The Obama "no hand over heart during national anthem"

[timber84]

made it to my email today. Checked snopes. Anyone gotten this email? What has your response been?

[Jane Austin]

1. It looks photoshopped to me.

But I don't know, and I'd like to.

[Rex]

2. Well, that that commie!

[timber84]

5. my sentiments exactly

however I work with some real doozies who actually think this would be an issue.

[racaulk]

3. I think I remember seeing that pic here on DU recently...

[BOSSHOG]

4. I'm very fortunate

I don't get such garbage in my email. Just stuff telling me how to enlarge my penis and get interest free loans and cool stuff like that. Is it possible for your to share that email with us? I'd love to check it out and share a veterans perspective.

[timber84]

7. Here's the link to snopes

they have the pic. BTW way to go Saints on a roll.

[BOSSHOG]

12. God Love em

they must have gotten up on the right side of the voodoo grave yard the past four weeks. Playoff bound I do believe.

Am I missing the link?

[timber84]

15. sorry

http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/anthem.asp

Hope they knock the Carolina "puusycats" out of the race.

[Ishoutandscream2]

6. Wow, is that all they have?

Unreal.

[UrbScotty]

23. If it is, then he must be good (nt)

[kskiska]

8. Was it really the national anthem?

Could have been America the Beautiful, God Bless America, or some other popular song. A still picture can be misleading, too. It only takes a fraction of a second to snap a picture before the music begins.

[timber84]

10. link at snpoes has a video portion sounds like the

national anthem to me.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/anthem.asp

[unpossibles]

9. it's true but it's also a stupid non-issue

there is no reason to put your hand on your heart with your back to the flag for the national anthem. While people in uniform (firemen, police, soldiers boy scouts, etc.) often salute the Star Spangled Banner, civilians are not required to do so.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Star-Spangled_Banner#Protocol

[rurallib]

11. I got it the other day

Sent the mailer a long "so what?". Leadership is not defined by symbolism or slogans but by actions.
Sadly much of America does not get this.
The email I got also had large emphasis on Obama's middle name "Hussein". Maybe his parents should have named him John Smith?

[Az]

13. It may be a reaction to the singer

Did anyone listen to this rendition? It makes Rosanne Barr's version seem ok by comparison. http://s166.photobucket.com/albums/u90/snopesbinary/Politics/?action=view¤t=abc_obama_anthem_071022a.flv

[kskiska]

14. Did George Bush deface the American flag?

The Associated Press caught Bush defacing American flags in 2003. The Democrats need to offer an amendment to the "flag burning amendment" that says that writing on the flag is also illegal. Then let the Republicans decide if they're going to vote that George Bush defaced the flag, or whether they're going to defend defacing the flag. Either way, it will make for good theater. I see massive cardboard displays on the Senate floor with this picture blown up really large.

http://www.americablog.com/2006/06/did-george-bush-deface-american-flags.html

[Blashyrkh]

21. It's already illegal.

http://www.access.gpo.gov/uscode/title4/chapter1_.html

Sec. 8. Respect for flag

No disrespect should be shown to the flag of the United States of
America; the flag should not be dipped to any person or thing.
Regimental colors, State flags, and organization or institutional flags
are to be dipped as a mark of honor.
(a) The flag should never be displayed with the union down, except
as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or
property.
(b) The flag should never touch anything beneath it, such as the
ground, the floor, water, or merchandise.
(c) The flag should never be carried flat or horizontally, but
always aloft and free.
(d) The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or
drapery. It should never be festooned, drawn back, nor up, in folds, but
always allowed to fall free. Bunting of blue, white, and red, always
arranged with the blue above, the white in the middle, and the red
below, should be used for covering a speaker's desk, draping the front
of the platform, and for decoration in general.
(e) The flag should never be fastened, displayed, used, or stored in
such a manner as to permit it to be easily torn, soiled, or damaged in
any way.
(f) The flag should never be used as a covering for a ceiling.
(g) The flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of
it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design,
picture, or drawing of any nature.
(h) The flag should never be used as a receptacle for receiving,
holding, carrying, or delivering anything.
(i) The flag should never be used for advertising purposes in any
manner whatsoever. It should not be embroidered on such articles as
cushions or handkerchiefs and the like, printed or otherwise impressed
on paper napkins or boxes or anything that is designed for temporary use
and discard. Advertising signs should not be fastened to a staff or
halyard from which the flag is flown.
(j) No part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or athletic
uniform. However, a flag patch may be affixed to the uniform of military
personnel, firemen, policemen, and members of patriotic organizations.
The flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living
thing. Therefore, the lapel flag pin being a replica, should be worn on
the left lapel near the heart.
(k) The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a
fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way,
preferably by burning.

[Rude Horner]

16. Personally,...

the morons in this country get upset about the dumbest things. *gasp* "He didn't put his hand on his heart during the National Anthem" Pffft Whatever. With all the shit going on in this country, to be angry about something so stupid is just beyond me.

Stupid, idiotic rituals are a waste of time. Hand on heart. The flag not touching the ground. Taking your hat off at the dinner table. It's just people being sheep.

When it comes right down to it, what's the difference between the hand on the heart and a nazi salute? They're both just hand gestures and, when you really think about it, neither one of them mean a damn thing. It's the policies that matter. It's the laws and the character of a Nation that matter. Not some stupid symbolic gestures.

[kskiska]

20. Here's how we used to salute the flag

[yardwork]

17. This may be the single stupidest thing I've seen on the internets this month.

How anyone could promulgate this kind of garbage with a straight face is beyond me. No amount of bribery would be enough.

[Journeyman]

18. I haven't pledged allegiance to the flag or done more than stand for anthem. . .

since I pledged to support and defend the Constitution when I was inducted into military service in the early '70s.

I don't know anything about this treatment of Obama, but the way I figure it, once you pledge yourself to something, if you truly mean it, you need never do it again. In fact, to do so -- to engage in what I call the "doctrine of continual reaffirmation" -- is to make a mockery of your original vow, as only a meaningless pledge needs constant updating. I affirmed my commitment to the Constitution as a young man. If I ever change my mind, I'll renounce my pledge. Until then, I'll consider it my word, freely given. Any attempt to make me renew it simply insults me and casts aspersions on my honor.

I don't believe this addresses your concern, but it's the attitude I wish prevailed in the nation.




Joseph Heller has a remarkable take on this whole issue in the chapter titled "Captain Black" in his novel, Catch-22.

[Ferry Fey]

24. That's a great reason, Journeyman

I haven't heard anyone say what you just said before, and it makes a great deal of sense. I'm bookmarking it.

It would be like rotely and mechanically reciting your marriage vows every night, or lining up your kids before they go off to school and making them all say they love you. If they can't trust you to keep your pledge quietly, what's mumbling it going to mean?

[Journeyman]

26. I like that. . .

If they can't trust you to keep your pledge quietly, what's mumbling it going to mean?

Indeed.

[Benhurst]

19. Send them this one:

Now there's a salute for you!

[msongs]

22. not required in any way nt

[hedgehog]

25. That doesn't make any sense at all. Everyone knows that all the

swift boaters have totally targeted Senator Clinton!