Jon Stewart on the National Anthem

[SamSpade]

Jon Stewart says playing National Anthem at sports events is a ‘weird ritual’

“Does anyone know when that started, playing the national anthem before games? It’s such a weird ritual,” said Stewart to Cuban during his podcast.

thepostmillennial.com

Interesting that on his Twitter feed, there are comments such as, in India and later, Jamaica - and who knows how many other nations - their national anthem is played before EVERY MOVIE.

Elsewhere he sneers that people only do that if they're actually THERE. That you don't do it at home.

Well I do. Not always but usually. When it plays before a game, we stand. When it's late or early and it plays on the TV - I stand.

I don't know how to describe patriotism to someone who doesn't feel it anymore than I can explain how I love my children to someone who doesn't love them. I'm not just proud of my nation, I am grateful to it and grateful to the men and women before me who fought and died for it and who built it. I believe this nation is the best thing that has ever been crafted by people at least, when it comes to a nation.

As I have said before, one of the things about America is, unlike nearly every other nation on Earth - being an American is not at all based on genes or race or ethnicity. It is an idea. I cannot go to Japan or China and become Japanese or Chinese, but anyone can come here and be an American.

 

[herb749]

Just someone else who would be a nobody except for this country. In some he'd be in prison.

 

[Hijinx]

Jon Stewart says playing National Anthem at sports events is a ‘weird ritual’

“Does anyone know when that started, playing the national anthem before games? It’s such a weird ritual,” said Stewart to Cuban during his podcast.

thepostmillennial.com

Interesting that on his Twitter feed, there are comments such as, in India and later, Jamaica - and who knows how many other nations - their national anthem is played before EVERY MOVIE.

Elsewhere he sneers that people only do that if they're actually THERE. That you don't do it at home.

Well I do. Not always but usually. When it plays before a game, we stand. When it's late or early and it plays on the TV - I stand.

I don't know how to describe patriotism to someone who doesn't feel it anymore than I can explain how I love my children to someone who doesn't love them. I'm not just proud of my nation, I am grateful to it and grateful to the men and women before me who fought and died for it and who built it. I believe this nation is the best thing that has ever been crafted by people at least, when it comes to a nation.

As I have said before, one of the things about America is, unlike nearly every other nation on Earth - being an American is not at all based on genes or race or ethnicity. It is an idea. I cannot go to Japan or China and become Japanese or Chinese, but anyone can come here and be an American.

Well you are right and you are wrong.
Anyone can come here and be an American.
And years ago that was their purpose for coming here,
But it seems that so many coming here now want to stay whatever they were. They don't bother to learn to speak English, they want to wear their Burka's and slave scarfs, and they even run fo office in our Government and want to turn our laws into theirs.
I welcome anyone who comes here legally and wants to be American. But when you come here illegally bringing dope and your culture of beating women and abusing them and trying to turn our country into something it is not, you can stay the hell out.

 

[SamSpade]

If you come here - and take the oath - you become an American. But there is certainly the expectation - and a little OBLIGATION - that you will take that oath seriously. If you've met many naturalized citizens - you are unlikely to find someone MORE patriotic. They came here as a willful choice AND took the time to become a citizen.

It is not the mere opportunism that we get from people that are here, illegally. Becoming an American citizen isn't JUST reaping the rewards of freedom and prosperity. It also means you'll abide by its laws and DEFEND it if necessary. THAT'S probably the bigger problem of illegal immigration - that we are welcoming people who have no allegiance to it. I've met more than one who've said if war broke out between their nation of origin and the United States - they'd fight against the United States.

However - it's ok for people from other nations to keep their traditions and religion. They just can't break our laws. That's the blessing - and cost - of freedom. Do as you wish, but respect your fellow citizens AND THEIR freedom. This has happened all through our history here, and it is often met with a degree of animus. The Asians, in the west. The Irish, in the Northeast. And Italians. And Poles. We've had MANY periods where groups of LEGAL immigrants were regarded with a degree of mistrust, because they were viewed as not loyal to AMERICA.

Personally - I can't stress enough for the need for a common LANGUAGE. Immigrants I've known here - many of them INSIST on "only English" AT HOME. One of them was a Chinese family - the father wanted his children to be successful - so he insisted English ONLY at the dinner table. We are, in fact, a melting pot. Go to your grocery, turn on the TV, read a book - it's astonishing how much of other cultures we make as part of our own, regularly. But nothing I can think of will tear us apart more easily, than dividing us along lines of ethnicity and race.

