#TakeAKnee

[Nearly Sane]

Interesting article on the #TakeAKnee protest and Colin Kaepernick. As someone who doesn't stand during the National Anthem as I see it as mere flummery, I find the whole idea that this is disrespectful odd.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/american-football/41530732

[Gordon]

Me too; it has always seemed to me that the Americans have an almost twee-like attachment to their national anthem and flag.

I once went to a baseball game (in Clearwater) and was amazed when before the game started someone came on to the pitch (or whatever they call it) and screeched the national anthem while the (presumably) US natives in the crowd all held their hands over their hearts.

I didn't know whether to laugh or cringe, so decided to do both. 

[floo]

I am glad that on the whole Brits aren't as wrapped around in our flag and patriotic fervour as the Americans appear to be.

[Harrowby Hall]

And children, daily, at school, are required to pledge loyalty to the flag - is that not so?

[Nearly Sane]

And children, daily, at school, are required to pledge loyalty to the flag - is that not so?

Not quite

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pledge_of_Allegiance_(United_States)

[jeremyp]

This morning on my facebook feed the following appeared.

If you are forced to stand while everybody sings a song, it's not the Land of the Free. If you don't have the guts to take a knee in protest while everybody is singing a song, it's not the Home of the Brave.

By the way, this standing during the National Anthem before a football game is actually a fairly recent thing. It used to be that they either didn't have the national anthem (why would you, we don't at Premier League matches) or the teams didn't come out until after it had been sung. The thing was started at the request of the US Veterans Association as a means of raising awareness of the plight of US armed forces veterans. This is why people like True p are claiming taking a knee disrespects the military.

[Udayana]

American patriotism is drummed into American children right from their start in school.

Surely it is one of the strategies adopted to try and build a single nation out of many from disparate origins?

[floo]

American patriotism is drummed into American children right from their start in school.

Surely it is one of the strategies adopted to try and build a single nation out of many from disparate origins?

How awful. A person should be able to look at their country objectively, warts and all.

[Rhiannon]

I had a teacher at infant school who has us singing Rule Britannia and There'll Always Be An England every day. I look back on it with mild bemusement.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

I had a teacher at infant school who has us singing Rule Britannia and There'll Always Be An England every day. I look back on it with mild bemusement.

We had to sing Dainty Wee Daisy. The world would be a much better place if World leaders sang it every morning.

[floo]

We had to sing Dainty Wee Daisy. The world would be a much better place if World leaders sang it every morning.

I have never heard of that one.

[Harrowby Hall]

Dainty Wee Daisy
Woke up with the sun.
“Up,” said the Birdie,
“Morning’s begun.”

Pretty Wee Daisy
Lifted her head.
“I am so thirsty,
Birdie,” she said.

Dainty Wee Daisy
Saw the shy frown,
Heard little raindrops
Hurrying down.

Grateful Wee Daisy
Looked down from the sod,
Said in a whisper,
“Thank you, Dear God.”

[Shaker]

It's as though it was written for you, Vlad 

[floo]

Dainty Wee Daisy
Woke up with the sun.
“Up,” said the Birdie,
“Morning’s begun.”

Pretty Wee Daisy
Lifted her head.
“I am so thirsty,
Birdie,” she said.

Dainty Wee Daisy
Saw the shy frown,
Heard little raindrops
Hurrying down.

Grateful Wee Daisy
Looked down from the sod,
Said in a whisper,
“Thank you, Dear God.”

Funny that I never came across that one, as nursery rhymes were a feature of childhood when I was small.

[jeremyp]

Funny that I never came across that one

Neither did I and, reading the lyrics, that is a fact for which I am grateful.

[Harrowby Hall]

I have never heard of it before today. The lyric was easy to fine, the melody not. It does not appear in YouTube - except for a reference to a 2 hour+ collection of nursery songs. Since my (what I presume to be) sanity is precious to me I chose not to subject myself to mental torture.

I think that - because he brought it to our attention - Vlad should record it and then put it on YouTube. The artistic and cultural experience may result in us re-evaluating Vlad's contributions to this forum.