Things you do that are "un-American."

My totally amateur take on the Star Spangled Banner: You hit one of the lowest note three notes into the song. However, most people start singing it in the middle of their comfort range, hence the issues on the high notes later. If you start the song so you hit that third note as low as you are comfortable with you run much less of a risk sounding like a strangled cat when you get to "and the land of the free."

I'm sure someone with musical and singing experience can insert the proper terms into my above explanation.

Just like a brit to pin Slavery on the US.  What else is our fault.  poor dental hygiene and The Wiggles?

Hey - lay off The Wiggles! [kangaroo emoticon] 

Just came from a friend's house who is from India. I asked what she makes for Thanksgiving. She said she makes "that green bean casserole with canned stuff". Wow....she makes fantastic food. I was floored...

I don't believe in god. Pretty "un-American." 

ridski said:

Having said that (about the anthem) I find it weird that Americans don't sing along. Anyone watching the NFL games played in London will find a marked contrast in the US and UK anthems as the entire stadium will sing God Save The Queen, often almost drowning out whoever is being paid to sing it.

Because it's not an easy song to sing.

ridski said:

Having said that (about the anthem) I find it weird that Americans don't sing along. Anyone watching the NFL games played in London will find a marked contrast in the US and UK anthems as the entire stadium will sing God Save The Queen, often almost drowning out whoever is being paid to sing it.

You get a stadium of people to sing this together?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvMxqcgBhWQ

Heck yeah, any version of God Save The Queen!

Our Aussie school was one of very few that had Royal permission to sing the whole three verses. It was a real honour. Everyone present sings along. 

Aussies overcame the entire issue by singing Advance Australia Fair (what's called our anthem, now) to a totally different tune. There are several alternative versions, marksierra can probably provide them.

spontaneous said:

sac said:

I make one with raspberry jello, cranberry sauce and sour cream that's pretty yummy.

I'm not sure why these jello concoctions are called "salad", though.

OMG! I make one with raspberry jello, cranberry sauce, and sour cream too! For years my dad's girlfriend would make it for Christmas and I wouldn't even touch it. When I finally worked up the nerve to taste the "pink stuff" I had to have the recipe. Shortly after getting the recipe she passed away, so now I bring to to Christmas dinner in her memory. Her version has whole berry sauce in it. It also has chopped walnuts.

Mine has the whole berry sauce also.  I first got the recipe from a church supper so I'm guessing that they took the nuts out due to some people having allergies.  It really IS quite yummy!

mjc said:

sac said:  "My mother-in-law makes a green jello "salad" that has cottage cheese in it."

sac, my MIL did the same, EVERY time we visited.  I was trying to set a good example for my little kids at the time, but just couldn't eat it, so I'm not sure what was in it besides the cottage cheese.  I'm pretty sure the cottage cheese was not a sub for something else.

It's actually pretty good.  One of the other ingredients in my MIL's recipe is horseradish actually.  I think it also had pineapple chunks and lime jello.  I know I have the recipe somewhere.

Sweetsnuggles said:

ridski said:

Having said that (about the anthem) I find it weird that Americans don't sing along. Anyone watching the NFL games played in London will find a marked contrast in the US and UK anthems as the entire stadium will sing God Save The Queen, often almost drowning out whoever is being paid to sing it.

Because it's not an easy song to sing.

Neither is Baby Got Back, but everyone gives it a shot.

Are you saying that Americans don't sing their own national anthem because it's hard? Not doing something because it's hard is about as un-American as you can get.

.

ParticleMan said:

ridski said:

Having said that (about the anthem) I find it weird that Americans don't sing along. Anyone watching the NFL games played in London will find a marked contrast in the US and UK anthems as the entire stadium will sing God Save The Queen, often almost drowning out whoever is being paid to sing it.

You get a stadium of people to sing this together?

With not much prompting, we probably could.

we don;t sing along because we're not monarchical cultists.  mostly.

we don't sing because we're really not as patriotic as we pretend to be

Maybe we don't sing because some things need no words to convey them.

DaveSchmidt said:

Maybe we don't sing because some things need no words to convey them.

it's because we're all verklempt

Robert_Casotto said:

we don;t sing along because we're not monarchical cultists.  mostly.

Well, obviously you aren't monarchical cultists as you replaced your monarchical cult with a flag cult, but that doesn't explain why you don't all sing your song about the flag to the flag, and designate a single singer instead. 

TigerLilly said:

I don't believe in god. Pretty "un-American." 

It bugs me that people's religion or lack thereof is considered (by some people) part of how American they are.  I doubt an open atheist could be elected to the presidency, and that's too bad.  There's no reason someone has to be a Christian to serve admirably in any public office.

It's funny one of my responses (in my mind anyway) to all the people spreading rumors about Barack Obama being Muslim, despite all the evidence to the contrary, was "So what if he is?"

I'm a religious person and pretty active in my church.  But I'm of the belief that government on any level in this country shouldn't hold the rights of any group as more important that any other based on religion.  It pains me that so many people can't seem to grasp that fundamental idea.

when the flag starts barking orders at us and marrying its cousins, let's talk. 

Robert_Casotto said:

when the flag starts barking orders at us and marrying its cousins, let's talk. 

I lived there for 27 years and never got barked at once by a monarch. I've also only ever pledged allegiance to that monarch once, and that's because I joined the ACF. 

at least we elect our monarchs.  well, at least like 30-40% of us do.  and not really directly.  but our electors do, whoever the hel l they are.  

Robert_Casotto said:

at least we elect our monarchs.  well, at least like 30-40% of us do.  and not really directly.  but our electors do, whoever the hel l they are.  

Yeah, you got the Brits on that one. The Electoral College is a stunning piece of democratic machinery.

We native Delawareans can be rather fond of it.

Thanks for that,  @mrincredible. It's so weird to me that a country like ours still equates religious affiliation with morality,  compassion and ability to lead and then tires it in a knot with patriotism. 

mrincredible said:

TigerLilly said:

I don't believe in god. Pretty "un-American." 

It bugs me that people's religion or lack thereof is considered (by some people) part of how American they are.  I doubt an open atheist could be elected to the presidency, and that's too bad.  There's no reason someone has to be a Christian to serve admirably in any public office.

It's funny one of my responses (in my mind anyway) to all the people spreading rumors about Barack Obama being Muslim, despite all the evidence to the contrary, was "So what if he is?"

I'm a religious person and pretty active in my church.  But I'm of the belief that government on any level in this country shouldn't hold the rights of any group as more important that any other based on religion.  It pains me that so many people can't seem to grasp that fundamental idea.

ridski says:  "Having said that (about the anthem) I find it weird that Americans don't sing along."

We used to sing along, at ball games and wherever.  Not sure when or why that stopped.

ridski said:

noo2wood said:

I think the "Star Spangled Banner" is too belligerent (un-American), and would prefer "America the Beautiful" as our National Anthem, because I love our national parks (American).

I'm actually a big fan of the Star Spangled Banner when it's sung right. I watched a guy sing it at Sunday night football a couple of weeks ago and it almost brought me to tears. No to mention Soma's own Alex Kariotis, who practically owns that tune.

yeah, when it's done right it's very moving. I heard 3 high school girls sing this once at WOHS. Absolutely the best version I've ever heard, bar none.