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Whose National Anthem Is It?

Michelle Malkin reports that our National Anthem was re-recorded in Spanish by several Latino artists and renamed Nuestro Himno as a "show of support for migrants in the United States." Check this out:

NEW YORK - Mexican pop diva Gloria Trevi, Puerto Rican reggaeton Ivy Queen and Tito El Bambino and other Latino artists are recording a Spanish-language version of the U.S. national anthem in a show of support for migrants in the United States.


The Latino-oriented record label Urban Box Office (UBO) said Saturday it plans to release the new version of "The Star-Spangled Banner" to coincide with the U.S. Senate's debate on immigration legislation next week.

Congressional debate over immigration bills proposing everything from toughened border security to the legalization of undocumented migrants in America have triggered huge demonstrations across the United States in recent weeks.

"We chose to re-record 'The Star-Spangled Banner' to show our solidarity with the undocumented immigrants and their quest for basic civil rights," UBO President Adam Kidron said in a news release.


The recording, dubbed "Nuestro Himno" or "Our Anthem," is set to "rhythmic Latin musical arrangement" but respects the song's traditional structure, UBO said. The song will be primarily in Spanish with a few words sung in English.

The song is on the album "Somos Americanos," which will be sold for $10, with a portion going to Washington-based National Capital Immigration Coalition, UBO said.

As Michelle asked, who's assimilating whom?

David Hinkley of The New York Daily News is a little concerned:

The intent with "Nuestro Himno," or "Our Anthem," is quite specific.


"We decided to show our solidarity with the undocumented migrants," says President Adam Kidron of UBO Records, which is releasing the track to coincide with a U.S. Senate debate on an immigration bill whose carrots and sticks could change the lives of maybe 12 million immigrants, documented and otherwise.

The song tries to say in music what millions of immigrants have argued in recent street demonstrations: America's tradition is inclusion.

Let's just not be surprised if it stirs other folks to say that America also has a tradition of English, and that if you really want to be part of things here, you don't make it by singing her song in some other language.

Kidron dismisses the cultural-subversion theory. Today's immigrants want to become part of America just like earlier generations of Germans, Italians, Irish and Russians, he says.

In fact, he argues, they have: "Today we are Americans and 'The Star-Spangled Banner' represents everything to us."

It sure would lower our national blood pressure if everyone accepted that.

But the national anthem, ridiculed though it may be as a piece of music, has deceptive emotional power.

That's why artists from Jimi Hendrix to Marvin Gaye as well as jokers like Roseanne Barr have used it to make some larger point - and that's why they were all blasted by choruses of critics who told them to make their point somewhere else with some other song.

I understand an immigrant's desire to come to the US to find a better life for himself and for his family. However, to do so without any regard for our immigration laws and to later demand full rights and American citizenship is unacceptable. Now we have our American Anthem, a moving and loved tribute to America's fight for independence, has been taken over and used as an illegal immigrant call to action.

Stuck on Stupid asks if a latino Pledge of Allegiance is next.

Unabashedly Unhyphenated is offended.

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Comments (149)

Gloria Trevi? A quick refer... (Below threshold)
labwrs:

Gloria Trevi? A quick reference at Wikipedia supplies more than you probably want to know about her. To quote Wikipedia :"Trevi became more reclusive after that. For years, all that was heard about her were rumors and speculation. But then, in 1995, Sergio Andrade's former wife published a book about how Andrade allegedly would pick up teenaged girls and lure them into a web of sex and slavery by promising to make them superstars. According to the book, named De La Gloria Al Infierno (From Glory to Hell), Trevi was also a willing participant of Andrade's scams, and she had fallen in love with her manager, supposedly participating in his manager's sexual orgies and slavery acts with the teenaged girls just to please him." Read MUCH more about the flight from authorities and subsequent jailtime of this woman. And SHE defiles OUR anthem? grrrrrr

This will make any support ... (Below threshold)
Tom Lefebvre:

This will make any support of the immigration issue that may have been leftover from the Mexican flag waving simply evaporate. It did for me.
I think we should cancel any cinqo de mayo celebrations. They want to stay out on May 1 - fine. The rest of America will stay out on May 5.
It's not embarrassing as much as it's infuriating. This should kill any support from Congress on "amnesty" for illegal immigrants (they aren't "undocumented workers" - they're illegal). The immigrants who have assimilated are actually busy - working. And probably don't have time for the chutzpah going on with the illegals.

