I had to take a few days to write about these subjects because when I got going, I was really pissed and that would not have helped the writing at all.

On the subject of the “Star Spangled Banner” sung in Spanish, here is how I feel about that…

Like flag burning, we should celebrate the fact that someone has the freedom to in fact burn the flag, we should be tolerant of the fact that the National Anthem can be sung in Spanish. So that being said, I do not have a problem with the idea of translation of the National Anthem to Spanish, but I do have a problem with the “new” translation.

If you want to translate the National Anthem to Spanish, French, Russian, German, Swahili, whatever, I do not have a problem with that as long as the translation of the piece is accurate in all respects, or at least so close in intent, that the translation back would be the same as the original.  But if you translate and CHANGE the words and the meaning, now I have an issue with you and your despicable intent.

By changing the words and that meaning of the National Anthem, you are now using the piece as a point of rhetoric and political self-service. It is like graffiti on the Jefferson Monument, or pissing on the White House Lawn. Why would you want to deface something that is part-and-parcel of what represents you as an American? It is obscene and not to be tolerated.

In the case of the recent “translation” (and that is very loose) the meaning has been changed to reflect that American should be supportive of ILLEGAL IMMEGRANTS because they are hard working. Sorry, I am not buying it and in fact am furious that they would take the National Anthem and pervert it so self-servingly. What, did they think us stupid Gringo’s would not know what is happening or what they are saying? Did they think that we would just smile and say, “Oh, that’s nice…”?

As a natural American I am insulted at their arrogance. If you want to sing the “Star Spangled Banner” in Spanish, be my guest, but sing it with the meaning and intent that is there, do not change it just because you do not like the reference to bombs and rockets, or that you feel it is not kind enough to your political agenda.

If you want a theme song for you political movement, write one and get it published and heard, but do not take a piece of American Iconography and deface it for your purposes.

Mind you, this is not a flag burning, where the burning is a symbol of frustration with the system. In a way, flag burning is a straightforward act of expression and there is no issue of deception. Changing words of the National Anthem is like trying to slip a fast one by, and that is really insulting. You’re lying with a smile on your face and it just ticks me off because the lie is obvious.