Spanish National Anthem

SPANISH NATIONAL ANTHEM : OUR ANTHEM

2006

At times , our political and cultural landscape can seem like an endless parade of divisive controversy . We cannot agree , so why not disagree - and disagree loudly ? The latest war of debate and rhetoric centers around the presence of illegal aliens within our country 's bs Should they stay ? Should they go ? While the subjects themselves protest in the streets , individuals of all creeds and colors are waging a ping-pong of protests across air waves and across coffee tables . Through these spirited arguments , a symbol

of the nation 's division has emerged and - ironically enough - it is one of the core symbols of America itself . The current battleground in the illegal immigration debate concerns the recent release of a Spanish version of the United States national anthem . Titled Nuestro Himno ( Our Anthem , the controversial translation of The Star-Spangled Banner ' is being produced by Urban Box Office president and British-born Adam Kidron it is being performed by popular Latin stars such as Wyclef Jean , Pitbull Olga Tanon , and Carlos Ponce (Associated Press , 2006 . Is this translation an attempt at American assimilation , as its defenders claim I believe that the answer is no . If the song were a true attempt at honoring America , it might be understandable . However , Nuestro Himno is nothing more than a political tool whose purpose is more division Further , it is an indirect assault on one of our nation 's most sacred symbols

The song 's producer defends its release by claiming that it is a means for more people

to understand and learn the national anthem : There 's no attempt to usurp anything . The intent is to communicate .and also express to express gratitude and patriotism to the United States

However , in the very same interview , Kidron (the producer ) reveals a deeper intention : I wanted to show my thanks to these people (who .do the jobs I don 't want to do (Associated Press , 2006 . This song is being released less as an ode to America and more of an ode to illegal immigrants . If not , then why was the song 's release timed to coincide with the immigration protests and Congress ' debates about illegal immigration ? Why are a large chunk of the profits produced by the song going to immigration groups ? Why did the record label encourage Latin-themed radio stations to concurrently play the song at a certain time , in a show of solidarity ? Why do many of these radio station employees (whom one would expect to be the strongest supporters question the motives of the song ? We should be trying to assimilate not aggravate ' says one Latin radio host . An immigration web magazine writer adds , If you want to say all those things , by all means , put them on your poster board , but don 't put them on the national anthem (Associated Press , 2006 . And what things ' is the latter referring to ? It seems that in June the song will be released as a remix , and several lines will be added to the song , including "These kids have no parents , cause all of these mean laws . let 's not start a war with all these hard workers , they can 't help where they were born (Wides-Munoz 2006 . This remix begs the question , When did mean laws ' become an adjective for gratitude and patriotism

This song is not a celebration or even a mere translation of the national anthem . It is literal rewriting and bastardization of our country 's symbolic history into a weapon of political propaganda . Sure pop , rock , and country versions of the anthem may exist , but all of these versions honor the words of the song . Yet not one verse of Nuestro Himno ' stays true to the English-versed national anthem Following is one excerpt of the translation

The glow of battle , in step with liberty

My people keep fighting

It 's time to break the chains

At night they said : It 's being defended

Oh say ! Your starry beauty is still unfolding (Online extra , 2006

How many words do we find in this version that are also included in the original .two

Could anyone even say (without deep examination ) which verse of the national anthem this

translation ' derives from ? Sad to say , the first question which enters my mind upon reading this

verse is who My people ' are ? Is the song remembering the American soldiers who fought for

their country , as Francis Scott Key did ? Or is My people ' simply another coded ode to illegal

immigrants

The Star-Spangled Banner ' is a celebration of all that America stands for . Its author

poured these lyrics out of his soul in a burst of inspiration . Something stirred inside him as he

witnessed his flag flying proudly , withstanding a night full of bombs ' and rockets ' from

enemy forces . The poem (and subsequent song ) captured the bravery loyalty , and independence

which that flag came to symbolize . Why did these verses survive over a century - faithfully sung

in everything from bars to baseball games ? Why did the song officially become our national

anthem in 1931 ? It spoke to the hearts of the American people , and to the soul of America itself

As the president himself says , One of the important things here is that we not lose our national

soul (Associated Press , 2006 . If we allow our country 's most sacred symbols to be tarnished by

politics , we will lose . The only way to ensure that does not happen with our national anthem is to

preserve it and protect it in the form which its creator intended English . Assimilation means

blending in , and America is for all intents and purposes an English-speaking nation . A Spanish

national anthem does not assimilate our principles it rejects them

We do not change our national animal symbol (the bald eagle ) because some might prefer

a turkey . We do not alter our national colors because some might be offended by red , white , and

blue . And we never , ever compromise our American democracy

USA Today /Gallup Poll

69 --the national anthem should only be sung in English

References

Associated Press (2006 . Oh say can you see the national anthem in Spanish ? Retrieved May 2

2006 , from CNN .com : HYPERLINK "http /www .cnn .com /2006 /US /04 /28 /anthem .inspanish .ap http /www .cnn .com /2006 /US /04 /28 /anthem .inspanish .ap

Online extra : English translation of Spanish-language version of national anthem (2006

Retrieved May 2 , 2006 , from Salt Lake Tribune : HYPERLINK "http /www .sltrib .com " http /www .sltrib .com / ci_3764054

source rss

Wides-Munoz , Laura (2006 . Spanish `Star-Spangled Banner ' draws ire Retrieved May 2

2006 , from My Way News : HYPERLINK "http /apnews .myway .com /article http /apnews .myway .com /article

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