Sing anthem in English: Bush
ALEC RUSSELL
Washington, April 29: President George W Bush led American conservatives in condemning a new Spanish version of America’s national anthem and declared that Latino immigrants should learn the English version.
“One of the important things here is that we not lose our national soul,” the President said at a press briefing.
“I think the national anthem ought to be sung in English, and I think people who want to be a citizen of this country ought to learn English and they ought to learn to sing the national anthem in English.”
His comments came after a new Spanish version of the Star Spangled Banner was published, triggering a furious backlash from American conservatives who see it as a paean to illegal immigration.
Recorded by a host of Latino pop stars, Nuestro Himno, (Our Anthem), hit the airwaves yesterday on Hispanic radio and television stations.
Adam Kidron, the British music producer who came up with the idea, said he saw the new version as an ode to the millions of Latinos seeking a new life in America.
But with tensions over illegal immigration at their worst in years, the song has raised hackles. Dubbed The Illegal Alien Anthem by conservative bloggers, it has been hailed as proof that the wave of immigrants pouring in from Latin America have no interest in becoming Americans.
“This is evoking spirited revulsion on the part of fair-minded Americans,” said John Teeley from the Centre for Immigration Studies, a Washington think-tank that backs tighter immigration controls.
“You are talking about something sacred and iconic in the American culture. Just as we wouldn’t expect people to change the colours of the national flag we wouldn’t expect people to fundamentally change the anthem and rewrite it in a foreign language.”
Nuestro Himno keeps the familiar melody and structure of the original but the rhythms are drawn from Latinpop and many of the verses have been rewritten, with some of the original references to war softened or removed.
It was recorded to be ready for this week’s debate in Congress over immigration, which is shaping up as the big political battle of the year. The pop stars, including Gloria Trevi, the “Madonna of Mexico”, said it was meant to be an anthem of solidarity for the millions who have marched in recent weeks demonstrating against immigration laws.
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
http://www.telegraphindia.com/archives/archive.html
ALEC RUSSELL
Washington, April 29: President George W Bush led American conservatives in condemning a new Spanish version of America’s national anthem and declared that Latino immigrants should learn the English version.
“One of the important things here is that we not lose our national soul,” the President said at a press briefing.
“I think the national anthem ought to be sung in English, and I think people who want to be a citizen of this country ought to learn English and they ought to learn to sing the national anthem in English.”
His comments came after a new Spanish version of the Star Spangled Banner was published, triggering a furious backlash from American conservatives who see it as a paean to illegal immigration.
Recorded by a host of Latino pop stars, Nuestro Himno, (Our Anthem), hit the airwaves yesterday on Hispanic radio and television stations.
Adam Kidron, the British music producer who came up with the idea, said he saw the new version as an ode to the millions of Latinos seeking a new life in America.
But with tensions over illegal immigration at their worst in years, the song has raised hackles. Dubbed The Illegal Alien Anthem by conservative bloggers, it has been hailed as proof that the wave of immigrants pouring in from Latin America have no interest in becoming Americans.
“This is evoking spirited revulsion on the part of fair-minded Americans,” said John Teeley from the Centre for Immigration Studies, a Washington think-tank that backs tighter immigration controls.
“You are talking about something sacred and iconic in the American culture. Just as we wouldn’t expect people to change the colours of the national flag we wouldn’t expect people to fundamentally change the anthem and rewrite it in a foreign language.”
Nuestro Himno keeps the familiar melody and structure of the original but the rhythms are drawn from Latinpop and many of the verses have been rewritten, with some of the original references to war softened or removed.
It was recorded to be ready for this week’s debate in Congress over immigration, which is shaping up as the big political battle of the year. The pop stars, including Gloria Trevi, the “Madonna of Mexico”, said it was meant to be an anthem of solidarity for the millions who have marched in recent weeks demonstrating against immigration laws.
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
http://www.telegraphindia.com/archives/archive.html
Why should one become so weirdly innovative and start singing in a anguage that he wishes to sing in? It not a song. It is an anthem!
There is a lot of difference between the two!
Next, one would be rapping the anthem!
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