Spanish 'Banner' draws protest

[XtremeJibber2001]

Spanish 'Banner' draws protest

MIAMI (AP) — British music producer Adam Kidron says he just wanted to honor the millions of immigrants seeking a better life in the U.S. when he came up with the idea of a Spanish-language version of the national anthem.

The initial version of Nuestro Himno, or Our Anthem comes out Friday and features artists such as Wyclef Jean, hip-hop star Pitbull and Puerto Rican singers Carlos Ponce and Olga Tanon.

Some Internet bloggers and others are infuriated by the thought of The Star-Spangled Banner sung in a language other than English, and the version of the song has already been the target of a fierce backlash.

"Would the French accept people singing the La Marseillaise in English as a sign of French patriotism? Of course not," said Mark Krikorian, head of the Washington-based Center for Immigration Studies, a think tank that supports tighter immigration controls.

Nuestro Himno uses lyrics based closely on the English-language original, said Kidron, who heads the record label Urban Box Office.

Pro-immigration protests are planned around the country for Monday, and the record label is urging Hispanic radio stations nationwide to play the cut at 7 p.m. ET Friday in a sign of solidarity.

A remix to be released in June will contain several lines in English that condemn U.S. immigration laws. Among them: "These kids have no parents, cause all of these mean laws ... let's not start a war with all these hard workers, they can't help where they were born."

Bryanna Bevens of Hanford, Calif., who writes for the immigration-focused Web magazine Vdare.com, said the remix particularly upset her.

"It's very whiny. If you want to say all those things, by all means, put them on your poster board, but don't put them on the national anthem," she said.

Kidron, a U.S. resident for 16 years, maintains the changes are fitting. After all, he notes, American immigrants borrowed the melody of the Star Spangled Banner from an English drinking song.

"There's no attempt to usurp anything. The intent is to communicate," Kidron said. "I wanted to show my thanks to these people who buy my records and listen to the music we release and do the jobs I don't want to do."

Kidron said the song also will be featured on the album Somos Americanos, which will sell for $10, with $1 going to the National Capital Immigration Coalition, a Washington group.

James Gardner, an associate director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, said Americans have long enjoyed different interpretations of the Star Spangled Banner, including country or gospel arrangements.

"There are a number of renditions that people aren't happy with, but that's part of it — that it means enough for people to try to sing," he said.

Pitbull, whose real name is Armando Perez, said this country was built by immigrants, and "the meaning of the American dream is in that record: struggle, freedom, opportunity, everything they are trying to shut down on us."

[DMC Freeride]

It's just words... no biggie...

[Dirty Old Ski Bastard]

You come to our country because you want a better life for your self and your family. Fine. Then just adhere to a couple of very easy rules that immigrants like my parent had to adhere to.

BE HERE LEGALLY

LEARN TO SPEAK AND READ THE DAMN LANGUAGE

A spanish version of the US Anthem. R U FREAKING KIDDING!

A total insult to americans whose parents are immigrants.

THIS IS A BIGGIE DMC. Dont be blind to it. That fact that this doesnt bother you makes me wonder about your loyalties to this country.

[DMC Freeride]

THIS IS A BIGGIE DMC. Dont be blind to it. That fact that this doesnt bother you makes me wonder about your loyalties to this country.

Yeah - I hate this country...

To me - it's still just words.. Doubtful we'll be singing this version at Hockey games...

[St. Jerry]

I find it annoying, but nothing I would lose sleep over. I think these immigrant groups should focus on other things (such as education, which is really the key to equality) if they want to realize the American dream. Energy spent fighting against the system this way is wasted energy.

[Dirty Old Ski Bastard]

WOW I really feel the passion from you folks out there on this one.

"NO BIGGIE'

"NOTHING TO LOSE SLEEP OVER"

Whatever right? just give me some fresh tracks to ski and it s all good.

[BigKahuna13]

WOW I really feel the passion from you folks out there on this one.

"NO BIGGIE'

"NOTHING TO LOSE SLEEP OVER"

Whatever right? just give me some fresh tracks to ski and it s all good.

Okay so why do you lose sleep over it?

Given everything else going on in this country right now, this seems pretty trivial.

[XtremeJibber2001]

WOW I really feel the passion from you folks out there on this one.

"NO BIGGIE'

"NOTHING TO LOSE SLEEP OVER"

Whatever right? just give me some fresh tracks to ski and it s all good.

You might like this DOSB...

I HAVE A PLAN TO DESTROY AMERICA
Richard D. Lamm
Governor of Colorado
1975-1987

I have a secret plan to destroy America. If you believe, as many do, that America is too smug, too white bread, too self-satisfied, too rich, lets destroy America. It is not that hard to do. History shows that nations are more fragile than their citizens think. No nation in history has survived the ravages of time. Arnold Toynbee observed that all great civilizations rise and they all fall, and that "an autopsy of history would show that all great nations commit suicide." Here is my plan:

I. We must first make America a bilingual-bicultural country. History shows, in my opinion, that no nation can survive the tension, conflict, and antagonism of two competing languages and cultures. It is a blessing for an individual to be bilingual; it is a curse for a society to be bilingual. One scholar, Seymour Martin Lipset, put it this way:

The histories of bilingual and bicultural societies that do not assimilate are histories of turmoil, tension, and tragedy. Canada, Belgium, Malaysia, and Lebanon-all face crises of national existence in which minorities press for autonomy, if not independence. Pakistan and Cyprus have divided. Nigeria suppressed an ethnic rebellion. France faces difficulties with its Basques, Bretons, and Corsicans.

