State Lawmaker Proposes Bill Making it Illegal to Sing National Anthem Incorrectly
- Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:03pm by
Madeleine Morgenstern
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An Indiana state lawmaker has introduced a bill that would set specific “performance standards” for singing the national anthem.
State Sen. Vaneta Becker’s legislation would affect all renditions of “The Star-Spangled Banner” performed at any event sponsored by public schools or state universities, the Indianapolis Star reported. Performers would have to sign a contract agreeing to follow certain lyrical and melodic guidelines, and would be fined $25 if they failed to meet the appropriate standards.
Indiana state Sen. Vaneta Becker (R)
According to the Star, Becker‘s bill doesn’t lay out what is considered “acceptable” — instead, those guidelines would be determined by the state’s Department of Education
Becker, a Republican, told the newspaper she would expect the guidelines to require the anthem be sung with the usual lyrics to the traditional melody: “The way that we normally have it sung or heard throughout most of our state and our country.”
She said she wrote the bill after a constituent complained about a school program in which the anthem was parodied in a way the constituent thought was disrespectful. Becker told the Star said she herself has heard parody versions of the national anthem on TV.
“Sometimes it’s just done in a joking manner,” she told the newspaper. “But I don’t think the national anthem is something we ought to be joking around with.”
She insisted she only wants to punish those who make intentional changes — not people who can’t carry a tune.
If passed, the bill would require schools to maintain audio recordings of all national anthem performances for two years and to develop a procedure for dealing with complaints if a performer is accused of straying from the approved guidelines, the Star reported.
Other states already have laws on the books dealing with “The Star-Spangled Banner”: In Massachusetts, it’s illegal to play the anthem as dance music, an exit march or part of a medley, punishable by a $100 fine. In Michigan, a similar law can earn violators a misdemeanor.
David Orentlicher, a professor of constitutional law at Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, told the Star that setting standards for singing the national anthem in schools is probably not a constitutional violation.
Still, Kenneth Falk, legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana, told the newspaper he thinks it’s a question of priorities.
“I’m not quite sure why, from a public policy standpoint, the General Assembly wants to be involved in specifying how any song should be sung,” he said. “I don‘t think it’s going to help us with our math and science.”
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Comments (166)
Dosrios
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:45pmI HATE when the Anthem is ni**erized.
This country has descended into the gutter when the National Anthem is sung like a goddam rap song. People ought to come out of the stands and square away a puke who does that.
Report Post »Lather
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:50pmLike Hendrix?
Report Post »Nationalism is GROSS! None of my kids Pledge allegiance to a flag, We have a higher pledge already made. Only a foll dies for a flag a hero dies for peace.
Lather
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:55pm*Fool
Report Post »Lather
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:56pmRacist Pig!
Report Post »Steelhead
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:57pm- why bring race into this argument, unless
Report Post »mrsalvage2
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 4:20pmI do not know DosRios, so I cannot say that he is a Racist.
See, right here at this location: http://youtu.be/zRwK_XVfm0I you will see a Black Man, Chris Rock delineating between two classes of one general Race.
So perhaps DosRios is making a statement of Class and Culture?
There are some who demand ‘Low Class or No Class!’ who seek the debauching of any and everything that ayone may hold dear.
Some do these things out of being iconoclastic, for a noble reason.
Others are just riotous revelers who seek blood, fun, and illlgotten goods.
Some could call me Trailer Trash, C-r-a-c-k-e-r, or Coon-ass, or Froggie or any number of things agianst my ancestry, our original language, or where I grew up. But you see all of that is just Alinskyite invective. It does not effect me that someone has to try and pigeonhole me because they know that I am superior to them.
If they were superior to me, they would have had something actually of substance to use against me.
Look, I have been Al Sharpton’s Lawn Boy, and have been in love with a Black woman for some 8 years of my life starting Monday (she asked me whe I first met her “Are you White?”[lol]).
Cheap words only force me to consider the source, not look at me,
So give him quarter.
Report Post »Lather
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:42pmThe Rightwing Taliban Love this stuff.. Bachmann type.
Report Post »I Like the way Hendrix did it, it painted a great picture of the late 60′s… That would be a crime under GOP Fascist like her.. GOP is so much more involved in my personal life like what I do in my bedroom, from a BJ to a Joint.. It is my business.
Less Laws not More Laws.. especially VICTIMLESS “CRIMES”, And the GOP just loves those types of Laws.
COFemale
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 2:06pmCareful Lather you seem to be projecting too much. I am sorry if the laws of the land make you live within a sense of decency. I mean, if you had your way, you could do anything, to anyone, regardless, because it is your right to do so without consequences. Sorry if you want to live with no laws, please go buy your own island and leave the rest of alone so we can return where decency matters.
Most likely, you are a pot smoking doper who loves to get stoned.
Report Post »Steelhead
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 2:20pmcofemale- if decency matters to you you would not hang out on a sight that is so openly racist . Read the comments they say it all.
Report Post »barber2
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 2:24pmCOFE: you can tell by his “ tasteful ” photo …
Report Post »barber2
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 2:25pmOur Trolls love to play the Race Card just like their leaders….
