So... They really changed the words to the Canadian National Anthem?

[2014olympicgold]

However, if your defense of "tradition" is routed in something offensive, at some point, it needs to be considered. Slavery, beating your wife and children, women not being able to vote, the offensive team name "Redskins", have all been defended in the name of tradition, and it's wrong. While gender might not matter to you, it DOES matter to some, and that needs to be taken into consideration.

Anybody who claims that the line "in all thy sons command" is a tribute to the Canadian dead of WWI and WWII needs to realize that Canadian women died in those wars, too. They deserve the nation's respect as much as the men do.

Rylant

I don’t want to sound like I’m stuck in a time-warp but Women in WW1 were generally staying in Canada, and few went as nurses (something like 3000 served as nurses overseas AND in Canada) and under 50 died in WW1. If you can count the body total to the person (I know they have, 46? 48?) it’s not a big number. So I understand the “sons” being the word used.

But it could very well not be used to honour soldiers. I was just told this and haven’t done any research on it really.


But again, I don’t mind the change that is the sons command one. What the JA did was terrible. Anthem aside, he put his needs over his bands. Imagine the uproar if this was the Stars Spangled Banner? Omg he’d be dead.

[yougo]

I don't really care about the Anthem, nor do I think they should be sung before a sporting event. It has absolutely no place whatsoever. A Habs vs Rangers games is a sporting joust between athletes being paid by billionaires. It has nothing to do with citizenship/politcs and it needs to disappeared.

We wouldn't be having this discussion also if Anthem singing was forbidden.

[2014olympicgold]

I don't really care about the Anthem, nor do I think they should be sung before a sporting event. It has absolutely no place whatsoever. A Habs vs Rangers games is a sporting joust between athletes being paid by billionaires. It has nothing to do with citizenship/politcs and it needs to disappeared.

We wouldn't be having this discussion also if Anthem singing was forbidden.

We wouldn’t be having a lot of discussions if things were forbidden. . .

[yougo]

We wouldn’t be having a lot of discussions if things were forbidden. . .

Well yeah we would..... We'd ask why such thing is forbidden

[newfcollins]

Besides sporting events when does it ever get sung? Just curious because I cannot remember when it is ever sung besides sporting events and back in elementary school...

I wouldn't know the anthem if it wasn't for hockey games. It was never played in my elementary or high school, except at concerts.

Maybe that's a good reason for playing it before games. Just so people learn the words.

[agentzero]

We should just go with the French version. From what I know and can tell, it is less offensive and is in fact the original...


That lone wolf tenor is an idiot. He will be in fact just that, alone...

[havanablast21]

We should just go with the French version. From what I know and can tell, it is less offensive and is in fact the original...


That lone wolf tenor is an idiot. He will be in fact just that, alone...

Someone will always find something to be offended by it. See my "stand on guard" comment!

[Loch]

The funny thing is... O Canada officially became the national anthem in 1980. I reckon the not changing something because of tradition should not apply to things younger than me.

(that said, the song is much older, and as agentzero said, the Franch version appears to be the original)

[2014olympicgold]

Well yeah we would..... We'd ask why such thing is forbidden

Good point haha. But I feel like this would be a subject that wouldn’t be talked about lol. It’s quite meaningless in sports. I don’t mind it mostly just cause it’s at least my anthem, but I wouldn’t care for the anthem during hockey if I was Swedish, Russian, or whatever.

[agentzero]

Someone will always find something to be offended by it. See my "stand on guard" comment!

Probably the sword and cross/faith parts.... I can see some not wanting that in there... The rest is about ancestors, history, flowers, homes and rights... If people are offended by flowers, homes and rights... yeesh.....

[bondon]

The funny thing is... O Canada officially became the national anthem in 1980. I reckon the not changing something because of tradition should not apply to things younger than me.

(that said, the song is much older, and as agentzero said, the Franch version appears to be the original)

You're older than I thought you were.

Trying to decide if I just complimented you or insulted you.

[havanablast21]

You're older than I thought you were.

Trying to decide if I just complimented you or insulted you.

Daaaaaammmnnnn! That post reeks of Ageism! Comeon Bondon!

[Loch]

You're older than I thought you were.

Trying to decide if I just complimented you or insulted you.

I get that a lot... part of it is youthful genetics and part of it is a studied disregard for any semblance of maturity.

[Instant Karma]

I still can't believe people get offended at the National Anthem being changed.

Besides sporting events when does it ever get sung? Just curious because I cannot remember when it is ever sung besides sporting events and back in elementary school...

Anyway though, I didn't even know what a The Tenors (or The Canadian Tenors) was until now. What a doofus. Band career TORPEDO'd!

Because it's the National Anthem, not some pop standard. If you think that it is only performed at sporting events, that's because those are the only events that you happen to hear it.

[iwinthings]

Because it's the National Anthem, not some pop standard. If you think that it is only performed at sporting events, that's because those are the only events that you happen to hear it.

I guess maybe the local legion like to sing it before beer? I am having a hard time coming up with many non-sporting events that it is played at.

Graduation ceremonies. Parades. I am sure there are others that I am missing.

It's a personal preference thing though, like I said before. To some people this stuff is really important - national pride and PC language. To others, we don't give a crap. As long as both sides can respect that each side cares differently about different things then there should be no issues here.

Black Lives Matter, Changing the anthem, Marching in a Gay Pride Parade - the list of things that people are really passionate about goes on. To expect everyone else to get as passionate about these specific things as you are (I say you in the generic sense, not you specifically here) is really self-centered and silly in my opinion.