

 

[Shake Appeal]

I'll stand, but I won't take my hat off, sing, or put my hand on my heart. I'm an immigrant, so it's not my anthem. And I think national anthems in general should go away.

 

[Joni]

I don't even know the lyrics of our national anthem. Then again Belgian nationalism is at an all-time low. No one really cares if you stand up/sing.

Oh dierbaar Belgie, O Heilig Land Der Vaderen, Something, something, Something, something, Something, something, Voor Vorst, voor Vrijheid en voor Recht.
Yeah, we Belgians suck at this.

 

[rjinaz]

You don't have to hear it every day. You hear it before sporting events and OCCASIONALLY at school functions.

Unless you're going to a professional sporting event every day, it's not that often. I'd wager I hear it, live, maybe 10 times a year - more than half of those were at MLB and NFL games.

I actually do have a lot of love for this country, despite its many flaws. But then I'm a White straight American.

I still think the pledge and anthem at sporting events, debates, etc is stupid. I mean have you ever really thought about it? Everybody standing and singing to a flag? What is the point? To show strangers next to you that you respect this country? But everybody is doing it anyway so are you even doing that? I can respect this country in my own way without citing long ass propaganda.

I can understand international events and some major events like the Super Bowl, sure. But otherwise I will continue to think it's stupid and that most Americans don't even question it because we were forced to cite the pledge of allegiance every day as a kid from the age of 6.

 

[Shake Appeal]

"A distinct and inferior race of people, which all experience proves to be the greatest evil that afflicts a community."

– Francis Scott Key, talking about, well, guess.

 

[Ordinaryundone]

And some if those British forces were former US slaves: https://theintercept.com/2016/08/28...-national-anthem-is-a-celebration-of-slavery/

A verse about being happy to see your enemies, the people who were just trying to kill you, driven before you doesn't make a song a celebration of slavery. It's a war song, it's not meant to be very friendly towards the villains of the story especially if the narrator views some of the involved as traitors. The fact that freed slaves were part of the British army is as irrelevant as the idea that the Spanish-American War was a triumph for integration in the U.S. armed forces because there were black regiments. It was a means to an end, not the end itself.

If you want to ignore any American history that had an unspoken, tacit approval of slavery then you are going to be ignoring an awful lot of it from 1776 till the Civil War.

 

[Darkangel]

In Canada we had to stand for the national anthem every single day during public school. I never really thought much of it, though I quickly realized that the Canadian anthem is lame.

Maple Leaf Forever on bagpipes or bust.

 

[ghostofsparta]

Anytime anyplace. National anthems are pointless

 

[Auto_aim1]

However it is resonating with me for a different reason, one that you might have reflected on as well when this happened. Nationalism, guised as patriotism, is out of hand in America. They are the same thing, but someone in this thread will try to argue it's different.

Think about this:
We have kids recite the pledge everyday
We play the national anthem at literally everything. I remember in sixth grade they always had a student sing it before middle school basketball games.

Other countries don't do this shit. Keep the national anthem for shit like the olympics, World Cup, shit you can even play it at the Super Bowl.

How do you know? In India, kids do recite the pledge everyday and the national anthem is played in theatres before movies etc. And if you are caught sitting, a public ass whooping is inevitable.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09QDY_KtSu0

Personally I don't mind others sitting, but I would not sit through the anthem.

 

[Media]

If no one has answered, yes, it was this bad before 9-11. We said the pledge every morning for school, from kindergarten to senior year. Hand over the heart, standing facing the flag, before attendance. It was annoying.

 

[electricshake]

I remember being in SeaWorld in Orlando just after it opened (for the day, not in general) and the national anthem started playing. Everyone stopped and put their hand on their heart and we just kept walking. Brilliant way to beat the queues. But I was so baffled by it. If I heard 'God Save the Queen' playing there is no way I'd stop, fuck that bitch.

It may have been 4th July, I'm not sure. Either way it was mad.

 

[UncleSporky]

Aside from elementary school children, I don't think anybody hears the national anthem every day.