Some perspectives passed on... (Below threshold)
DaveD:
Oh, dear. They're translat... (Below threshold)
pennywit:

Oh, dear. They're translating the national anthem into another language. Now I have to hate them.

--|PW|--

Does it start with:<p... (Below threshold)

Does it start with:

Jo-ose, can you see?

A mexican pop star singing ... (Below threshold)
Tim:

A mexican pop star singing the American national anthem for a non American that wants to leave Mexico forever. That makes sense.

Come on you guys -- just re... (Below threshold)
Lee:

Come on you guys -- just remember this is the "home of the brave".

Be brave, little ones, there's no reason to hate anyone over this. It'll be ok, really. You'll see.

Being of Latin decent and h... (Below threshold)
MDiaz:

Being of Latin decent and having visited some Latin American countries I can understand their desire to come to this country. But I also know that there is a right way and a wrong way to do things. I try to uphold and live by the laws of this country like any good citizen should, so it upsets me when people come over here illegally and then try to change our policies internally. There are ways of coming into the country legally. Crossing a line in the sand does not make you an American. Simply living here does not make you American. Sneaking in and then trying to change it's laws in your favor is just wrong. To add insult to injury they then protest the very law they broke to get here, and ask that all be forgiven. How should we react when people break our laws to cross over and then get enough bleeding hearts behind them to approve their behavior. Being American is much more than location. It's about a way of life, and upholding common laws which, we as a society have seen fit to put in place. Our common language is English. My grandparents had to learn it, and so should everyone else that comes here.

Regardless of the motivatio... (Below threshold)
BrianOfAtlanta:

Regardless of the motivations and persons behind translating the Star Spangled Banner, I fail to see how a latino/latina singing a battle hymn praising the Stars and Stripes is going to undermine America. I think the effect would be quite the opposite.

Yes, America's tradition is... (Below threshold)
docjim505:

Yes, America's tradition is inclusion (eventually... it took almost a century to ban slavery and another century to give black Americans legal equality, but I digress).

America also has another tradition: respect for the law.

Another tradition: working for what you want and "paying your dues".

And another tradition that these people ought to keep in mind:

We don't like to be pushed around, and have a bad habit of overdoing it when it comes to kicking the s*** out of people who push us too hard.

"We chose to re-record 'The... (Below threshold)
Brad:

"We chose to re-record 'The Star-Spangled Banner' to show our solidarity with the undocumented immigrants and their quest for basic civil rights," UBO President Adam Kidron said in a news release.

**Since when is our supposed obligation to bestow citizenship upon an immigrant who has not applied a "basic civil right"?

I think the only way that A... (Below threshold)
John Garcia:

I think the only way that Adam Kidron and UBO can show me "solidarity with the migrants" in producing this album, is if UBO is found guilty of poor judgement and wanton disregard for tradition and become illegal themselves.

The *motivation* seems sort... (Below threshold)

The *motivation* seems sort of odd but I just can't get excited about singing the national anthem in a language other than English.

Course then, my relatives fly Norwegian flags in their yards and at one time I could sing the Norwegian national anthem... we did a "Norway" program once at school. When we sang the anthem everyone stood up.

I see this *particular* thing as separate from the question of illegal immegration. The thing is, that we *don't* assimilate our immegrants to a pre-existing US culture and *that* is one reason that we have fewer problems than some. No, no, it's not a deliberate ghettoization into China Town and Little Italy, and anyone who does come here really *needs* to learn English, and not because I get bent like some do when other languages are spoken, I think everyone should retain their heritage and language, but they need English if they are going to compete and participate.

In general, though, we like our differences and want to keep them.

Opposing illegal immegration doesn't have anything to do with Cinco de Mayo celebrations or speaking Spanish.

Where I grew up we celebrated the 17th of May instead. Flying the flag and singing the anthem of another country wasn't something anyone questioned. Becoming wholly American doesn't mean having to give that up, and it shouldn't.

I am a Hispanic.I ... (Below threshold)
Faith+1:

I am a Hispanic.

