This is so simple it couldn't possibly be any more so. The song nor manner in which it is celebrated as an anthem is racist in any way shape or form. You think or feel it is and want us to do something about it to show we care? We do care. However, the song isn't racist so there is really nothing to do. Again, we care about you and your feelings, but we will not affirm something as truth that isn't. I hope you can understand.
At some point a bunch of people in this country are going to have to stop the insanity by not kowtowing to things that are insensible as if they were sensible. .. regardless of how people feel Let me tell you guys a personal story. I love my wife dearly. She was/is my dream girl. A few years into marriage (this is the part where Mrs. Walker in MCs post above should pay attention), my wife would get real sad and hurt thinking something that wasn't true was so and I knew it wasn't... Now, I would see her so upset and it would hurt me, too...but didnt know what to do. Now, I suspect she knew somewhere deep down that these things weren't true, but, as you know, once someone gets some fear based and hurtful thing in their head it is hard to convince them otherwise...regardless of evidence to the contrary. Now, you might say, well...something must have given her an impression or caused her to feel this way....and you'd be partially right. There were a couple things I could say or do or not say or not do that would help in one way or another. But....What she was feeling , as she one day realized, wasn't actually true. The conclusion she had come to in those times and based how she ultimately felt turned out to be false. She wasn't hurting so because of the little things I did or didn't do perfectly. She hurt because a line of faulty thinking led her to conclude a frightening thing that was actually the opposite of the truth. Once she realized this we gained some much needed and newer ground as a growing married couple. Did I care about her feelings? Of course, and I responded to her in such a manner as to support this. But, to affirm what she believed to be true even though it wasn't would have been foolhearted for us both...and undermined real growth. People need to learn you can care without agreeing or affirming untruth and not expect someone to affirm untruth just because they do care... nor assume they do not care because they refuse to do so. And it's a real pity for someone to be so upset over something that isn't true.
Not possible for oppressors to care. Lot easier to call someone an oppressor than to work on a relationship. The kids are listening to adults who are labeling certain folks as oppressors. Like you said, we shouldn’t affirm untruths.
Wow, she doesn’t sound like someone that ought to be representing the University at all. “flipped” in the last 12 months? Definitely needs removing from a representative type role.
On Wabash Cannonball, the section holding what appear to be little sized tubas hoist their instruments up and down to the beat. What is that instrument called? The giant tubas are Souzaphones, right. The regular tubas are just tubas, right? What I’m talking about look like mini-tubas. (You can tell I wasn’t in band...)
Of course! The Baritones! This is coming from a guy who raised some eyebrows by calling my daughter’s orchestra’s violin section the “fiddle players.” On edit: I should have known that they were called “fiddlers.”
They are Sousaphones. Named after that Sousa guy. (Technically, its' a bass euphonium that's designed for marching band. Because an upright concert bass euphonium would be a terrific pain in the a$$ to march with).
John Philip Sousa. A composer of many, many marches. But not March Grandioso. That was written by Roland F. Seitz.
Speaking of ol' JP Sousa, I love the Corcoran Cadets march. (Not one of his more famous ones). We used part of that in my high school marching band during my junior year.
Not that I know of*. It was Joe T. Haney who wrote Noble Men of Kyle and Brazos Brigade and a few other similar tunes for the FTAB. *but I could be mistaken. It's happened before.
Now, back to the primary topic of this thread. I fear that too many of the people at the 40 Acres have gone so far off the trail into the woods regarding TEOT that any chance of them paying attention to facts, history, context and reason on this topic has been irretrievably lost. So perhaps the collective musical minds at the Butler School of Music could be commissioned to compose a new alma mater? Something that's majestic, grandiose, and thrilling. Something along the lines of This Then Is Texas (from Giant). Or just "borrow" it. Kind of like how the tune for TEOT was supposedly borrowed from another tune.
There’s plenty of good songs out there, but I wouldn’t want to change our school song any more than I’d want to change our national anthem.
I'm rather partial to Hail Columbia (the "first" national anthem) because the lyrics are about the nation and patriots, rather than a flag.
That’s interesting. In your view, who (or what) is this Columbia that is referenced? Obviously it’s not the land of coffee and cocaine.
Columbia is the female national personification of the United States. As you might recall, the Apollo 11 Command Module was named after Columbia, as was the first Space Shuttle.
The SSB is about kicking the Brits around when they tried to cut the country in two during the 1812 dustup. That was right after they burned DC and right before the butt kicking near New Orleans. They were our chief nemesis for a hundred years. Until they needed our help with the Germans in 1917. I vote to continue our anthem. And to kick out the upstart “prince” and his tawdry wife
They have some good songs up there in Michigan. IMHO, 'Hail to the Victors' is one of the best college fight songs. (it's certainly one of the most recognizable)
Even more interesting as per the Accolade, the SSB tune was fashioned after a popular British drinking song. History.com supports that narrative -> The Star-Spangled Banner If folks haven't read the Accolade article, it is great. I guess a snippet of the larger paper but very informative.
Ha! That's funny but true. Similarly, I've heard that some old school Church hymns are to the tune of drinking songs that were popular at the time.
