NB School Silences O Canada

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by troutman

That might offend France.

Oh snap, no you din'nt

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Rathji

You feel the same way about singing the National Anthem at a Hockey Game?

Personally I am am a little sick of people who tell me what I am not allowed to do because they are different.

I can't call it Christmas, because it offends those who are not Christian. Guess what I wasn't Christian for the first 20 years of my life, it didn't change the name of the holiday.

Now they are teaching kids that they can't sing the national anthem of our country.

Where do you draw the line? Whats next?

The flag gets replaced with a white sheet, so no one takes offense?

No... It's just that I don't care. I don't see it as "we're teaching our kids that they can't sing the anthem". I see it as we're teaching our kids the three Rs. The anthem gets sung at hockey games, on national holidays, in various places at various times. I dunno. I just see it as a bit dated. Standing up in the classroom every morning to sing is just....Old fashioned.

Whatever. Some schools do it, some don't. I just don't think that it's some kind of slap in the face of Canada if some don't. I never sang it in school (as far as I can remember), but I still know the words and I still get goosebumps sometimes when Heather Liscano belts it out at the dome. I even sing along.
I gained much more national pride in social 20 and 30 learning about the wars of the 20th century than I ever would have singing a song.

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by troutman

That might offend France.

Friggen French bastids.. How can you trust a people who's national hero is Charles "I'm a 5 year old who pretends he's a hero" de Gaulle

[mykalberta]

They play it over the PA every Friday at the elementary where one of my ex's work.

[fatso]

So these kids can't ever sing the anthem again? Is our sense of national pride so tenuous that it hangs on whether or not some 10 year olds sing a song they probably don't fully understand anyway? I get that some people like singing the song and some don't... but the indignation expressed here is truly baffling and horribly misguided.

I sang the anthem when I was younger. I like doing it now. Did it teach me anything about history, pride, civic responsibility? Nope. Would I miss it if it was gone... probably, but I'm not overly concerned.

Rather than getting collectively bent out of shape, why not put efforts towards ensuring the curriculum is reflecting Canadian history and teaching kids our historical values and principles - democracy, freedom, etc. A song doesn't teach kids much of anything... I know it didn't for me. Being a good citizen requires substantive education...

Moreover, I feel lousy that these kids lost their cousin... I appreciate they want to sing the song to honour him. Maybe a balanced compromise - that ever Canadian of principles surely in verse 3 that all 8-year-olds have memorized - could be reached? Maybe if the Principal doesn't want the students doing the anthem (for reasons we still don't know), the girls could be given the chance to give a presentation on their cousin and what he was doing with the troops and their responsibilities... that way they can honour his sacrifice, communicate with the kids, and generate a much more important lesson in national pride than performing a song by rote. Maybe some other idea could be reached?

But of course, rather than reasoning through possible solutions and considering the whole of the children's well-being and civic duties, everyone flies off the handle about a song and takes it personally. I guess the right to be indignant over a gesture or symbol is part of our Canadian heritage though... it's in verse 2.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Oh snap, no you din'nt

I hope my bon mots make it into the Herald like Rhettzky.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by onetwo_threefour

Nationalism is archaic, indoctrination of nationalism is ridiculous.

Civic pride is fine, but the idea that a child must sing the anthem every day at school always make me think of government thought control.

Just my opinion, I'm sure many wil disagree...

The Canadian democracy is an experiment against nationalism. Being a Canadian is an identity that corresponds to a set of liberal values. Singing the anthem re-affirms those values. This has nothing to do with blood.

[simonsays]

Originally Posted by troutman

The politically correct have found fault with the following lines: our home and native land = immigrants

Really though, if we just change one little word it should placate the offended. Just make it 'our home on native land.'

[pepper24]

Originally Posted by troutman

The politically correct have found fault with the following lines:

our home and native land = immigrants

in all our son's command = women

god keep our land = atheists

we stand on guard for thee = handicapped

I'll bet on the God part of our anthem.

I know in the States they've had issues with Amazing Grace due to some God references.

[ok, ok,....I get it]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Principal should be fired!

Actually I didn't even know they even sang O Canada every morning anymore.

no offence but can you really be that offend about something you did not know was happening?