Elementary school children don't hear the national anthem every day. They hear it the same amount as anyone else, which is not much.

AFAIK they do say the pledge of allegiance every day, but are not typically judged if they decide not to.

 

[Amir0x]

Lol yes. I was raised in a family of Jehovah's Witnesses who believe they are no part of this world and so represent that by not doing the pledge, the anthem, voting or serving in the military. Even though i havent believed in that shit since i was a boy, the habit of not doing the pledge/standing for anthem stuck. To this day even though i vote and canvass and volunteer, ive never done the pledge. I occasionally stand for the anthem now but dont put hand over heart or anything.

 

[old manatee]

I always stand up, but I don't put my hand on my heart and sing at the flag or whatever you are supposed to do. I just stare vacantly into space.

 

[Ordinaryundone]

Elementary school children don't hear the national anthem every day. They hear it the same amount as anyone else, which is not much.

AFAIK they do say the pledge of allegiance every day, but are not typically judged if they decide not to.

Even when I was in grade school 20-odd years ago no one cared if you said the pledge or not. And if you did say it was total "in one ear out the other" habit that none of the kids understood or took seriously. By high school I remember it stopping more or less entirely in favor of "moments of silence".

 

[Trojita]

I'm worried OP doesn't realize why Germany isn't nationalistic even after he did that project in college.

 

[Always-honest]

By now you have enough history to not worry about the anthem and flag every damn day. Relax USA, you're a contender.

 

[ClosingADoor]

Not American. Here in Holland I'd probably stand when going to a national football game or anything. But if someone gives me $20 and dare to sit through it, I'd take the money. Nothing to be afraid about, nobody really cares.

 

[VendettaRed07]

I don't even sit at home.

I stand and put my hand over my heart even if I'm by myself watching a crappy stream of a game on my phone

 

[Gordon Shumway]

Done it before..

 

[creatchee]

The fact that this question has "in public" at the end of it illustrates the hypocrisy of the act in the first place.

If we only stand when others are around, are we really respecting the sanctity of the anthem or simply doing it because of an expectation and an unwillingness to be the odd person out? I know damned well that most people don't stand at home when it's played, so why is in public so special?

Sidenote - I've gotten a blowjob during the anthem in public (well, behind the bleachers of a soccer game). I wonder what our forefathers would think about that.

 

[Gordon Shumway]

Sidenote - I've gotten a blowjob during the anthem in public (well, behind the bleachers of a soccer game). I wonder what our forefathers would think about that.

Technically, you were standing at attention..

Spoiler

right?

 

[catofthecanals]

A lot more people do this than you'd expect. Not even a big deal.

 

[Violence Jack]

It shouldn't be a big deal, but I've been to some NFL games in the past where someone didn't take off their hat, or playing around on their phones, and a few people around got pissed. The only thing I might do is take off my hat, but I'm not standing if I don't want to. If someone wants to threaten me with physical violence for it, then I hope they'll enjoy losing their $150 seat as they're kicked out of the stadium.

 

[Llyranor]

In Canada we had to stand for the national anthem every single day during public school. I never really thought much of it, though I quickly realized that the Canadian anthem is lame.

Is this a common thing outside Quebec?

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

You're not American unless you stand and drunkenly sway back and forth during the anthem.

 

[Affeinvasion]

I'm always standing for the national anthem because I'm out in the concourse waiting in line for beer and tubes of processed meat.

 

[adj_noun]

Who sits during To Anacreon in Heaven?

And, besides, I'll instruct you, like me, to intwine
"The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's Vine."

 

[studyguy]

It's not a big deal. Hit up Dodger games all the time and no one gives a flying fuck if you're pounding down a 15 dollar beer or 9 dollar hotdog while the anthem is going instead of saluting.

 

[Kurdel]

Of course, but where I live we aren't compulsively obsessed with that kind of thing.

 

[EulaCapra]

People always sit down during the national anthem to attend to more important matters.

Like their phone or more importantly, their food.