I immigrated to this country--legally.

If the intent of re-recording the song was an effort to encourage other Hispanics to immigrate I wouldn't have a problem.

I even support efforts to re-write the immigration laws to make it easier. As someone who went through the process it is overly beuracratic and needs cleaning up.

That should be done through the actions of our legislatures--not arbitraily decided by non-citizens.

The problem is that this re-write and many of the supporters of it are NOT looking to immigrate. They are looking to colonize. The problem with many of the Latinos is that they don't realize the problems in there countries have nothing to do with geography--it has to do with the Hispanics and Latinos themselves.

If they wish to immigrate and become part of the American dream so be it...and I will support them in whatever LEGAL manner neccessary to see as many people can make into this country LEGALLY to add to it.

If they wish to simply turn this country into another corrupt third world socialist/communist cesspool then I'll be one of the first at the border to stop them. I left that insanity to come to a place like America--I have no desire to see it turned into that.

I am sick and tired of all ... (Below threshold)
Joe:

I am sick and tired of all the lefties and their political correctness. These criminals are coming to our country against our will, killing and raping or taking our jobs at best. I wanna see some blood the next time one of these scumbags try to cross our borders other then in a checking point. I want the border patrol to shoot them dead. I know all you think the same but don't dare to say it!

I think this is a great way... (Below threshold)
Charles:

I think this is a great way of unifying and helping the Spanish speakers feel more a part of this country. Way to go!!!

If I thought so, I'd say it... (Below threshold)

If I thought so, I'd say it.

Faith+1 -- you hit the nail... (Below threshold)

Faith+1 -- you hit the nail on the head.

One of the reasons that we have a process for immigration (as opposed to an open door) is so that new arrivals will (hopefully) gain an understanding of the principles and mechanisms that have made America "the land of the free", prosperous, and peaceful, before they are fully immersed in this society.

Skip this step, and you wind up with immigrants being exploited (as we see with the illegals), and/or demanding to replace "what works" in America with their own set of principles ... which may not work for America as a whole.

Of course, many native-born Americans who are open-borders advocates stopped believing in many of the principles I'm talking about, long ago. They have been trying to replace those principles with a mix of Utopian idealism and hedonism for years ... and see open borders as a way to gain more people to support their cause.

In other words, for the sake of votes, they are willing to exploit those who seek to come here ... encouraging them to skip the process, come on in, and listen to the siren song of their value-free worldview and hoping they'll sing along ...

... without regard to how they are damaging the nation and these newcomers by short-circuiting the immigration process.

That ... not the opposition to illegal immigration you and I share ... is what comes closer to the "hate" others accuse us of.

It is ironic that those "citizens of the world" screaming loudest about an alleged "culture of corruption" in DC, are advocating policies that subsidize the rampant corruption and ineptitude in nations like Mexico, to the tune of billions of dollars and greatly reduced pressure for positive change in these nations.

Seems kinda a funny. They u... (Below threshold)
RICH:

Seems kinda a funny. They unify and march and demonstrate here to make change,yet they won't do it in their own country. Thats where the problem is located.

Joe you have serious mental... (Below threshold)
MDiaz:

Joe you have serious mental issues you might want to have checked. "I wanna see some blood the next time one of these scumbags try to cross our borders other then in a checking point." I mean seriously do you really think we all feel this way? That we've become that blood thirsty a society? Um NO!

Faith+1 you make alot of sense. I too have seen the corruption in the latin american countries, and wouldn't really want to see that duplicated here.

As for it being a Latin thing. I don't agree with that. It's a poverty thing. Poorer contries where the people for the most part are uneducated get by on the barter system. You do for me I do for you. The problem is that most of the time you have a few people who are better off getting most of the perks. The police who don't get paid much to begin with think that everyone should pay them extra to DO THEIR JOB! So they hit everyone up for a payoff.

Once again I don't have a problem with more latinos coming here I just think it has to be done the right way so that they can see the proces, and hopefully assimilate into what we call America.

The Democrat and Republican... (Below threshold)

The Democrat and Republican parties, as always, are looking for any available chance to grow their electorate and shift power their way (permanently if possible). Courting and growing this demographic for their own gains is quite transparently what they are attempting to do.