Report Post »MrMagoo
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 2:30pm@LATHER
Report Post »Praising the late 60′s is just self-indulgent fantasy.Life under Obama and his late 60′s radical Administration appointees proves their ideas and Communist tendencies are a complete failure when implemented and come to fruition.
mrsalvage2
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 4:06pmLather – I have examined your comment and do not understand why all of these folks are piling on you, nor where they get the ideas about you as they have cast.
I have no problem with what you wrote. I do not aplaud the 60′s, but I think Hendrix painted a good picture of it.
Report Post »1776freedomofspeech
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:37pmGood intentions. Bad idea.
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:51pmI disagree. I think this is quite malevolent. If you want to stop the singing of the National Anthem this would be the perfect way to do so. It starts with a $25 fine, then in a couple of years it is 5 years in jail. Remember the Dept of Indoctrination (education) will lay out the guidelines.
Report Post »If you doubt this – look @ the EPA ; it now has regulations on the ‘books’ covering pond water on your property. Next in the coming will be monitoring of the chimney exhaust from you home.
amtsoundsmith
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:52pmIt’s been said the road to hell is paved with good intentions….
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:53pmOn the money, once something like this hits the books the danger of it being constantly tweaked and expanded upon are too tempting for political figures and their supporters. Too much danger here.
Report Post »orkydorky
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 2:19pmI would think any senators might have more to do with their time than have the Anthem police chasing dis-respectable fools that want to get their name mentioned in the news. Could this be what’s wrong in Washington and then some?
Report Post »Wolf
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 11:17pmI agree- good intentions, bad idea.
Report Post »While her intention of keeping people from slurring or creating ad-lib lyrics or the intentional off-key screaming of the lyrics intent on abusing the country, her act is a bad idea in that it negates a First Amendment right of free speech.
But then, this may well be a law that is needed to remind Americans we ARE Americans, and we should not be so PC as to allow our country, our flag, our anthym, or our families or selves to be mistreated to the extent they currently are.
1776freedomofspeech
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 6:25am@STOIC ONE
You raise very valid points and I agree that there are too many regulations. I sometimes wonder if that is the “business” of our gov’t. What will the list of regulations look like in a few years. I say a less regulatory and more justice with iappropriate punishment/penalties approach would serve us (the USA) better. I think her objection was more patriot based than anything else. I support her in “her love of country and national symbolism”. However I do not think I want any police to fine anyone for singing badly, no matter what song they sing. (inserting joke here: Although some ought to be!)
Peace to you and Happy New Year
Report Post »1776freedomofspeech
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 6:28am@AMTSOUNDSMITH
Yeah good intentions like “Hope and Change”.
Hope is not a course of action, although many would hope that it is. Therefore, I say hope less. Work more.
Report Post »Lather
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:36pmSeriously, The GOP is a Joke, I didn’t even have to look to know this idiot had a R next to his name.
WTF does this have to do with Jobs? Idiots.. This is why Obama will win.. because the GOP has its head so far up its patriotic a$$ it is missing the real Boat.. unreal.
And Obama Wins AGAIN..
Report Post »Steelhead
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:47pmObama must be laughing at what going on in Iowa- is it raining ? no , it is just Newt crying again, lol
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 3:16pmYou two make a lovely couple.
Report Post »Rayblue
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 3:58pmThey’re sisters.
Report Post »BBReggie
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:36pmShe must own stock in a teleprompter company.
Report Post »Rick300
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:36pmWhen one sings the National Anthem are they not protected by the First Amendment? We want smaller government and not more of “Big Brother”!
Report Post »Steelhead
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:35pmyou know she’s the type that would try to make it mandatory we all pray in school
Report Post »M13
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 2:03pmAnd your the type that makes everybody want to throw up after one of idiotic posts.
Report Post »This_Individual
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 5:22pmM13- Prayer should not be mandatory, but it should be allowed if one chooses (as long as it doesn’t interefer with the curriculum). Right?
Report Post »abbygirl1994
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:32pmThis is idiocy.. only way I would agree with this is to allow it to be sung in a classroom every morning, from Kindergaten thru 12th grade.. Which we should be doing anyways..these people have you damned if you do and damned if you don’t.. which drives me nuts.. So what this lady needs to do, is make a law where is is sung everyday all over the US.. if anything it would bring pride back for America… those who don’t want to attend can #1 Go back to wherever they came from, or go to the gym and bounce balls off each others heads.. God help us!
Report Post »Elephantman
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:30pmReally? This just give the Democrats more ammo to make Republicans look like idiots….and there’s been a lot of available ammo lately.
Report Post »barber2
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 2:00pmJust joined the Blaze today. Do I detect a new Troll ? So many of late. Ever since Iowa and the caucuses. Occupying the Blaze also ?
Report Post »Elephantman
Posted on January 2, 2012 at 7:01amNot a troll…been a republican since the 70′s and a supporter of the tea party movement since it started. This is usually what happens when someone can’t provide a decent argument, they resort to name calling….how very Democrat of you.
