Williams: National Anthem Irrelevant?

Armstrong Williams

Townhall - I've read (and maybe even said) some incendiary things through the years that were designed to elicit a response or stoke the ire of readers in order to initiate a frank conversation. But a recent piece by national columnist Kevin Blackistone makes even the seasoned political watcher cringe. In his recent missive entitled, "Time to Turn Off the National Anthem Before Sports Events," Mr. Blackistone argues that the singing of the National Anthem at sporting events has outlived its purpose.

He submits that very few Americans even know the song, and suggests that still fewer can recall why the words were written in the first place. There's nothing about playing T-ball that should hearken memories of a lopsided British attack on Fort McHenry during the War of 1812. "Sports," Mr. Blackistone writes, "have and continue to ritualize [the Anthem] with barely a shred of relevance." Singing a song about soldiers raising a flag following hours of cannon bombardment may have little to do with the indoor soccer game parents are watching, but that same song does remind everyone at that game that they stand there because of American sacrifice. Read full column here:

Williams: National Anthem Irrelevant?