x

[cati]

xx

 

[swea_pea1]

I think it was a swimming event last night where not only was the Austrailian gold medalist singing, but I could hear the crowd singing - loudly! That was impressive.

What I have noticed on occassion is the silver/bronze medalists talking through the National Anthem. Totally disrespectful, IMO!

 

[Bob Slydell]

I've yet to see NBC show a medal ceremony with a non-US gold medalist, and when that rare occasion occurs, the camera's usually onthe Silver or Bronze medalist, assuming they're American, so it's kind of hard for me to say that the non-US athletes aren't singing their national anthems.

Not that many of the Americans I've seen during the Olympics have sang along with the anthem -- that's probably due just as much to being overwhelmed by everything than anything else, but it's an overstatement to say that all the Americans have been singing along and all the other countries athletes haven't been.

 

[cati]

Bob Slydell - you know you may be right. Maybe I should have said most instead of all.

I stand corrected.

 

[shortbun]

The "Star Spangled Banner" makes me cry too! I love watching
our athletes have such emotion and pride. I caught a rower
this morning just sobbing and trying to sing. It was precious.

 

[kirstyfly]

Well the reason i think is that not as many countries are as patrotic as the USA.

 

[disneychrista]

At one of the Men's Individual Gymnastic Medal Ceremonies last night, A greek won gold and let me tell you not only was the medal winner singing the entire audience was too (well the Greeks were at least). It was amazing.

 

[olena]

Originally posted by disneychrista
At one of the Men's Individual Gymnastic Medal Ceremonies last night, A greek won gold and let me tell you not only was the medal winner singing the entire audience was too (well the Greeks were at least). It was amazing.

I thought so, too.

 

[MHopkins2]

Originally posted by kirstyfly
Well the reason i think is that not as many countries are as patrotic as the USA.

 

[Aimeedyan]

When the greek male won gold, I was crying at the support of his country. To hear that entire crowd signing proudly their national anthem, was just very moving to me...

Love of country - ANY country - is moving to me.

I wish we saw more of the other countries gold medal ceremonies. I don't think it's fair to say that American's sing more, since we don't see most of the others.

 

[Planogirl]

To say that Americans are more patriotic is presumptuous IMO. How can we say what people from other countries are doing when we don't get a chance to see them? They certainly do cheer loud enough at competitions.

 

[kirstyfly]

well let me tell you i never been to a country and seen so many flags hanging in front yards or flag poles.

We don't sing the national anthem here at schools on a regular basis.

 

[kirstyfly]

Originally posted by Aimeedyan


I wish we saw more of the other countries gold medal ceremonies. I don't think it's fair to say that American's sing more, since we don't see most of the others.

That goes to show that the televison stations are being patrotic to USA.

we have seen a selection of different countries winning gold, silver and bronze in many different events over here on our tv station.

 

[Viking]

Originally posted by kirstyfly
Well the reason i think is that not as many countries are as patrotic as the USA.

Thomas Mann, winner of the Nobel-prize for literature, once said: 'A certain grade of simple-mindedness is required to be patriotic.'

Patriotism is one's love for her/his country, and I don't have a problem with that. The problem starts when it becomes nationalism, which is contempt for other countries. Unfortunately in the last years I observed a move towards the latter - especially in the USA

 

[Penny12]

Originally posted by kirstyfly
Well the reason i think is that not as many countries are as patrotic as the USA.

You're kidding me, right?

I imagine coverage of the Olympics in the USA is massively skewed to it's audience, just like it is in the UK. I've seen our Brits singing the national anthem when winning Gold, I've also seen them too choked with emotion to do anything.

I can sing the Star Spangled Banner right now for you (well, some of it anyhow as I don't have that much of it memorised) - does that make me patriotic to the USA? Hardly. Patriotism goes a lot deeper than simply singing a song, something to remember when judging others

 

[Nutsy]

Now from an Aussie perspective...................I too can sing some of the Star Spangled Banner & us Aussies have seen lots of countries medal ceremonies, not only Aussie but I mean lots.........USA, China, UK,NZ you name it.


It's a shame the US has not been so open to viewing other countires medal ceremonies, so you guys could get a feel for what it's like to see how others react, not just your own.

 

[Dakota_Lynn]

Ever notice that when the national anthems are playing, the USA athletes are the only ones who consistantly sing/mouth the WRONG words to their national anthem?

I'm seriously not ragging on our winners. My partner and I have been watching this with complete affection for our athletes. But the fact is, most of them have no clue how to sing their national anthem. It's pretty funny to watch. They are all very sweet, and clearly get emotional when they hear their country's anthem. And that is what counts.

So...could other countries look at our people and suggest that we aren't patriotic because our athletes are singing/mouthing the wrong words? I would hope not. I would hope that they don't judge us over silly stuff the way we judge them.

 

[vernon]

Maybe it's what they think is expected of them, in some cultures there may be a different etiquette.

Although having viewed quite a lot of different countries winning medals (we don't get too many of our own ) I would say the % of athletes singing their own national anthem is reasonably consistant across the nations (with the exception of those that are "adopted" from their country of birth after they become successful athletes).

 

[phorsenuf]

Do all the national anthems have words or are some just music?

 

[snoopy]

Originally posted by Nutsy
Now from an Aussie perspective...................I too can sing some of the Star Spangled Banner & us Aussies have seen lots of countries medal ceremonies, not only Aussie but I mean lots.........USA, China, UK,NZ you name it.

I'm impressed! I'm American, and I don't think I know all of the words to the Star Spangled Banner....and by the looks of what I've seen of the Olympic athletes singing, neither do they.

I really wish the coverage would include all the medal ceremonies, and less bias to only the American competitors. I'm honestly a lot more interested in some athlete from a tiny country that I know nothing about than I am another American whose lifestyle is probably not a lot different than my own. Bring on the diversity!