I’ve never quite understood why the “Star Spangled Banner” is sung at sporting events.
When hundreds or thousands of individuals gather for an event of common interest — such as sporting events — the dynamics of mass psychology rally the attendees to the importance of commitments to matters that transcend all other interests. The flags are trotted out and accompanied by color guards or a military band and a singer to lead the crowd in this statist hymn.
If the national anthem is so important, why don’t we perform it in everything we do? Maybe we should sing it before breakfast, or the start of our workday, or going to the grocery store or before going in for surgery? I suppose we don’t engage in such collective foolishness in these instances because the numbers are too few to convert individuals into fungible components of a mob.
There is one very effective way the NFL and other sporting events can end the controversy over whether fans and players should stand for this song. Stop playing it altogether. No more than people should be expected to sing “Utah Man” when attending a ballet, should they be expected to sing hymns to the state at a football game.
Taylor Gifford
Sandy