Yankee Stadium - Do Not Dare Move when God Bless America Plays...
In my mind, Patriotism is needed in today's society and is great to establish as well as reinforce the values of the United States. Furthemore, we need it to honor and remember those who allow us our freedom and way of life here.
However, you should not force patriotism on anyone.
In today's edition of the New York Times, Michael S. Schmidt has an article on Yankee Stadium on how the stadium security and ushers restrict fan movement during the “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “God Bless America".
In the article, According to Howard Rubenstein, the spokesperson for George Steinbrenner, "Mr. Steinbrenner wanted to do all games to remind the fans about how important it is to honor our nation, our service members, those that died on Sept. 11 and those fighting for our nation,” Rubenstein said in a telephone interview."
As we know, New York City was greatly impacted by the September 11th attacks and instituted the policy after fan complaints of people moving around during the songs.
Personally, I make it a policy among people I entertain and myself to pay respect to the flag and the men and women overseas and NOT move during “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “God Bless America".
Those who voluntarily move without a reason during those two songs is highly ignorant and disrespectful. I respect that the Yankees and Mr. Steinbrenner's decision; however, I don't think an entity should impinge or anyone's right to do so or not.
6 comments:
They need to stop the "God Bless America" thing already! It's so ridiculous that other fans even get defensive about it, yelling "Communist!" at any guy who doesn't take his cap off for it.
Really, "God Bless America" does have to go. The 7th inning stretch is for "Take Me Out To The Ballgame". If the Yankees want to keep it, I understand but it has been spreading to other stadiums and it has to go.
Everyone should know to remove their caps, I don't have a huge problem with people moving around or quietly talking.
Admittedly, if I hadn't grown up in Baltimore, I would probably find the "O!" during the National Anthem to be pretty disrespectful and maybe it really is...
Lady: I go to Yankee Stadium a few times a year, and it has a lost of it it's charm (I went to school there in the '90s), partly because it is now so restrictive.
It is an experience to watch a game there, but I would not classify it as fan friendly after being around the country and at pther parks.
HRB - Well, Baltimore is far more laid back than NYC, and screaming the "O" during the national anthem is a right of passage.
However, though screaming anything during the anthem sould be disrespectful, but it is all relative.
I don't have a problem with "God Bless America" on Sundays or whatever, but being that restrictive in a stadium as to when you can move seems very un-American actually.
I used to not care if my friends or family talked, forgot to take off their caps or whatever; however, as I have gotten older, people can take 30-45 seconds to pay their respect to their country.
I am fairly liberal, so people should pretty be able to do as they wish under free will.
I'm a veteran and my father was too and his father and his...you get the idea. I got all choked up the first time I stood at attention for the National Anthem in my uniform. And it irritates me that some choose to not even remove their hat during the anthem but I have come to realize that outside of educating my son and shushing the occasional loudmouth that there's little I can do to instill respect for our country's traditions in grown men and women. The Yankees need to learn this too.
I'm making my first ever trip to Yankee Stadium in September so I'll get to see it firsthand!
Yeah, living and visiting NYC every so often, even more than 5 years after 9-11, that day is still fresh in the minds of people who live there.
It's kind of hard for me to tell the Yankees to dismiss "God Bless America", but to force people to stand attention to it is just very wrong to me.
I seethe at some people when I see them talk on their cell phones, not remove their or talk incessantly during both songs, but I'm going to force anyone to do what they don't want to do.
Nor should the Yankees or anyone.
HRB - Thanks for serving the US... duly noted
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