 

[vraiblonde]

The problem with celebrities is that they're incredibly self-absorbed. Therefore people like Jon Stewart think their random musings on various topics are endlessly fascinating - he could listen to himself all day! - and will go on and on with their stoner epiphanies.

I'm pretty sure most red-state 2nd graders could tell you why we stand for the national anthem, and why it's played at sporting events, yet somehow this is a marvel to Jon Stewart and worthy of monologue.

 

[Monello]

However - it's ok for people from other nations to keep their traditions and religion. They just can't break our laws.

This is the rub with muslims. They come here knowing how we operate on a daily basis. Then they get all pissy because the school serves pork in the cafeteria. They want the majority to adjust for the few of them. No pork for anyone. But it just doesn't stop with menus. At work they need a holy roller room where they can kneel & mumble. They get loud and threatening if they see a woman at the beach in a bikini. They see 2 guys holding hands or kissing. Well some muslims have to open fire on an entire night club to rid earth of this plague. Heaven forbid 1 of their daughters interacts with a western infidel. Then it's time for an acid facial or honor killing.

Instead they should go to a nation that already practices this religion and has it's nation's laws rooted in islam. They will be much happier. More importantly people like me will be left in peace. It's a win/win.

But those nations aren't like America. Mostly because they are full of muslims that act a certain way due to their religion and culture.

 

[SamSpade]

This is the rub with muslims. They come here knowing how we operate on a daily basis. Then they get all pissy because the school serves pork in the cafeteria. They want the majority to adjust for the few of them. No pork for anyone. But it just doesn't stop with menus. At work they need a holy roller room where they can kneel & mumble. They get loud and threatening if they see a woman at the beach in a bikini. They see 2 guys holding hands or kissing. Well some muslims have to open fire on an entire night club to rid earth of this plague. Heaven forbid 1 of their daughters interacts with a western infidel. Then it's time for an acid facial or honor killing.

Is it any wonder I equate political zealots with religion? This is what happens when people believe there's only one way for something - one correct viewpoint. One solution. AND - it means some kind of heathen barbarity to think, do or believe anything else.

Now part of that is - they assume YOU must be that way, too. I mean, if you voted for Trump, you MUST be some brainwashed nut who believes his every word are the very oracles of God. That you worship him with some kind of cultic fervor. They got frantic over the idea that Republicans would appoint SCOTUS judges or gain control of Congress - "because they'll overturn Roe v. Wade! Stop them!". Ridiculous. Why do they say it? Because THEY would do it. That's what's been going on all last year - them gaining the thinnest majority in the Senate and trying to force everything through, even planning to get rid of the filibuster to do it.

MUSLIMS are like this. There is no law but Allah's and secular law is anathema (well they don't use that word). Survey after survey confirms Muslims in much of the world would prefer to live by sharia than secular law. The more extreme cannot conceive of our concepts of freedom and tolerance. My brother is like this, in his religion - silence is tacit approval. He missed both of his daughter's weddings - one to a Catholic and one to a Muslim - because he believed his attendance was a betrayal of his religion.

It's actually taken us pretty far to get where we are in this country. The concept of "nativism" in this country centered around Protestant hatred of Catholics - moreover, hatred and bigotry toward Irish, Italian and Polish immigrants. But it also happened WITHIN Protestantism - Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians - all had their petty fights and prejudices.

I don't think this kind of tolerance will appear, with Muslims. While Catholics, Asians, Jews, Hispanics, Blacks all strove for acceptance - Muslims desire none of that.

 

[Gilligan]

I don't think this kind of tolerance will appear, with Muslims. While Catholics, Asians, Jews, Hispanics, Blacks all strove for acceptance - Muslims desire none of that.

They absolutely can't. To do so would be apostasy. It really is that simple.

 

[my-thyme]

When I took my granddaughter to movies at the Pax River theatre, she loved that they play our national anthem. She stood, hand over heart, singing loudly as she could.

Haven't gone there since this flu scare started. I wonder if, at 13, she would still be enthralled with it?

 

[SamSpade]

They absolutely can't. To do so would be apostasy. It really is that simple.

The ONE difference is, I do know some Muslims. Who practice salat. Who do not drink or consume pork.
But they dress like anyone else, and you probably wouldn't know they were Muslim.
They're not incensed by people doing as they believe - sinful things.
They're more like evangelical Christians - they don't like it, but it's not their job to punish - it's God's.

But to many, in the actual Muslim nations. Yep. It's considered disgraceful for an infidel's foot to TOUCH the holy sands of Saudi Arabia.