ASB addresses anthem removal
Dear Student Body,
A few weeks before the rally it was brought to our attention that the National Anthem’s third verse is outdated and racially insensitive.
I have said this before and I will say this again, that ASB stands for Associated Student Body, that means for all. After learning about the third verse, the other ASB officers and I thought that this was completely unacceptable and must be removed from the rally.
We had nothing but good intentions by removing the song so that we could be fully inclusive to our student body. More specifically, the third verse of our National Anthem, “The Star Spangled Banner,” states:
“No refuge could save the hireling and slave,
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave,
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and home of the brave.”
We understand that this third verse is not included when the anthem is performed, but still, what does this tell us? This verse translated, finds joy in the killing of African-Americans. To think that our nation’s anthem once had the word slave and “land of the free” in the same sentence leaves me speechless.
Moving forward, we must take action and be inclusive to all. This song was written in 1814.
That was written 204 years ago. Imagine all the traditions and laws that have changed. The 15th Amendment granted African Americans the right to vote in 1870.
Finally, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 fully allowed African Americans to vote, and outlawed legal barriers that prevented African Americans from voting.
The 19th Amendment, also known as women’s suffrage, allowed women the right to vote in 1920.
President Barack Obama became the first African American President on Nov. 5, 2008.
As our culture shifts to one that is more diverse and accepting of all types of people, so must our traditions.
To the people who are upset with this decision: I hear you, but we plan to keep our stance.
And although we understand that this anthem represents pride and patriotism in our country to many people, we believe that there are other ways that this can be accomplished without an expense to inclusivity on our campus.
To those who were unaware of the controversy surrounding the National Anthem, I encourage you to take initiative and learn about this topic.
If anyone wants to learn more and is curious about this, please stop into 114. I would love to share what I have learned with any student who is interested.
Our main focus this year in leadership is to reflect on our past and current practices with a major focus on the messages that we convey to the student body.
No longer are we doing things for solely the sake of “tradition.” Moreover, we’re not the only school that does not include the National Anthem in their rallies.
While we understand that there was some confusion about why the anthem was missing from the winter rally, we are so pleased that this choice created a dialogue about tradition and inclusivity
–ASB
Kelly Gomez • Feb 20, 2018 at 12:55 pm
Dear Cal High ASB,
I commend you for focusing on inclusiveness for your community . I’m really tired of hearing people justifying their actions on “tradition”–we do things because we’ve always done it, or this is just the way it has always been. I graduated from Cal High in 1987, when the student population was hardly diverse at all, and I knew of people who were uncomfortable when it started to slowly become more diverse after that. You are doing the right thing to question tradition, and since I was not aware until now about the 3rd verse of our National Anthem (thanks for bringing it to my attention!), I can’t speak intelligently yet about the topic, but I do know that it feels good to know that there is a group of young adults in the community who are talking about it–not just talking about it, but bringing it to light and taking action. Should you have included more people in the decision making? Maybe. Does it take a bold and potentially controversial move to make a statement sometimes? Absolutely. Does it make others angry at you? I think you know the answer to that. Is it worth it? If it was for the right reasons, how can it not be! It IS, in general, a good thing to get consensus, but sometimes striving for consensus doesn’t bring results in a timely manner.
I just want you to know that there are people who support this decision that you had to make. You had to make it because it just felt wrong to you and against your values of inclusion and equality. You had to make it because more of us have to take a stand against inequality and we have to start doing things differently! Don’t take the criticism and especially the mean words to heart. When you stand up for the rights of others and you stay true to your beliefs, you are doing the right thing. I know that I did not have the inner strength at your age to do such a thing–I was too worried about what others would think. I don’t know you, but I am proud of you.
So the dialogue has been started. I truly hope that your school and district administration will use this as an opportunity to show support for students who are taking risks in order to make our ever-diversifying community safe and inclusive for all, and that these conversations continue until all sides feel heard and that the end goal of an inclusive environment for all is weighed more heavily than the “popular” or most vocal & loud opinions.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”–Margaret Mead
Ruthie Carter • Feb 16, 2018 at 10:58 am
Very well written article. I believe, though, that a bit of historical research is in order for the author. The phrase in question “the hireling and the slave” do NOT refer to the slaves in the United States. It, instead, refers to persons in the hire of and in slavery to the British. The hirelings refer to the hired mercenaries such as the Hessians. The slaves refer to the kidnapped sailors on the British ships. They were boys (some as young as 12) and men kidnapped in England, Scotland, Ireland, and any other port where males could be caught or duped and forced into service. We do not know their races. We know only that they were mostly British.
The objectives here are commendable. But please do more thorough research before upending values. There is an old adage that fits perfectly in this situation…”Look before you leap.”
Thank you for your efforts to improve our nation AND for being certain of your facts before jumping.