We need more than just these shortsighted, self-interested motivations. We need some real thought and consideration of the issues, including and especially the long-term implications.

Seems like this blog is working to do just that. I also have a blog on this topic. ( http://immigration-concerns.blogspot.com/ ) I look for and welcome discussion both for and against. As should we all.

FUCK AmERICA GOT IT THATS W... (Below threshold)
fockyou all:

FUCK AmERICA GOT IT THATS WHY I DONT LIVE THERE I LIVE IN CANADA PIEce or Sh it!! america is losing the battle against muslim extremist and more countrys are against it how sad is that!

Would mexicans like their n... (Below threshold)
Ricardo:

Would mexicans like their national anthem in English? I think not!
Here is one possible version, if you know the music:

Mexican Anthem in English

All these Mexicans crossing the border
'cause their country will give them no jobs.
Rio Grande or Tijuana will do it,
On their way to Chicago or L.A.
Rio Grande or Tijuana will do it,
On their way to Chicago or L.A.

Choir

Viva Mexico why do I shout,
When I had to come here to earn pesos
Shouldn't I sing the US anthem in English?
If I badly do want to stay here.
Shouldn't I sing the US anthem in English?
If I badly do want to stay here.

by Anonymous.
Yes, I came from Mexico and worked very hard to be part of this wonderful country. I am now an American .

There already is a translat... (Below threshold)
Smarter than you all:

There already is a translation of the Pledge of ALlegiance into Spanish. Whatever happened to our country being founded on freedoms? What happened to the freedom of SPEECH? That includes the freedom to speak other languages!!! We don't even have a national language, so who is to say we all have to speak English? Wake up people; More people will speak Spanish than English in a few short years...

1. Paying no taxes<... (Below threshold)
Love the US!:


1. Paying no taxes
2. Not giving a damn about learning our language, ENGLISH!@!! how many times I've gone into a store or restaurant and the person working in the store can't help me because they don't understand or speak English - how do they get away with that?
3. Yes, your parents are illegal and you're not, they should of thought about that before they had the kids, they should of applied for citizenship before having those kids and they should be deported.
4. The government needs a taste of how Americans feel about this issue - a day without Latinos, what about a day without Americanns? we need to vote these officials out of office and if the government can't do what is right for us Americans then perhaps it is time that we took the law into our own hands and start taking back the country that my relatives fought and died for.

I have respect for those people who have come here, become legal, and have made a lives for themselves.

How long do you think you would last in Mexico waving the American flag? Americans will not tolerate this and it will only get worse before it gets better if a change doesn't happen now.

I am in total support of whatever it takes to get all illegal immigrants out of our country then maybe we can concentrate on taking care of Americans i.e. the homeless, the unemployed, the children in our own country that go to bed hungry every night - I will not allow them to make this into a third world country and I agree that they should of stood up for their rights in their own countries, if I have to fight in this war I will with the honor and respect that my family members did.

I very much protest this co... (Below threshold)
Barbara:

I very much protest this conversion of the National Anthem into a Spanish version. None of the other ethnic groups who migrated to the United States - either with legal documentation or without - found it necessary to make a version in their native language. Is this implying that of all the ethnic groups who have come to the United States - Vietnamese, Russians, French, Germans, Portuguese, etc., etc., etc. - only Spanish-speaking people are too slow or mentally impaired to be able to sing it in the language in which it was written? What an insult to those native Spanish speakers who have come here through legal channels and who, like the immigrants of prior generations, have learned English.

My ancestors came in through legal channels and although they maintained a great pride in their origins, they were prouder still of being American citizens.

I also wonder how the British producer of this project would feel about having "God Save the Queen" sung in, say, Swahili - or any other language of citizens of the Commonwealth.

Umm, Canada Dude, ... (Below threshold)
hippy:

Umm, Canada Dude,

Your welcome for the military protection, the drugs for your socialist medical program, being your largest trading partner, and countless other things Canada depends on America for. We actually like Canada for the most part, but every now and then someone has to go and say something that is just rude and quite vulger. Look, be nice or we'll send Celine Dion back.

