Racing & Red, White & Blue Arnie Frye I could write another article about the racing this weekend. I could tell you all about how well the DEI drivers did last weekend. I could also tell you about how Matt Kenseth won the race but you know all of that. I have something on my mind that we as race fans and Americans should all be thinking about. There is something going on at almost every sports event in this country that was meant to be a celebration and has turned into something else. I am not sure what it has become. I am talking about our National Anthem. About the only place we hear it any more is at a sports event. That is a shame. It should be sung everywhere. It should be sung in our schools and many other places a cross our land. There is nothing wrong with it being sung at a sports event. It's great that is sung there; it's the way people have chosen to sing it that is wrong. They do not respect enough to sing it like it was written. Ladies and gentlemen this song is a very important salute to our country. It is a salute to the men and women that have protected it and continue to protect it with their lives. All over the world it is a symbol of our freedom. It is a symbol of everything that makes this country great. Maybe this seems old fashioned to some of you. If it does then you have a problem. You don't understand what the tribute means. Maybe you don't even know what the flag stands for. Did you know that the flag started out with 13 stripes and 13 stars? It did and they stood for the 13 colonies that this country came from. As the country grew the flags changed. More stars were added to represent the states of our country. It still has the 13 stripes for the original colonies and now has 50 stars for the 50 states. This flag has meant freedom to many people all over this world. Some of those were people that came to this country from all parts of the world to have the freedoms we enjoy. Some enjoy parts of the freedoms we have because our men and women helped them through wars to get them. Do you think that England, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain always had the freedoms they have now? At times when I hear the way people sing the National Anthem I just want to cry. It is almost and/or sometimes is disrespectful. It seems like they have no idea what the flag or the song means. I get the feeling that some of these, want a be singers, think that singing the National Anthem is their way of making it. Guess what it shows that they do not respect the flag, the country or the men and women that have given their all for it. I wonder if the ones that mess with the notes or the rhythm of this sacred song has any idea how many people around the world would give anything to live under this flag? Many countries around the world have tried to copy it and what it stands for but can't. My feelings for the Flag and the Anthem are very strong. I respect it and what it stands for. I respect the men and women that protect it every day. All around this world they have their lives on the line for you, the Flag and me. Do you have any idea where all that flag has been. It flew over Atlanta when Grant marched through. It flew over Pearl Harbor and does yet today. It was at the Battle of the Bulge, at Pork Chop Hill, at Saigon and at Kuwait City. This is just a few of the places this flag has been. It is currently flying on the moon. It is also in Afghanistan, the Philippines and Bosnia. It flies over ships on all the oceans of the world. It flies over the capital of the state and the federal governments. It flies at all federal buildings around the world. With this beautiful symbol is a message. For me and to millions of others it is a very serious message of freedom. So when you sing the song don't mess with it. It's not yours to change. It is yours to honor and share with others around the country and the world. If you call yourself a singer than you should feel very special and honored that you have been asked to sing this song. Respect it for what it is. Leave it alone and sing it right. If you feel that you are so big that you can change it than just refuse to sing it. Let someone that knows and understands what it means sing it. Let someone that respects it and our country sing it. If you change it we all know that you have no respect for this wonderful banner or this country. Maybe you don't agree with me on this. The reason you can say it out loud and in public is that Flag. That is just one of the freedoms it represents. Respect it. Your taking and changing the notes and the rhythm is what the Flag stands for. That is another freedom. You also have the right to disagree with the government and tell everyone on earth about it. The Flag represents that too. The next time you have the job of picking someone to sing it or you are given the privilege to sing it. Think what it means and what it stands for. Think about all the men and women that have and will give their life for it. Think about where it has been and where it is. If you think you still need to change our National Anthem than do the rest of us a favor. Stop and refuse to sing it at all. We all would rather hear that anyway. Now while you are at it recite these words that I write here now: I Pledge Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One Nation under God, Indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all. Do you know what these words are? I dare say some don't. It is a shame that we allow our young to grow up in this country not knowing this and respecting it. It is the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. Maybe you have never recited it before but do it now and let our school children recite it! Do it now before it is too late. Remember 9/11 ? Recite it now and then sing Our National Anthem the way it is suppose to be sung. I hope it makes you proud to be an American and proud of the FLAG. If you hear someone sing the National Anthem and they don't do it right send them a note telling them they are wrong. Remind them the next American that dies for that FLAG could be their brother or sister or even them. God Bless America! Editors note: Links to Star Spangled Banner writing history |
Dale Jr's Brew Crew Site |