Chris • Feb 16, 2018 at 7:12 am
I would like to spit in her face!!! We are getting so Politically Correct we are STUPID. I wish these people would stop shoving this PC crap down our throats. Soldiers died for your Freedom – even while the song was written – soldiers died for your Freedom – don’t like the 3rd verse – don’t sing it. Most people don’t. There is no other Country with our Freedoms, and with all this PC of can’t say this, can’t say that, can’t do this and that because it might bother someone. Can’t say what you think because it might bother someone and you have to apologize. Is really getting out of hand. As if BIG BROTHER Is watching your every move. (Russia, China, North Korea come to mind) If anyone doesn’t like what we do here – for any reason – you are free to leave and find another Country where you can be Politically Correct. See how that goes!!!!
Willaim Spears • Feb 15, 2018 at 3:32 pm
I am truly disappointed by this decision. The ASB is misguided, for the stanza refers to those hired and enslaved by the British during the war. I guess the history department is not on the cutting edge of curriculum. This topic was brought to the forefront some months ago and was fully researched. The meaning I referred to above was the finding.
The ability to be free and have freedom of speech is not free. These students, regardless of race, color, ancestry, or ethnic background have had loved ones pay the price for them. These veterans paid with their blood, sweat and and sometimes lives to preserve their rights. They need to learn that with these freedoms comes responsibility to ensure they don’t go off half cocked.
Although not perfect, our nation is still the greatest in the world. Respect it, our veterans, and anthem. Work to improve it, not tear down the fabric of liberty.
Jenn Miller • Feb 15, 2018 at 2:42 pm
You might (or might not) be interested in how your complaints about the national anthem are seen across the country. This is from a political blog:
“What the students, and eventually the school administration, are all admitting is that they aren’t smart enough to understand what the lyrics mean. They saw a couple of words they reacted to, and that was all they needed.
These are the words of the verse, in bold, in context with the other lines:
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Oh, thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war’s desolation!
Bless with victory and peace, may the heav’rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust”:
Now maybe it’s just me, but I took the meaning to be that prior to the fight for independence and the establishment of “the land of the free and the home of the brave” people like “the hireling and slave” were not equal and had no refuge, not from “the terror of flight” or from “the gloom of the grave”. It celebrates the triumph of freedom, symbolized by the “star-spangled banner” waving over “the land of the free” and the refuge this offers that hireling or slave.
Whiny little ignoramuses that they are, they probably think the Constitution endorsed slavery and therefore “the land of the free” excluded slaves (though not a word in the Constitution referred to slavery even indirectly) and miseducated ignoramuses that their teachers must be they have no idea that the entire NATION was based on the principle that “all men are created equal”.
That is one of the foundational principles of the new nation and its battle for freedom, and “freedom” meant freedom from the tyranny of a Central Authority, in this case the monarchy of England. So yes, the hireling and the slave were created as equal to the landowner and the merchant, in the new land.
So they respond to the dog whistle of the incendiary word “slave” and go howling off in hysterical mobs to demand….well, to demand SOMETHING that they can pretend is meaningful, that makes them FEEL better. It’s all posturing, it’s all meaningless virtue signaling, but in this case what is signals is a sad and pathetic ignorance linked to hysterical overreaction to things not understood.
And it signals a school administration unable or unwilling to be the adults in the room and use their positions to educate.”
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You made the following arguments:
Moving forward, we must take action and be inclusive to all. This song was written in 1814.
That was written 204 years ago. Imagine all the traditions and laws that have changed. The 15th Amendment granted African Americans the right to vote in 1870.
Finally, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 fully allowed African Americans to vote, and outlawed legal barriers that prevented African Americans from voting.
The 19th Amendment, also known as women’s suffrage, allowed women the right to vote in 1920.
President Barack Obama became the first African American President on Nov. 5, 2008.
Fine, but none of these is in any way relevant to the meaning of the song, which talks about the plight of the hireling and the slave prior to the foundation of the United States.
In your blind zeal to be "inclusive" you are EXcluding those who understand the national anthem and those who love it for what it celebrates (freedom for all and victory over oppression).
You state that THIS VERSE TRANSLATED, FINDS JOY IN THE KILLING OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS. What absolute toxic nonsense! That is a vile and dishonest distortion of the words, and it is shameful. Maybe that is the way YOUR mind works, as it busily "translates" words into something that has no relation whatsoever to what was said. But then without this wildly random " translation" there would no justification for banning the anthem. Your agenda demands this kind of "translation", which is of course much more of an invention than a translation.
There is absolutely NOTHING in those words that leads a rational person to that bizarre conclusion. It is, without doubt, one of the ugliest things I have ever read. While it has no relationship whatsoever to the song itself, it speaks volumes about the kind of mind that could twist those words to come to this disgusting conclusion. I sincerely hope this gutter mentality is not shared by the rest of the students in your school.
Matthew Holub • Feb 15, 2018 at 1:40 pm
Are you people nuts?? It’s the United States of America. Since when do other countries celebrate Americans and not play their national anthem because it offends an American. If you don’t want to play the national anthem then move to another country and you can play their anthem. You people are destroying America. You have no pride in where you live and people all across this country are laughing at you because you’re making as*es out of yourselves.
