When sung right, the National Anthem, hearing the Nationa Anthem sends chills down the spine like the playing of "Taps." Steven Tyler's rendition before the AFC Championship game between the Baltimore Ravens and the New England Patriots was a disgrace and I'm praying there won't be a repeat of that before Sunday's Superbowl.
Tyler of the rock group Aerosmith didn't know the words and sang off tune in front of thousands at Foxboro and millions more watching on TV.
But that not the worst of it. Did you see the players looking around and not putting their hand over their hearts. They should be ashamed of themselves. That's not setting a good example for our youths.
On the other hand, in the game between the NY Giants and the San Francisco 49ers, whoever planned the opening ceremonies should be congratulated on such a beautiful flag display, the size of the football field, Never did I see such a huge flag, there must have been hundreds of people to stretch the flag so large and Kirsten Chenaweth singing the Star Spangled Banner was great.
I sat and waited for her to start and when she did, her heart and soul went into it; her voice, her body and facial expression, waving to the tone and placing her right hand over heart she brought tears to my eyes -- she was magnificent. But again some of the players showed l;ittle respect to those who died to keep us free.
If you need some one to sing the National Anthem for any event I urge you to call the Beu Sisters. These three girls have the best rendition of the Star Spangled Banner. They are New Smyrna Beach's gals.
To close, when you are at any event being in a stadium, field or auditorium on Memorial Day or Veterans Day and and you hear someone singing the Star Spangled Banner, the playing of Taps or the citing of the Pledge of Allegience, be proud. Stand upright with your right hand over your heart head and give thanks for the love of our great country and for those who died to keep us free.
God Bless America, We are one Nation Under God. Let no one dispute that.
Editor's Note: Michael Visconti is among the staple of original bloggers with NSBNews.net. The opinions he expresses are his own.
NSB News is a 24/7 Internet newspaper in New Smyrna Beach accessed through NSBNews.net and VolusiaNews.net, launched April 7, 2008, by award-winning breaking news and investigative reporter Henry Frederick and award-winning blogger Peter Mallory. It is the first fully-online newspaper in Florida and among the few in the nation with continuous editorial content picked up by Google News Directories.
