Should 'God Bless America' still be sung...

by Travis G on Sep 4, 2008 1:59 PM EDT

The ritual has taken on such solemnity that it is carried live on Yankees' television broadcasts, and the YES network passes up several hundred thousand dollars' worth of commercials to beam it into living-rooms...

Turns out the Yankees have a rule restricting patrons from moving in the stands during God Bless America, and stadium ushers, security personnel and NYPD detail cops have been instructed to enforce it...

A bespectacled, thirtysomething resident of Queens, [Brad] Campeau-Laurion was present, along with 55,057 others, for a game against the Boston Red Sox in the Bronx last week. In the middle of the seventh inning he decided to heed the call of nature and headed off for the jacks, only to find his way barred by a New York policeman, who ordered him to remain standing in place until God Bless America had concluded.

When Campeau-Laurion replied "I don't care about God Bless America, I just need to use the bathroom", he says, two cops pinned his arms behind his back and hustled him toward the nearest exit.

The policemen, according to Campeau-Laurion, "shoved me out the front gate and told me to get out of their country if I didn't like it".

We can all sympathize with a guy who's got to piss, but knowing NYC cops, he shouldn't have said "I don't care about God Bless America", because a lot of cops (especially the NYPD) will find any excuse they can to hassle people and enforce their self-righteous authority. (Oh, do I have stories.) Anyway, should fans be allowed to walk around during the song? Should it even be played anymore?

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How long is the song?

Punk can’t hold it for 20 seconds longer?

by Pride O' Ireland on Sep 4, 2008 2:25 PM EDT reply actions

It might be the Cubs fan in me...

But, the 7th inning stretch should be for Take me out to the ballgame. And ONLY Take me out. No God Bless America, no Deep in the Heart of Texas, nothing except Take me out.

By no means am I saying don’t sing the song. Just do it before the game. The tradition at Wrigley Field has it sung before the game, right before the national anthem every Sunday. I like that, and think it’s a good fit. It’s much too solemn a song to be played during the game, and it’s a silly use of the NYPD to arrest guys needing a piss break after 7 innings of drinking overpriced beer.

There is no place like Nebraska - Go Huskers!

by sanantonecub on Sep 4, 2008 2:31 PM EDT reply actions

It is not during the 7th inning stretch.

Its is at the end of the 6th.

Also, it is 2 minutes. Deal with it. This guy was a red sox fan who is also a self proclaimed anarchist. He was trying to make a stink. I am by no means a joe pro patriotic guy, but I hate this kind of stuff. Its the same as the idiot comedians, late night hosts and liberals who give liberals a bad name who crack “bush is stupid” jokes. There are plenty of funnier, more important reasons to make fun of and critique his presidency than the fact that he talks funny.

by seanp23 on Sep 4, 2008 8:20 PM EDT up reply actions

I wrote about this a couple years ago

read it here
http://mqablognyc.blogspot.com/2007/05/yankee-fans-forced-to-stand-still-to.html

I thnk it is good form to stand still during the National Anthem and God Bless America. However, this is (supposed to be) a free country. If someone wants to walk to the bathroom during GBA they should not be hasseld.

by MQAblog on Sep 4, 2008 2:35 PM EDT reply actions

Sorry ...

Call me old school, but I’m kinda’ tired of people cheap-shotting and disrespecting our nation. Speak the language, sing our songs or get the hell out. Like the post above said, “Punk can’t hold it 20 seconds longer?” I bet he’d have waited if the beer vendor was coming up his row?

"Baseball is the background music of my life." -George Will

by Ronster22 on Sep 4, 2008 2:54 PM EDT reply actions

I'm with you

I don’t see it as a big deal and I think taking 30 seconds to pay homage to our soldiers overseas and those who have fallen is a good thing. Too many people need to be reminded of those sacrifices because they are taken for granted.

And I’m an atheist to boot.

by anaconda on Sep 4, 2008 3:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Wow. Someone who gets it!

Thanks Anaconda. I’m not an atheist, but if you are and you see the big picture and why it’s a good thing … others need to do the same. Thx.

"Baseball is the background music of my life." -George Will

by Ronster22 on Sep 4, 2008 3:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Sorry fellas

I didn’t mind in the months after September 11, 2001, but there is absolutely no reason any of this nonsense should go on any longer.

