What Are You Doing During Our National Anthem?

Now before I begin this rant, you have to remember I am probably the least political man you will ever meet, so take that for what it's worth. This problem I have noticed has went on for sometime, but hit it's boiling point with me this Saturday night. Think for a second when the last time you heard the National Anthem at an event. What were you doing while it was being sung/played? What should we be doing?

While I was growing up my dad taught me a lot of lessons, like most fathers do, but there are some that stick out in my head more than others. One of those lessons was when I was a youngster walking around the Greeley Stampede wearing my cowboy hat proudly. We were just wandering, looking around when my dad (who may be the only person I know who is less political than me) stopped, took his hat off and put his hand on his heart. He told me to do the same. After the "Star Spangled Banner" finished playing on a stage we couldn't even see, he explained to me that he didn't care where I was, who I was with, or what I was doing, if I heard that song I was to stop and do as we had just done.

Now, it seems more and more you have people who don't take their hats off, don't put their hands on their hearts, and frankly don't care that our National Anthem is playing. It was never more evident for me than when I was watching a football game on TV the other night. Players from both teams were still stretching, helmets still on, and giving me the impression of their general disrespect.

Are we that lazy that we cant lift our right hand up and put it on our heart? Sure standing there with your hands behind your back is better than completely ignoring that the National Anthem is playing, but it's not hard to remove the cap and cover the heart like we were taught in grade school.

You may not agree with everything this country is doing or is involved in, but remember what that song signifies. Since it was written in 1814, all the people who have respected it. All the people who fought to keep us the land of the free and the home of the brave under those words. Through all the bombs that have bursted through air, our flag is still there after all these years. Remember that you are apart of something special by being a citizen of the United States, don't take that for granted, and please respect our song.

If you know someone, or maybe you are the person, who has started to get lazy when it comes to respect during the National Anthem, take the time to remind them what that song means. Let's start doing like my dad said, when you hear that song it doesn't matter who you are, who you are with, or what you are doing, take the time to stop, remove your hat and put your right hand on your heart.

Thank you!

Faith Hill performs the "Star Spangled Banner" at the 2000 Super Bowl