 

[AtomicShroom]

As a Canadian that travelled to the US, I was rather baffled at how seriously the nation took its nationalism. We went to a theme park and before the opening, they played the national anthem. Just about everyone took off their hats and placed their hand on their chest, singing along. Except for my friend and I who were just like "yeah whatever" and talking as if nothing was going on. We could feel the sting in the eyes of all the people there, looking at us in sheer disbelief. I seriously felt hated for that moment. It was very weird.

 

[DietRob]

I've been doing this for years every time I go to a Reds game.

 

[daviyoung]

I make sure every single part of me is standing to attention when the dulcet notes of God Save The Queen kick in. It's only proper.

 

[Linkark07]

Considering my country citizens have a twisted sense of patriotism, yes, I would do it. Heck, I ignore the flag when the police raise it and just continue my way.

 

[Dishwalla]

The other folks are either in the bathroom or in the kitchen searching for a beer.

 

[AntChum]

UK here, and I've never once stood for our national anthem. Why would I be respectful of a shitty tune that pays homage to an institution (the Monarchy) I think stinks to high heaven?

If that makes me an edgelord, good!

 

[CaviarMeths]

I wouldn't call it bravery. Just apathy.

Jingoism, nationalism, flag-worship, etc is just so weird. People who make a big deal of it and equate a song and a piece of fabric to the country itself are kind of offputting to be honest.

 

[Christopher]

I have pride in my country so no I'm not - we have some fucked up things but overall we are the greatest country in the world.

 

[Stereogatari]

This is one of the US's quirks that is strange for a First World Western country. It is one of Amerixa's features that reminds me more of Turkey than of Europe. Same with the conservative interior.

 

[Wvrs]

I'm 21 years old and I don't think I've ever seen anyone sing our national anthem in earnest. Most people don't even know it. Myself, I refuse to sing it out of principle; "God Save the Queen" manages to combine two feudal archaisms of this country into one downbeat, dreary tune. Really hope that after she dies we abolish the monarchy and get ourselves an anthem I can bring myself to appreciate. I was in Paris on Bastille Day just gone and it was lovely how the hundreds of thousands watching the fireworks by the Eiffel Tower were singing La Marseillaise.

 

[BeesEight]

We had to stand in public school for it every morning. Don't remember that really continuing as I got older though. I'm sure I've sat through it during sporting events or something. I think you'd get more stink eye if you talked during the Moment of Silence during Remembrance Day than sitting through the anthem.

Not American though.

 

[Ordinaryundone]

I'm 21 years old and I don't think I've ever seen anyone sing our national anthem in earnest. Most people don't even know it. Myself, I refuse to sing it out of principle; "God Save the Queen" manages to combine two feudal archaisms of this country into one downbeat, dreary tune. Really hope that after she dies we abolish the monarchy and get ourselves an anthem I can bring myself to appreciate. I was in Paris on Bastille Day just gone and it was lovely how the hundreds of thousands watching the fireworks by the Eiffel Tower were singing La Marseillaise.

Just out of curiosity, do you know the lyrics to Le Marseillaise? Because it's bloody, violent, and nationalistic enough to make The Star Spangled Banner blush. It's not really a friendly or upbeat song.

 

[Jeffolation]

Used to sit through it all the time at hockey games. I'm Canadian, nobody gave a shit.

We did have to stand for the Lord's Prayer and the anthem in grade school though, seems real weird looking back at it.

 

[Wvrs]

Just out of curiosity, do you know the lyrics to Le Marseillaise? Because it's bloody, violent, and nationalistic enough to make The Star Spangled Banner blush. It's not really a friendly or upbeat song.

Yeah I do. Well, that's what the Revolution was I guess; a reflection of the times that spiralled out of control, but in the long run arguably changed the world for the better. And lyrics aside, it sounds great. In any case, it refers to a past event of the 18th century. Ours refers to a social injustice that persists today and ostensibly will persist after the death of Queen Elizabeth, and goes against all the fundamentals of democracy and meritocracy.