Black National Anthem?? What in the world...

[Baron1710]

Originally Posted by tstew

Interesting thread. Somebody suggested perspective from some black folk...so here goes....
I honestly find some of the historic symbols of patriotism a little ironic at best and somewhat disingenuous at worst. Can you imagine hearing some of the beautiful lyrics about freedom and liberty and God-given rights while at the same time recognizing that this was penned, quoted, and sang at a time when slavery was embraced based on color.
"O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave" just seems ironic. I'm not even sure how one could say "With liberty and justice for all" with a straight face given the reality of the time.
Without question there were also evil Africans who participated in the slave trade. I guess one of the differences for me is that they were not claiming to be a "Christian" nation with Christ-like ideals. They were not saying and writing the same kinds of things about about "all men being created equal" and certain Jehovah God-given rights. They were not claiming to be people of prayer and people who knew God.
I don't believe the lady meant to be disrespectful, but she may have been misguided in her efforts. It just seems to me that the races hold the traditional symbols at different levels of sacredness.

Actually when Jefferson penned those words he also included abolition of slavery, it just wouldn't carry the day and it was scratched. Also those were the very words that MLK referred to when trying to bring an end to segregation.