| Show SHOULD WE CHANGE OUR National Anthem? d Marine veteran reintroduced in the House in from Indiana and a Banner" to "America the "The anthem national our would from that measure a change January should States a new national anthem United the PARADE readers asked its months earlier if Some adopt Beautiful" Now that the results have been tabulated and because the response was so overwhelmingly in favor of the change we asked Representative Jacobs to explain why he and so many others seem to feel so strongly What follows is his reply Rep Andrew Jacobs a Democrat combat-disable- Star-Spangle- e k I? If §Y ytit Jacobs suggests adoption of "America the Beautiful" as a new national anthem Congress designate "America the Beau- tiful" as our new national anthem? Millions of my fellow Americans and I think so and here's why: "America the Beautiful" celebrates our power and ability to live and work in peace the beauty that is in our land and the possibilities inherent in our people ' The thrust of the message of the cur1 rent national anthem "The 04441 Banner" is war almost a celebration of it But martial matters do not measure the length and breadth of our national t being—not by a long shot I do not suggest that we scrap "The Banner" I think we should 1keep it as a suitable and stirring sound for military and other occasions Banner" was writ"The ten in 1814 but it was not officially adopted as the national anthem until signed into law by Herbert Hoover in 1931 Before that "Yankee Doodle" was somewhat in vogue Ulysses Grant said "I have two favorite songs One of them is 'Yankee Doodle' and the other one ain't" Not generally known is the fact that ' the third verse of Francis Scott Key's poem spews hatred for our long-sinc- e friends the British "Their blood has wash'd out their foul footsteps' pollution" The music of "The Banner" is not American It was written in England by John Stafford Smith as a sex and drinking song The music to "America the Beautiful" on the other hand was conceived on a loftier plane and on American soil It was composed by the American musician Samuel Augustus Ward in 1882 Its strains flow evenly and suggest the inner peace of a people "America the Beautiful" is not about an American war It is about America The words written in 1893 by our fellow citizen Katherine Lee Bates contain no hatred of others Rather they celebrate "a patriot dream that sees beyond the years" and emphasize a people's love for the strength and beauty of their land The phrases scattered throughout the hymn suggest brotherhood the glory of the land and pride in accomplishment: "0 beautiful for pilgrim feetWhose stern impassioned stressA thoroughfare for freedom beatAcross the wilderness" Those in favor of making "America the Beautiful" our everyday anthem include Erich Kunzel who conducted the Memorial Day concert on the steps of the Capitol in 1988 and who spoke for the change afterward as he does at the end of many )) I 1 Star-Spangl- Star-Spangl- ) Rep Andrew SHOULD THE UNITED STATES I Star-Spangl- 18th-centu- ry nt BY REP d and concerts he conducts Danny Thomas the Rep Yin Weber a Republican from Minnesota Russell V McConnell a retired bandmaster of the US Army declares "Amen and hallelujah!" "Our present national anthem" McConnell explains "is so complicated that bandmasters were taught it as a separate 'art form' unrelated to any other music played by Army bands" The Rev Robert Schuller whose program from the Crystal Cathedral is regularly seen across the nation has said: "The message in 'America the Beautiful' so far outdistances the limited human values that are found in 'The Banner' that thoughtful people who make decisions on substance more than emotional tradition would welcome the change" Amer) and hallelujah Others disagree California's Republican Rep Bob Doman a former Air Force pilot says: "I personally love fireworks And 'the rocket's red glare' grabs me more than 'above the fruited plain' "In addition William Schaefer—the Democratic governor of Maryland and a former mayor of Baltimore where "The Banner" was written—asserts: "It is that special piece of music that is the symbol of everything for which the USA stands" We know the first verses to both songs But few of us will ever master the singing of"The Banner" Retired Brandeis music professor Caldwell Titcomb says it "covers a span of a twelfth which is an octave plus a perfect fifth" Still "The Banner" can do wondrously chilling things to our innermost feelings When I hear "The Banner" I snap to attention and present arms "O'er the land of the free & the home of the brave" hove that line even if I can't sing it "America the Beautiful" however would send a more positive national message to others at a time when enlightenment seems to be spreading its peaceful and liberating dividends across the globe In a sense "America the Beautiful" is already our national anthem At the official service for the Challenger astronauts our pride and our sorrow were best expressed through "America the Beautiful" played that day The rededication of the Statue of Liberty was laced and graced with "America the Beautiful" As a nation we are coming of age We have never been soft as a people and the change I suggest would not make us so "America the Beautiful" does not lack suitable tribute to heroes who have physically defended our country "0 beautiful for heroes provedIn liberating strifeWho more than self their country lovedAnd mercy more than life" Heroism is proved not so much by inflicting pain as by enduring it Passion is important in life but to be steadfast is crucial "America the Beautiful" is not boisterous Neither is true patriotism which is an abiding thing calm and steady on stormy seas as well as in the safety of the harbor This is one of the things most beautiful about America and that's something to sing about actor-comedi- Star-Spangl- Star-Spangl- ed Star-Spangl- Star-Spangl- ed Star-Spangl-ed ANDREW JACOBS PAGE 10 NOVEMBER 26 1989 PARADE MAGAZINE |
