The National Anthem has always been about patriotism. It has been about unity, and it has been about our nation and the people who defend it. Why is it played at sporting events? It seems it was first performed in 1918 as we were in WW I. At this time, we had lost more than 100,000 soldiers to the war. The National Anthem was played at the first game of the World Series between the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago Cubs. Babe Ruth was with the Sox. It was played during the stretch. The government had just recently announced that baseball players would now also be eligible for the draft into the military. From that first day until recently, the national anthem at sporting events has been about allegiance to our nation, unity, and the remembrance of those men and women in the military that risk all to keep us free.
In the past couple of years, the national anthem has been hijacked for political purposes. When I protest that kneeling is kneeling on the bodies, caskets, and memories of our military, I am met with scorn by some. No, I say, it has always been about the military and those who defend us from the beginning. It is why we have military honor guards post the colors. It is why fighter jets fly over. It is why veterans are honored. It is why after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, new emphasis was placed on the flag and the anthem. Please do not tell me the national anthem at sporting events is about anything other than our nation and the people who defend it. History is not on your side.
Simply hijacking the anthem will not change what it is all about. One can’t have it both ways. You can’t suddenly change history and say it has nothing to do with Veterans. One can’t suddenly say we are not dishonoring veterans. It does not wash.
I will kneel before the Lord, I will kneel to wash a brother’s feet, but I will not and cannot kneel on the bodies of Veterans to make a political point regardless of how valid or how just the point may be.
For further details, you may want to read:
You may also want to read my previous post on this issue:
https://overflowinghope180.org/2020/08/02/kneeling-on-dead-veterans-to-make-a-political-point/
A source for history: http://www.history.com/news/why-the-star-spangled-banner-is-played-at-sporting-events
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Dr. James D Allen
Dr. Allen served as a seminary VP, pastor, and as a trustee on a Christian mental health Board. He has earned a BA, MA, MA Biblical Counseling, Doctor of Ministry. Dr Allen has also preached on 5 continents, lived in 3 nations, and so has a diverse Christian experience. He has a distinguished career of being a pastor, consultant, author, and educator. MY FIRST LOVE--Being a Pastor and encouraging others!