Only the words to our national anthem are an American product. The actual music was lifted from an old English drinking ditty called "To Anacreon in Heaven." If we're going to get worked up about something, shouldn't it be the fact that the tune of our national anthem is not our own? No? Or maybe it is better to continue on our "blame brown people" path and let history sort itself out?

On a national stage, then yes it should be sung in English

Then someone should tell the Bushes and Cheneys, who seemed to enjoy hearing Jon Secada sing it in Spanish at the first inaugural (ThinkProgress has the goods on that one.)

Why is this an issue now? I'll tell you why: because the GOP is desperately trying to pander to its dwindling base of rednecks who are still pissed off about the Dubai Ports deal.

Like most Americans, I am shocked! Shocked that evil people would sink so low in their attempt to destroy our fine country as rewriting our sacred national anthem. We need a law requiring that only the original lyrics may be used in public or private (all those bugged phones would help us enforce this law).

And, just in case people forget them, here are the original lyrics to that tune, written long before Francis Scott Key broke the law I hope we will soon have on the books:

To Anacreon in Heaven, where he sat in full glee,

A few sons of Harmony sent a petition,

That He their Inspirer and Patron would be;

When this answer arrived from the Jolly Old Grecian

"Voice, Fiddle, and Flute,

"no longer be mute,

"I'll lend you my Name and inspire you to boot,

"And, besides, I'll insruct you like me to entwine

"The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's Vine."

Yes, it's true. Key stole the tune from an old English drinking song. See http://www.bcpl.net/~etowner/anacron2.html for details.

I believe the United States should allow all foreigners in this country, provided they can speak our native language:

Apache.

Pyrian, what I wrote it had nothing to do with languages.

It is the subject at hand, however. Perhaps you're in the wrong section.

I commented on why this is an issue now.

With a claim that is so patently absurd I've had to question your basic understanding of the English language.

Your reading comprehension skills need work.

The breakdown in communication is at your end. You could start by explaining what you meant by "blackmail".

The best that can be said for protesting restrictive immigration policies by singing songs and chanting slogans in a foreign language is that it's counterproductive. Ditto for the signs and banners.

I am a regular and long-time Salon reader with a strong liberal learning who thinks the National Anthem should be sung in English and that it does matter. English is the language of the land, whether officially designated as such or not, and speaking it is the bare minimum that should be expected of those seeking to benefit from all this country has to offer.

The protesters have already lost the war if they can't make their case in English.

Pyrian, what I wrote it had nothing to do with languages. I commented on why this is an issue now. Your reading comprehension skills need work.

At the ballgames or anywhere where it is nationally televised (if you haven't noticed the Olympics only play an instrumental anthem for all countries now) sure it should be in English. As for can individuals sing it anyway they damn please in any language they want, sure. English is the un-official national language, everything is printed in English here, all of the TV shows and all of our newpapers are in english, only some of them are brodcast in Spanish too. Anyone who doesn't bother to learn the most common language of your country of residence is doing a disservice to themselves.

So there is no way I want to hear the anthem first sung in english, then in spanish, then in cantonese, although I have no problem with printing translations for people to use if they wish.

Translating text into other languages is no problem, without it I would never have read some of the greatest books ever written.

For me this is a non-issue, perhaps we should be focusing on how to secure our borders and look at the process of becoming a legal immigrant and how it could be changed or restructured to allow easier entry into our country.

It's easy to sympathise with poor people who come from craptacular countries but don't let your emotions get in the way of the rule of law, our President uses emotions all the time to break our laws, don't look at my crappy security, we gotta make sure fags can't wed! Hey don't look at all the soldiers dying based on lies, we gotta make sure women can't kill their babies.

So the fundies may be tools of the right, but anyone condoning illegal behavior based on feelings of oh those poor people is just another kind of tool.

hey,im part english and I want my drinking music back!

As noted, its a little bit hypocritical to deny people the freedom to sing what they want, but on the other hand, turn about is fair play. Someone really ought to record the Mexican National Anthem in English:

http://forums.hypography.com/social-sciences/6168-annex-mexico-5.html#post101927

Perhaps someone (Salon? Larry Flynt?) could hold a contest to find video of Bush singing the anthem in Spanish. What news network wouldn't want to run that next to Bush saying it should only be sung in English (okay, I can think of one news network that wouldn't)? And what better way to both alienate him from his core winger base and from his rapidly-shrinking Hispanic supporters?

...illegal aliens...are trying to blackmail us...

So you claim that immigrants are going to reveal our secrets if we don't give in? Do you even know what the word "blackmail" means? Why are there so many people promoting English who don't know English?