If the Yankees want to play the same recording over and over again that’s their business, but since when did listening to a song become a requirement for going to a ballgame?

It may not take long to sit there and listen, but that is not the point – if ballpark security / the NYPD are using this as an excuse to unceremoniously eject fans that’s total bullroar.

What’s next, we have to stay in our seats while they display an image of Emmanuel Goldstein and we have to stand there and scream obscenities at it, lest we get ejected or worse?

It’s a baseball game, folks, not some sort of patriotism rally.

I love this country just as much as you guys or the veterans who fought and or died defending it AND MY RIGHT TO IGNORE “GOD BLESS AMERICA” if I so choose!

by losjanks on Sep 4, 2008 4:34 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Re:

People often choose to ignore it, but we are in the middle of a global war and I’m not just talking about Iraq. So I don’t see that tribute to our soldiers as “nonsense” whatsoever.

And yes, you have the right to ignore whatever you want. But you also have the right to stay home and not go to the game if said tribute offends you.

by anaconda on Sep 4, 2008 4:59 PM EDT up reply actions

I’m not offended by the playing of the song as a tribute to our soldiers past and present. I’m offended mostly about the whole being forced to stay in the seat part, coupled with the ejection of fans for not complying with that bogus rule that you have to stay in your seat during the song.

Should you get ejected from the game for walking to your seat during the national anthem? Give me a break!

IMHO, by playing the song at every single game it sort of saps it of its significance anyway. But putting that aside, I don’t have a problem with the fact that they play the song.

However, if I paid the price of admission, why should I be forced to sit in my seat for something other than baseball – why should I be forced to remain in my seat for anything at all – regardless of how well intentioned it may be?

It’s like the silliness with the lapel flag pins. I’m not arguing that it shouldn’t be done (though doing it over and over erodes its symbolic meaning). I’m arguing that I shouldn’t be compelled to wear one to “affirm” my patriotism – or to sit in my seat during a song, at an event where the point of the event is to watch a ballgame.

It would be a different story if we were talking about attending a “Support the Troops” rally. If that’s what we are talking about then I’ll avoid the rally or join the crew giving the offenders the heave-ho.

But it’s a baseball game. And to see this used as some sort of pretext to eject paying fans is wrong.

by losjanks on Sep 4, 2008 6:00 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

A ticket to a game

is a revocable license. If you want to stay on the premises you have to obey the license. Plain and simple. You dont like it? HDTV is pretty sweet.

by seanp23 on Sep 4, 2008 8:27 PM EDT up reply actions

"You don't like it?" ...Authoritarianism is pretty sweet.

If someone wants to get up during a song that has absolutely no official status, they shouldn’t be barred from doing that.

The Yankees or the NYPD shouldn’t be bullying their customers to make some hollow political point.

If someone wants to get up during the song, let them – who is it hurting? Are you suggesting that leaving your seat during GBA is even the slightest bit similar to other offenses that would normally get you ejected from a sporting event?

Come. On. People.

Don’t the NYPD and the Yankees have better things to do? (Like try to win us a championship?) It just seems pretty lame to me and bad business to boot.

Clearly I underestimated the number of authoritarian dittoheads in here.

by losjanks on Sep 4, 2008 8:58 PM EDT up reply actions

It's not Authoritarianism

It’s called respect.

The fact of the matter is that everyone knows by now that Yankee Stadium has done this since 9/11 and some people like yourself would rather complain about why the Yanks do it instead of understanding why the Yanks do it. Take a look at the NY skyline and you’ll find out real quick.

If you don’t like it – don’t go to the game. That’s the perfect solution to your problem.

by anaconda on Sep 4, 2008 10:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Thank you for proving my point

Herr anaconda.

by losjanks on Sep 4, 2008 10:32 PM EDT up reply actions

Uh, huh

Good for you. But it sounds like you’d prefer to be some kind of rebel than show a little respect and decency for 30 seconds.

And that’s a damn shame.

by anaconda on Sep 5, 2008 4:43 AM EDT up reply actions

respect and decency?

We’re talking about getting up and going (perhaps) to the men’s room fer chrissakes, not starting some sort of riot.

Please spare us the sanctimonious condescension.

by losjanks on Sep 5, 2008 9:52 AM EDT up reply actions

That would kinda be like pissing on the American flag...