Racing & Red, White & Blue Arnie Frye I could write another article about the racing this weekend. I could tell you all about how well the DEI drivers did last weekend. I could also tell you about how Matt Kenseth won the race but you know all of that. I have something on my mind that we as race fans and Americans should all be thinking about. There is something going on at almost every sports event in this country that was meant to be a celebration and has turned into something else. I am not sure what it has become. I am talking about our National Anthem. About the only place we hear it any more is at a sports event. That is a shame. It should be sung everywhere. It should be sung in our schools and many other places a cross our land. There is nothing wrong with it being sung at a sports event. It's great that is sung there; it's the way people have chosen to sing it that is wrong. They do not respect enough to sing it like it was written. Ladies and gentlemen this song is a very important salute to our country. It is a salute to the men and women that have protected it and continue to protect it with their lives. All over the world it is a symbol of our freedom. It is a symbol of everything that makes this country great. Maybe this seems old fashioned to some of you. If it does then you have a problem. You don't understand what the tribute means. Maybe you don't even know what the flag stands for. Did you know that the flag started out with 13 stripes and 13 stars? It did and they stood for the 13 colonies that this country came from. As the country grew the flags changed. More stars were added to represent the states of our country. It still has the 13 stripes for the original colonies and now has 50 stars for the 50 states. This flag has meant freedom to many people all over this world. Some of those were people that came to this country from all parts of the world to have the freedoms we enjoy. Some enjoy parts of the freedoms we have because our men and women helped them through wars to get them. Do you think that England, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain always had the freedoms they have now? At times when I hear the way people sing the National Anthem I just want to cry. It is almost and/or sometimes is disrespectful. It seems like they have no idea what the flag or the song means. I get the feeling that some of these, want a be singers, think that singing the National Anthem is their way of making it. Guess what it shows that they do not respect the flag, the country or the men and women that have given their all for it. I wonder if the ones that mess with the notes or the rhythm of this sacred song has any idea how many people around the world would give anything to live under this flag? Many countries around the world have tried to copy it and what it stands for but can't. My feelings for the Flag and the Anthem are very strong. I respect it and what it stands for. I respect the men and women that protect it every day. All around this world they have their lives on the line for you, the Flag and me. Do you have any idea where all that flag has been. It flew over Atlanta when Grant marched through. It flew over Pearl Harbor and does yet today. It was at the Battle of the Bulge, at Pork Chop Hill, at Saigon and at Kuwait City. This is just a few of the places this flag has been. It is currently flying on the moon. It is also in Afghanistan, the Philippines and Bosnia. It flies over ships on all the oceans of the world. It flies over the capital of the state and the federal governments. It flies at all federal buildings around the world. With this beautiful symbol is a message. For me and to millions of others it is a very serious message of freedom. So when you sing the song don't mess with it. It's not yours to change. It is yours to honor and share with others around the country and the world. If you call yourself a singer than you should feel very special and honored that you have been asked to sing this song. Respect it for what it is. Leave it alone and sing it right. If you feel that you are so big that you can change it than just refuse to sing it. Let someone that knows and understands what it means sing it. Let someone that respects it and our country sing it. If you change it we all know that you have no respect for this wonderful banner or this country. Maybe you don't agree with me on this. The reason you can say it out loud and in public is that Flag. That is just one of the freedoms it represents. Respect it. Your taking and changing the notes and the rhythm is what the Flag stands for. That is another freedom. You also have the right to disagree with the government and tell everyone on earth about it. The Flag represents that too. The next time you have the job of picking someone to sing it or you are given the privilege to sing it. Think what it means and what it stands for. Think about all the men and women that have and will give their life for it. Think about where it has been and where it is. If you think you still need to change our National Anthem than do the rest of us a favor. Stop and refuse to sing it at all. We all would rather hear that anyway. Now while you are at it recite these words that I write here now: I Pledge Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One Nation under God, Indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all. Do you know what these words are? I dare say some don't. It is a shame that we allow our young to grow up in this country not knowing this and respecting it. It is the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. Maybe you have never recited it before but do it now and let our school children recite it! Do it now before it is too late. Remember 9/11 ? Recite it now and then sing Our National Anthem the way it is suppose to be sung. I hope it makes you proud to be an American and proud of the FLAG. If you hear someone sing the National Anthem and they don't do it right send them a note telling them they are wrong. Remind them the next American that dies for that FLAG could be their brother or sister or even them. God Bless America! Editors note: Links to Star Spangled Banner writing history |
Please welcome Arnie Frye, our newest Brew Crew writer who is a former TV reporter, mechanic and driver. He and wife, Elizabeth, attend as many races as possible and their main concern is driver safety. |
There really IS a Star Spangled Banner |