I'm hispanic and totally di... (Below threshold)
Maritza:

I'm hispanic and totally disgusted with the way things have gotten so out of hand. There is no reason why we should have let it get this far. As far as I'm concerned we shouldn't celebrate anything but American holidays. This whole mess with cinco de Mayo, St. Patricks day, Columbus day - it should have never even begun. Do you think any other countries celebrate the 4th of July? Hell no! And now we're going to let illegals and their supporters ruin our National Anthem too? If you can't sing it in English DON'T sing it at all.
My parents had to learn English when they got here and they looked forward to becoming citizens (which they did many years ago).
I just wonder what ever happened to - "when in Rome do as the Romans do"...

i just want to say that you... (Below threshold)
monica:

i just want to say that you white ppl. should be quiet b/c we mexicans were here first you have no right to take what belongs to us yall say we are lazy but we are not we take and do all the jobs you will not do you say we are laxy b/c we dont work but you are wrong we do if you pass by a freeway and look at the ho-bos you will see that only white ppl. are there we work twice as hared as yall will ever work na dif its is a hared job we do it and do not complain just b/c yall are white does not mean that yall own everything in the world you think that we come to this state just to have fun but we dont we come to work you say you hate us mexicans but if you go to the local schools you will see that you white ppl. are the ones trying to act mexican so yall need to shut up and leave us along b/c if we want we could let iraqis use our borders and let them attack you yall are the lazy ones. be quiet b/c even if you dont like it we will take our land back wither you like it or not

This is absurd. Tell Adam ... (Below threshold)
Deb:

This is absurd. Tell Adam Kidron I say thank you because he will just enforce us Americans, that those illegals, or undocumented mexicans, that if they keep on protesting and singing OUR national anthem in Spanish, we will unite and be forceful in our decision to fight back!!! They broke the law, when they entered the USA illegally. There are literally thousands of illegals where I live and I am ready to pack them up in our truck and drive them back to their country. Illegals are taking away from us Americans, jobs, medical facilities closing down, they bring diseases over here to America. I am fed up. They do not pay taxes. They don't know how to drive and cause accidents that they can't pay for thus car insurance goes up. The list goes on!!!

NOBODY comes and takes your... (Below threshold)
Ana:

NOBODY comes and takes your jobs you give them to us. And what do we get for doing this nothing. MOst white people hire immigrants because they know they can pay them less and give them no medical insurance. My boyfriends boss is white and he says that white people are really lazy thats why he hires mexicans because they work hard and do the job right. I agree with Monica When have i ever seen a mexican hobo in Dallas never they are all mostly white. We come here to work and make a better life for us and we do it the right way.And Don't be saying that we commit crimes more than white people because most of the people on the news are white.The women we hear that kill thier children guess what they are ALL WHITE. White people these days are going crazy and lazier then ever.If not they wouldnt hire people to clean thier home ,cut thier yard, take care of their kids,wash thier car,houses and there own buildings etc.....Dont Be Hating . BY THE WAY THE AZTECS AND INDIANS WERE HERE FIRST NOT THE WHITE DISEASED PEOPLE THAT KILLED THEM ALL!!!!!!!!b>FUCK ALL THE WHITE RACIST PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!

white ppl. are the reall im... (Below threshold)
beto:

white ppl. are the reall imigrents ana and monica are right AZTEC and INDIANS were here first so mexicans should be the ones makeing the laws and sending all the white ppl. back to where ever they came 4rm WHITE PPL. SUCK

I totally agree with this a... (Below threshold)
Eric:

I totally agree with this article. It is everyones goal in life to work towards the top. Being ambitious is no problem. If your country is one that does not believe in freedom, then find one that does and abide by the laws. Beggers can't be choosers. Illegal aliens should be lucky enough to have made it here in the country. I understand if you want to get your point across but do it in the right way and earn citizenship first then complain about rights because you will have the right to. Abide by the law and if it does not work for you then you can lobby it. It really vexxes me why immigrants would have the nerve to protest about citizenship when they have come here illegally and then make an anthem for their stronghold? I think we are catoring to everyone now days and we have become such a politically correct country that soon, there will be no freedom because everytime someone has a complaint, we will appease that complaint and make a law about it. Too many laws prevent freedom. I wouldn't be surprised if a revolution occurred between the government and the people or between racial differences the way our country is becoming. Very scary for our children and grandchildren. I feel for them for what we are becoming and for what we have done.