Not literally, but it is offensive in just the same way.
Rick Monday should’ve earned the Cubs some karma for this play:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5656004559545837760&hl=en

Don't question my choice of teams, or I will have to go all troll on you./Education is the best defense against the media./The Lord's Prayer=66 words, the Gettysburg Address=286words, the Declaration of Independence=1,322 words, government regulations on the sale of cabbage=26,911 words

by bdalebs on Sep 5, 2008 6:02 PM EDT up reply actions

Damn link:

Rick Monday’s Great Play

by bdalebs on Sep 5, 2008 6:03 PM EDT up reply actions

haven't jumped in yet

but my biggest problem is that NYPD cops are being used to prevent people from walking around during a song. wtf is that? doesn’t that seem like a major misappropriation of resources to anyone? aren’t there better things for cops to be doing?

by Travis G on Sep 4, 2008 8:33 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

I'm gonna recomend that everyone here buy a shirt to this effect:

http://www.zazzle.com/i_want_you_to_speak_english_or_get_out_shirt-235104714994378971
USA! USA! USA! [not pronounced oosah]

Don't question my choice of teams, or I will have to go all troll on you.

by bdalebs on Sep 4, 2008 9:24 PM EDT reply actions

don't start

with this xenophobic shit. my grandparents and great-grandparents hardly spoke any english when they came here. they came here for freedom – religious, political, etc. so much of this country’s history is about immigration. that’s what makes this country great: we are accepting of people different than ourselves, and live with each other (relatively) peacefully.

by Travis G on Sep 5, 2008 2:14 AM EDT up reply actions

If you travel to any other country on earth, you are expected to learn the local language.

Unless you are one of the morons who just yells English at foreigners, thinking they can understand you better.

I am not xenophobic, I have many friends who are of many races, religions, and languages. I am friends with a kid whose family moved here from Jamaica, and they all speak great English. I am also friends with a kid who moved here from the Middle East, and he speaks fluent English. Almost daily, he tries to teach us some Arabic, which is hilarious because of some of the stories that he has about the language (like there not being a P in Arabic, so they had to invent a new letter to pronounce new words like Sprite).

And before you ask, yes, I have tried to learn another language and I know how hard it is. I am currently in French 2 Honors and probably won’t take French 3 because I was only taking French as a graduation requirement. I have also experienced what it is like to live in a country where everyone speaks a different language than you. I lived in Panama for almost a year, with almost no time to learn anything other than limited, survival Spanish since I had to move with my family (dad’s in Air Force).

I plan on living my entire life inside the confines of the Greatest Country on Earth, and I would like to be able to do so without having to carry around a translating dictionary.

by bdalebs on Sep 5, 2008 5:56 PM EDT up reply actions

i understand

preferring people who immigrate to try to learn the official language. but you were pimping a shirt that shoves it down people’s throats. it’s scary and ignorant. most people who talk that way (or have signs like that) seem to be xenophobic assholes (that automatically feel superior to immigrants).

by Travis G on Sep 5, 2008 9:38 PM EDT up reply actions

I don't get any money from the sales of that shirt, or any other shirt similar to it...

I was simply implying that most of the people who agree with the NYPD officer’s decision probably would want a shirt like that. And it’s not ignorant since I know how hard it is to learn a new language, especially if you have a limited time to do it.

by bdalebs on Sep 6, 2008 12:54 PM EDT up reply actions

I don't get it

I haven’t lived in the NY area for years, so most of my recent experience is going to Phillies games.

However, I’ve never heard of a cop or a security guard down here going after someone for getting up for The Star Spangled Banner. I respect the flag and stand at attention, but others don’t. I always thought part of being an American was the freedom to make this choice.

On the other hand, seanp23 is right. You’re a paying customer but you’re also a guest of the New York Yankees. You can’t smoke anywhere you please, you can’t yell obscenities all the live long day, you can’t punch a fan in the head because he’s wearing a Red Sox jersey. If you are a bad guest, the Yankees can decide that you don’t belong in the Stadium and ask you to leave.

I think it’s a stupid rule, but if you don’t want to follow the rule I’d agree that you’re better off not going to the game. If you’re really that incensed with the rule, do what others do in that situation: organize a boycott and get fans who feel as strongly as you do to boycott as well. If enough fans join your boycott and your boycott generates enough media attention, you may get the policy changed.

by MikeGianella on Sep 5, 2008 9:24 PM EDT reply actions