Anthem Interruptus

Saw this posted on FaceBook and after Googling it, I found out its true. I’ll have a commentary and a question afterwards…

“For those who are unaware, at a military theater, the National Anthem is played before every movie.

From a Chaplain in Iraq:

I recently attended a showing of ‘Superman 3,’ here at LSA Anaconda. We have a large auditorium we use for movies, as well as memorial services and other large gatherings. As is the custom back in the States, we stood and snapped to attention when the National Anthem began before the main feature. All was going as planned until about three-quarters of the way through The National Anthem the music stopped.

Now, what would happen if this occurred with 1,000 18-22 year-olds back in the States? I imagine there would be hoots, catcalls, laughter, a few rude comments; and everyone would sit down and call for a movie. Of course, that is, if they had stood for the National Anthem in the first place. Here, the 1,000 Soldiers continued to stand at attention, eyes fixed forward. The music started again. The Soldiers continued to quietly stand at attention. And again, at the same point, the music stopped. What would you expect to happen?

Even here I would imagine laughter, as everyone finally sat down and expected the movie to start. But here, you could have heard a pin drop. Every Soldier continued to stand at attention. Suddenly there was a lone voice , then a dozen, and quickly the room was filled with the voices of a thousand soldiers, finishing where the recording left off:’ And the rockets red glare, The bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night That our flag was still there. Oh, say d does that star-spangled banner yet wave, O’er the land of the free, And the home of the brave.’

It was the most inspiring moment I have had here in Iraq. I wanted you to know what kind of Soldiers are serving you here. Remember them as they fight for you! Pass this along as a reminder to others to be ever in prayer for all our soldiers serving us here at home and abroad. For many have already paid the ultimate price.

Written by Army Reserve Chaplain Jim Higgins.
LSA Anaconda is at the Ballad Airport in Iraq, north of Baghdad.”

Personally, as someone who holds anthems in high esteem – for example, I find the somewhat recent development of jeering an opponent’s anthem, before a sporting event, abhorrent – I would have joined in with the burgeoning voices, as the soldiers did, though I must admit, I would likely have made a murmured remark. But it made me think about how little reverence and respect is given to the national anthem, which is something that always surprises me, seeing as how the United States has the reputation of being somewhat uber-patriotic.

I’ve been at a number of events – sporting events & political rallies – where, when the singing of the anthem has been called for, I’ve been astounded at the number of people who have not stopped to stand, hand-on-heart at the very least, if not sing, too. As for the singing of the anthem, I don’t get all of the comments over the complexity of the tune. I’m no great singer, but I’ve had no problem with the tune, or the words.

Now, I won’t pretend that in my home country of Wales the crowd fully participates in the anthem, but it certainly seems, from my recollections – which are, admittedly, over a dozen years old, since I moved to The States in 2000 – that most everyone in a crowd will stop to observe, if not sing, the anthem.

So, anyway, enough of my editorializing and to my question: what would you have done?