It’s time to create a World Anthem and change the U.S. National Anthem
I do not write this to be against the United States of America and it’s people. I write this for the U.S., it’s people, and for the World.
3 Reasons to Create a World Anthem and New National Anthem for America
- The U.S. National Anthem promotes War and Brutal Competition
- The Anthem is highly Outdated
- To bring the people of the World Together
- The United States of America National Anthem promotes War and Brutal Competition
The American National Anthem is a War poem, promoting an “Us Against the World” mentality. The Anthem originates from the U.S. winning a war against the British in the early 1800’s.
Francis Scott Key wrote a poem called “Defense of Fort M’Henry” in the year 1814 after the British could not conquer Fort McHenry and the American flag was still standing. This poem (Current U.S. National Anthem) was printed in newspapers and became very popular but it wasn’t officially used until many years later. The Navy used this poem officially in the year 1889 and called it “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
In 1916 President Woodrow Wilson wanted this Anthem to be played at all official events and in 1931 it was finally adopted as the official National Anthem of The United States of America.
War is always brutal, and it especially was in the 1800’s—Over 200 years ago… War has been going on basically since the beginning of time, but we are reaching a point in time where war is not needed anymore. We are not living in the 1800’s or the 1900’s. This is 2017! This is the future that people have been dreaming of. People in America have more rights than they have ever had, but of course there are still injustices.
There may always be conflicts but these conflicts can be solved in peaceful ways. The peaceful path is harder. War is the easy path. Just as negativity is easy and weeds grow on their own, positivity takes patience and persistent effort like creating a beautiful garden. Do you want to create beauty? Or are you okay with vile as an entirety?
One step at a time—Let us begin by changing our National Anthem to an Anthem that ALL people can celebrate.
2. The Anthem is Highly Outdated
The year is now 2017 if you forgot. Man created time in a way that it moves forward, not backwards. Change is inevitable. We live in a day and age where anyone can be who they want to be.
For example, Bruce Jenner is now Caitlyn Jenner—Things like this were not happening before the 2000s, at least from famous figures. Everyone has an opinion about all things, but have you ever thought that your opinion might be wrong?
Trump thinks all his opinions are right, which reminds me of this quote: “A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool” William Shakespeare.
Trump is a very smart business man, but he has a hard time looking forward; he wants to live in the past, like our anthem. Some people love his arrogant confidence but he should do a little more thinking in that oval office; although his “little rocket man” comment was kind of funny.
Trump would be a great leader in the 1800’s as he is trying to “Make America Great Again,” but we don’t need to make America great again. It already is great and it can get better if we continue to adapt and move forward. Wise leadership is a necessity!! Many politicians get elected due to their money, power, status and corruption, NOT their wisdom!
100 years ago Women and African Americans couldn’t vote. Most speed limits in cities were 10 mph. We were not even close to going to the moon. The computer and television were not invented. No microwaves and no sliced bread.
If we kept everything the way it has always been we would get nowhere in life. As a human species we have the great ability to think and adapt to create a better quality of life. Let us create a better life for all people, and begin by changing our National Anthem.
3. To bring the people of the World Together
Why? People are still starving to death every day. Poverty is killing children and the homeless continue to rise in numbers.
A multitude of people don’t have access to clean water and the environment is constantly being polluted. Wars have taken away fathers and sons from families and racism has divided our world, nation, states and communities.
Has any politician changed this like some of them say they will?? Some have made more of a difference than others, but for the most part one President isn’t going to solve these problems.
We can work together to create a better future, not just in America, but in the entire world. Conflicts will always exist, but we can learn to work through these conflicts in a positive way.
It begins with you, the individual, and it will spread as you carry on with your mind focused on how you can help another person, a community, a state and the world to become the best they can be.
I’m going to change JFK’s quote to: “Ask not what your World can do for you, ask what you can do for your World.”
I respect Colin Kaepernick for kneeling during the National Anthem and raising awareness for the oppression of minorities; yes there is racism in Francis Scott Key’s War Poem (the longer version of the American National Anthem) where he says “No refuge could save the hireling and slave – From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave.”
He says this because of the African Americans who fled to Britain with the promise of true freedom and many of those people ended up fighting for the British Navy during the War of 1812.
Kaepernick has caused a ripple effect that has influenced many athletes and others to join him in kneeling for what they believe in. America is supposed to be the land of the free, where people of any color can come to live their best life…
I hope these conflicts can only lead us to becoming a better country and a better World that some of us can truly see in our mind’s eye.
I do appreciate the pride America’s National Anthem has, but it has caused some division instead of bringing us together as a whole. We can appreciate our country and still want to change the anthem. You don’t need to be for America and against the World. You CAN be for America and for the World.
“If not us, then who?
If not now, then when?”
-John Lewis
P.S. Let’s change the Pledge of Allegiance too.
I encourage you to open your mind; to think outside of yourself for a bit. Put yourself in the shoes of a minority or anyone else, and try to really see things from their point of view.
Let go of your fears.
With Ken Thompson 