[Russic]

This is pretty ridiculous. It's a freaking national anthem. Why is that such a big deal? I'm one of the minority that thinks we shouldn't play national anthems before hockey games, but that doesn't mean I won't stand for them. I stand for the American anthem when truthfully I remain quite indifferent to the country. I would never make the argument that I have something against standing for it.

I just think about if I moved to foreign country ... would I sit and sulk during their national anthem because I'm a Canadian? Would I fly off the handle and get offended if somebody wished me a happy Hanukkah?

I'm a pretty left-leaning guy, but I just don't understand the sensitivity to things like this. Is it a problem that the anthem reminds these kids that they are different? Well guess what? They are different ... personally i don't understand why that has to be a bad thing.

[Kipper is King]

I am in line with the many other people who think this is absurd. Issues of religion and race, etc can be touchy and could bother people. I get that.

The anthem is part of the country we live in though. It's a quintessential part of our country's history and culture. Why would you denounce it if you are Canadian? You may as well spit on a Canadian flag, and then burn it for good measure.

However, I have a better suggestion for those people: That they move.

Edit: Upon thinking about it, maybe they objected to the mention of God in the anthem. Does that change my opinion at all? Nooooo Canada!

[Devils'Advocate]

It's funny these threads in off-topic.

10 year olds not singing the national anthem every day is treasonous.
But demanding Alberta separate from the country is honourable.

As for the "they should move" suggestion, that sounds very "they should go back to wherever they came from". We live in a very pluralistic society and we should accept our differences. As per my example previously of the Jehova's Witnesses, I DON'T think they should have been forced to go to private school or home schooled - I think the school should have done more to promote tolerance rather than what they did do. Which was to turn a blind eye to the situation hoping that parents would get the hint and withdraw their kids. Now, that was 25 years ago so I think the schools would find a more progressive way of handling things than trying to HIDE our differences, but I guess not.

As others have pointed out, this may not be JW's at all... could be any number of people that have issues with the anthem. But given what has been said by the principal, certainly some student or students were having issues because of the anthem being played. In any case, I don't the anthem is the problem; kids being cruel to each other is.

[transplant99]

10 year olds not singing the national anthem every day is treasonous.

Really....who said that?

I think its different things....if a child doesnt want to sing it...fine, dont do it. BUT...to make the entire school stop because it offends a few parents? Screw em....again, rights of the minority seem to supercede the rights of the majority. Why?

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Rathji

I can't call it Christmas, because it offends those who are not Christian. Guess what I wasn't Christian for the first 20 years of my life, it didn't change the name of the holiday.

Who said you can't call it Christmas? What's his name?

What do you call it now?

[ok, ok,....I get it]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

Who said you can't call it Christmas? What's his name?

What do you call it now?

who's name

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by ok, ok,....I get it

who's name

The guy who told him he's not allowed to call it Christmas.

[ok, ok,....I get it]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

The guy who told him he's not allowed to call it Christmas.

they did they are always doing it, they know you know

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

Who said you can't call it Christmas? What's his name?

What do you call it now?

You cannot refer to Christmas as Christmas in school. It is not Christmas vacation, it is winter break. When you sing 'Holiday' Carols they have to be of the non denomination variety. No "Away in a Manger", or "Oh Christmas Tree". You go to your kids Winter concert.

I could go on, but our school system has forced the change of the holiday so it doesn't offend anyone. Even though I do not agree with that change, I do understand that people do no want these beliefs forced upon them.

When they are offended by something that represents the country we all live in, that is when I have a problem with it stopping it from happening.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Rathji

You cannot refer to Christmas as Christmas in school.

Says who? The people I know who go to public school (granted, it's only a few) still refer to it as Christmas.

They do have a "Winter Festival" instead of a Christmas Pageant, and they don't sing "Away in a Manger", I'll give you that. How either of those changes can have a negative impact on a single Canadian is beyond me.

Originally Posted by Rathji

When they are offended by something that represents the country we all live in, that is when I have a problem with it stopping it from happening.

I think this is pretty silly too, but really, who cares? If you want your kids to sing the anthem everyday, sing it at home. Mission:Accomplished.

It would be interesting to hear the circumstances behind this.