American Anthem Etiquette

[AlphaDog]

[quote rgG]Here is a link I found that spells out the etiquette.

http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/36/301.html
Right, and that's the one many feel is outdated, because of the reference to the headdress.

[rgG]

[quote AlphaDog][quote rgG]Here is a link I found that spells out the etiquette.

http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/36/301.html
Right, and that's the one many feel is outdated, because of the reference to the headdress.
Why would people object to men being told to take off their hats? Do they feel that the word headdress needs to be changed to hat or that men should keep their hats on? A little tradition as a show of respect is not, IMHO, a bad thing.

[Gutenberg]

At the ballpark the announcer asks men to remove their hats during the anthem. I always thought it was silly that he doesn't ask everyone to remove their hats, since men and women alike are wearing baseball caps, equally essential to their outfits. I always remove my cap.

Of course it annoys the rest of the country when we shout "O!" for Orioles, but that's their problem. We do it before Ravens games too for some reason.

This is in the town where the national anthem was written, after its citizens drove the British back down the Chesapeake Bay after Washington rolled over and let the Brits stroll through, torching everything in their path.

[AlphaDog]

[quote rgG]Why would people object to men being told to take off their hats? Do they feel that the word headdress needs to be changed to hat or that men should keep their hats on? A little tradition as a show of respect is not, IMHO, a bad thing.
I don't know! I just looked it up, and that's the first hit I got that addressed both the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem.

But, I didn't actually read into it that there was an objection on the issue of removing "headdresses," simply that the custom of placing one's hand over one's heart during the playing of the anthem was no longer being observed much. Plus, the placing of one's hand over the heart applied to a show of respect for the flag itself, not to the anthem. Ergo, if the anthem is played but the flag not displayed... On the other hand, I believe custom dictates the hand be held over the heart during the Pledge, because people are truly "pledging" to the flag - no flag, no pledge.

[graylocks]

flag code? the US has a flag code?

edited for pre-morning coffee snarkiness...

[comaplate]

[quote Gutenberg]
Of course it annoys the rest of the country when we shout "O!" for Orioles, but that's their problem. We do it before Ravens games too for some reason.
I wouldn't sweat it - when you're 18 games back in the division, the rest of the country gives you a free pass on things like that...

[Mike Johnson]

I was taught not to place my hand over my heart, that being reserved for the pledge. It was taught that way both in school and in Cub Scouts. Until recently, I was bothered when I saw people putting their hands over their hearts during the Anthem.

[Gutenberg]

I kept hoping that Michael Phelps would make a little silent "O" during the anthem, just as a hello to his hometown, but he never did. He had plenty of chances.

[SDGuy]

[quote Mike Johnson]I was taught not to place my hand over my heart, that being reserved for the pledge. It was taught that way both in school and in Cub Scouts. Until recently, I was bothered when I saw people putting their hands over their hearts during the Anthem.
"(b) Conduct During Playing. - During a rendition of the national
anthem -
(1) when the flag is displayed -
(A) all present except those in uniform should stand at
attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart;
(B ) men not in uniform should remove their headdress with
their right hand and hold the headdress at the left shoulder,
the hand being over the heart; and
© individuals in uniform should give the military salute at
the first note of the anthem and maintain that position until
the last note; and

(2) when the flag is not displayed, all present should face
toward the music and act in the same manner they would if the
flag were displayed."

Well, this has been on the books at least since July 7, 1976, or as early as June 22, 1942 (I'm too lazy to look up the sources referenced):
http://uscode.house.gov/download/pls/36C3.txt

[norse]

I suppose many were not taught. However, when the camera is on "you/them" for all nations to see, you think they would.