.Gene • Feb 15, 2018 at 7:25 am
To: Student Body President, Ariyana Kermanizadeh
I read your proposal to ban the Star Spangled because of the word “slave” used in the Third Verse. According to your interpretation of this verse, you stated it was “outdated and racially insensitive. Also, you stated it meant, “joy in killing African-Americans”.
Let me educate you. First, you couldn’t be more wrong and what you stated is both an embarrassment to you and your school. If you would’ve taken five minutes to research this verse, you would have found that Francis Scott Key, used the word “slave” to denote the British practice of Impressment against American sailors (kidnapping them and forcing them into service on British man-of war ships). IT HAD ABSOLUTELY NOTHING DO WITH RACE.
I’m surprised your history teacher(s) didn’t correct you on this.
Sincerely,
Gene
Yaspar Kyashred • Feb 14, 2018 at 6:21 pm
With poisonous hate and self-loathing being served up to our young people in the public schools, is it any wonder that some of them snap, like the killer today? Lefty/Libs, this is ALL on YOU.
MAGA
Gary Vennarucci • Feb 14, 2018 at 11:25 am
This story truly bothers me and it’s time the record is set straight.
Perhaps a history lesson is in order about the lyrics in question. I truly hope this lesson reaches every student that questions in integrity and full meaning behind the story of the Nation Anthem. And to the teachers that are actually encouraging young people to disrespect American values and traditions. It’s unacceptable and inexcusable.
● The Star Spangled Banner lyrics ”the hireling ” refers to the British use of mercenaries (German Hessians) in the American War of Independence.
● The Star Spangled Banner lyrics ”…and slave” is a direct reference to the British practice of impressment (kidnapping American seamen and forcing them into service on British man-of war ships). This was an important cause of the War of 1812.
Source- http://www.american-historama.org/1801-1828-evolution/star-spangled-banner-lyrics.htm
Gary V • Feb 14, 2018 at 11:23 am
This story truly bothers me and it’s time the record is set straight.
Perhaps a history lesson is in order about the lyrics in question. I truly hope this lesson reaches every student that questions in integrity and full meaning behind the story of the Nation Anthem. And to the teachers that are actually encouraging young people to disrespect American values and traditions. It’s unacceptable and inexcusable.
● The Star Spangled Banner lyrics ”the hireling ” refers to the British use of mercenaries (German Hessians) in the American War of Independence.
● The Star Spangled Banner lyrics ”…and slave” is a direct reference to the British practice of impressment (kidnapping American seamen and forcing them into service on British man-of war ships). This was an important cause of the War of 1812.
Source- http://www.american-historama.org/1801-1828-evolution/star-spangled-banner-lyrics.htm
Jake Finkleheimer • Feb 14, 2018 at 9:41 am
I read the whole of the Anthem, including the section that is so ‘egregious’. Are you nuts? Because it has the word ‘slave’ its gotta be banned! What a bunch of lame knee jerk nonsense.
FYI – here is the stanza that is causing high school hysteria. Or you could read the WHOLE thing, in context. Maybe a history lesson about the battle is written to honor?
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
scott gray • Feb 14, 2018 at 7:19 am
First off, this is ridiculous! The part of OUR national anthem that you are alluding to isn’t even sung at events. Second, myself and others, serve our country unlike you and have sacrificed for it unlike you. Disrespecting our country by not honoring its traditions like playing the national anthem before events is wrong. This decisions should not be made by a bunch of kids. where are the adults? Maybe my federal tax dollars shouldn’t go towards schools like this that show such disrespect towards the country that is providing money for the school. Also, talk about a poor way of getting attention. Anyways, this is really sad that kids in our country are being brought up in this liberal, hateful environment.
Jeff Toerner • Feb 14, 2018 at 5:12 am
Ariyana,
You need to do a little more research on the meaning of the third verse. You couldn’t be more wrong. You see the word ‘slave’ and just assume it was in reference to black American slaves. That is not what is meant by that verse. Be a real leader and do your homework before you make ridiculous decisions.
Jeff Toerner
Dan Shepard • Feb 14, 2018 at 3:59 am
Whether the school continues to play the anthem before or during pep rallies is immaterial., as I don’t remember our doing so when I went to school. The offensive part of your decision making process is with the ignorance of history. The pell-mell drive to eliminate traditions based on a lack of understanding is shameful. Did you bother to consult a historian on the actual verses and their meaning? Did you or those who voted for this bother to do any true research? I can say, without a doubt, the answer is no. There is a reason why those in High School don’t vote – an inability to assess issues and make rational decisions. Don’t play the anthem, it’s not an issue, but don’t make the statement that it’s ‘racist’ to base your decision on.
“Ignorance and Arrogance make for a disastrous combination”.
Mike M • Feb 13, 2018 at 8:18 am
Ariyana Kermanizadeh is an idiot and needs a history lesson. The National Anthem’s lyrics are about the bombardment of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812. Francis Scott Key wrote the lines originally in the poem “Defence of Fort M’Henry” that was later set to the tune “To Anacreon in Heaven” and become known as the “Star Spangled Banner”, or the national anthem of the United States. The words in question were meant to convey that the bombardment was so severe that no one could find refuge, neither hireling nor slave. It does not promote or condone slavery.