Report Post »certified ethical hacker
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:29pmWhat they really want to do is stop idiots from singing a totally different song to call attention to themselves as this hoe hoe did in Denver. The song is about American and not to draw attention toward anything else esp not the singer and their feelings. That is the issue. But you got these jerks that would remove the whole anthem version and replace it with another such as this . http://www.9news.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=94919&catid=222 . and that is a joke but if you allow it to continue then eventually you got all these yahews trying to out do each other and send a personal message and use our national anthem as a vessel to do that
Report Post »Dougral Supports Israel
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:29pmI hope this legislator doesn’t bill herself as standing for small government. Her true colors are showing.
Report Post »ThePostman
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:28pmMake it a crime to sing it while being fat, black, hispanic, female, retarded, too short, too tall, a politician, a lobbyist, too skinny, a muslim, a jew, etc., and I am on-board. I mean, if we are gunna hate, we might as well do it right. I also support an amendment that makes it a high crime to not be able to sing it on key when demanded. Punishment for said crime being the liquidation of the criminal and his entire ancestry and family downstream too.
Report Post »ThePostman
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:32pmOh darn, I just realized the state senator is a politician AND a woman… Better get started figuring out her family tree so we know who to purge from our great society…
She’s also known to wear red suits. I propose a law making it illegal for anyone other than Santa Claus to wear a red suit. Death penalty, of course.
Report Post »SacredHonor1776
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:26pmThis goes against freedom of speech, erm singing!
Report Post »ThePostman
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:23pmA republican who ignores the constitution. Anyone still want to claim they are any different than democrats?
Report Post »SacredHonor1776
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:30pmWhat next, trying to ban unpatriotic, anti-american songs?
Sure the music is propaganda, but people have a right to sing it or listen to it…
After that will they ban Islamic music?
Will the left come along and try to ban religous hymns?
Report Post »Republic
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:35pmWhy is it that legislatures feel that since they are elected to an office they MUST make laws. This strikes me as a person that falls into that category. Complete waste of time and space. What about making it so that these legislatures stop making stupid laws that everyone of us has to work around.
Report Post »ModerationIsBest
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:22pmWhat a waste of time.
Report Post »davidstep
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:21pmReally!!!! Is there another civil libertarian in the house? Would the bill outlaw Ted Nugent’s guitar rendition or maybe Jimmy Hendrix? Would I be fined if I got a brain cramp and flubbed the words? How about some of these “professional” singers that go on a vocal gymnastics exercise? Would it have outlawed Whitney Houston’s version at the SuperBowl in 1991? This is another reason why we need small gov’t.
Report Post »brother_ed
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:24pmI love Jimi’s rendition!!
This is ridiculous!!
Report Post »Watchyer6
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:21pmThis is one of the dumbest things I’ve heard in a long time.
Report Post »Mandors
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:21pmThis is what you get when you have full time, paid legislatures. They start thinking they have to make up laws or else the rest of us will realize how useless they are.
Report Post »MrMagoo
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:20pmWow,all the time,trouble and paperwork enacting another law,let alone requiring schools to ‘maintain audio recordings’ for 2 years,for a measly $25.00 fine.
Report Post »Wakeup Maggie
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:15pmDo these people have nothing better to do w their time than think of another way to F up out lives? What an ass
Report Post »countryfirst
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 8:37amPeople will just start signing it in secret & back ally’s, I cringe when I hear it done badly. But if we fine people for being incompetent and untalented. Who would run our government? They would spend every minute writing checks. Oh wait maybe that would be a good thing.
Report Post »netmail
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:15pmBetter learn the words people…especially you singing celebrities. Your illegal maids and gardeners can have full benefits but if you sing: “Land of the tree and home of the cave” it’s off to jail you go. Death penalty if you attempt Auld Lang Syne and screw that up. Happy New Year anyway everyone!!
Report Post »SacredHonor1776
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:34pmIn Freedonia, its “land of the spree and the home of the knave.”
Report Post »netmail
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 3:59pmFredonia, Az by Kanab, Ut?? Is that dummy still sitting in a sun bleached squad car to deter speeders?? I swear, that thing was there for 20 years.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:15pmFascists to the Left of me… Fascists to the Right of me…
Report Post »Steelhead
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:27pmanother republican goofball wasting time
Report Post »NHwinter
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:13pmDo we really need a law for this???? Perhaps just picking honorable people to sing it would be enough. We have too many laws now.
Report Post »certified ethical hacker
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:35pmIt is really sad that we need so many laws, but some jerks will trample all over others rights and everything else if you let them. If I go to an event that is supposed to play the AMERICAN Anthem then I do not want to hear the black anthem or anything else, simple as that
Report Post »Psychosis
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:09pmi think there are more important things to be spending your time on lady
legislators have WAAAAY to much time on their hands
Report Post »drattastic
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:08pmI don’t like disrespect toward our anthem either but another LAW ,we have too many damn laws on the books now. Not only is it stupid it has no teeth ,sounds like some silly pandering reelection ploy. Hasn’t she got anything serious to do?
Report Post »certified ethical hacker
Posted on December 31, 2011 at 1:32pmYou know she probably did not just come up with this on her own accord. When enough people write into the congressional and representative offices ((they gotta get elected) then the reps start to act when they have sufficient complaints or concerns.
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