Some people will think that Switzerland is an example of a bilingual country that works. Don't disabuse them of this idea. Let them think that! Don't for a minute point out to them that Switzerland divided their country into three distinct mono-linguistic areas, German, French, and Roma. Let them ignore Emmanuel Kant's warning that “language is the great divider” of human history.

II. Next, I would then invent “multiculturalism” and encourage immigrants to maintain their own culture. I would make it an article of belief that all cultures are equal: that there are no cultural differences that are important. I would declare it an article of faith that the Black and Hispanic dropout rate is only due to prejudice and discrimination by the majority. Every other explanation is out-of-bounds.

III. We can make the United States a "Hispanic Quebec" without much effort. The key is to celebrate diversity rather than unity. As Benjamin Schwarz said in the Atlantic monthly recently:

...The apparent success of our own multiethnic and multicultural experiment might have been achieved not by tolerance but by hegemony. Without the dominance that once dictated ethnocentrically, and what it meant to be an American, we are left with only tolerance and pluralism to hold us together.

I would encourage all immigrants to keep their own language and culture. I would replace the melting pot metaphor with a salad bowl metaphor. It is important to insure that we have various cultural sub-groups living in America reinforcing their differences rather than Americans, emphasizing their similarities.

IV. Having done all this, I would make our fastest growing demographic group the least educated - I would add a second underclass, unassimilated, undereducated, and antagonistic to the majority population. I would allow our immigration patterns to take 50% of our immigrant stream from Spanish speaking countries. I would have this new second underclass have a 50% drop out rate from school. I would radicalize them with dreams of “Atzlan” and re-conquering the American Southwest.

V. I would then get the big foundations and big business to give these efforts lots of money. I would invest in ethnic identity, and I would establish the cult of victimlogy. I would get all minorities to think their lack of success was all the fault of the majority - I would start a grievance industry blaming all minority failure on the majority population.

VI. I would establish dual citizenship and promote divided loyalties. I would “celebrate diversity.” “Diversity” is a wonderfully seductive word. It stresses differences rather than commonalities. Diverse people worldwide are mostly engaged in hating each other-that is, when they are not killing each other. A diverse,” peaceful, or stable society is against most historical precedent. People undervalue the unity it takes to keep a nation together, and we can take advantage of this myopia. Look at the ancient Greeks. Dorf's World History tells us:

The Greeks believed that they belonged to the same race; they possessed a common language and literature; and they worshiped the same gods. All Greece took part in the Olympic games in honor of Zeus and all Greeks venerated the shrine of Apollo at Delphi. A common enemy Persia threatened their liberty. Yet, all of these bonds together were not strong enough to overcome two factors . . . (local patriotism and geographical conditions that nurtured political divisions . . .)

If we can put the emphasis on the “pluribus,” instead of the “unum,” we can balkanize America as surely as Kosovo.

VII. Then I would place all these sensitive subjects off limits - make it taboo to talk about. I would find a word similar to “heretic” in the 16th century - that stopped discussion and paralyzed thinking. Words like “racist”, “xenophobe” that halts argument and conversation.

Having made America a bilingual-bicultural country, having established multiculturalism, having the large foundations fund the doctrine of “victimlogy”, I would next make it impossible to enforce our immigration laws. I would develop a mantra - “that because immigration has been good for America, it must always be good.” I would make every individual immigrant sympatric and ignore the cumulative impact.

VIII.
Finally, I would get America accustomed to living on borrowed money. Debt is economic cocaine; it become addicting. I would start borrowing money, and slowly I would begin building up public and private debt. Debt will be the precipitating factor that will allow us to successfully overthrow the United State government. Look at the progress my generation quietly made in undercutting America's economic strength. I graduated from high school in 1953 and I inherited from my parents a small federal debt and the world's largest creditor nation. I am leaving to my children a staggering federal debt and the world's largest debtor nation.

I inherited an exporting nation with a high savings rate and I'm leaving my children an importing nation with the industrial world's lowest saving rate. I inherited a nation that produced more than it consumed and I'm leaving my kids a nation that consumes more than it produces. My generation invented the credit card, and the average American now has over six credit cards and daily adds to the consumer debt. We have successfully built a debt bomb ready to explode. Remember, debt at some indeterminable point of ceaseless borrowing creates economic chaos, and economic collapse preceded Hitler's Germany, Mussolini's Italy, and Lenin's Russia.

Successful democracy, in the long run, requires some allegiance to and respect for the future. In the short run, modern public financing gives public policy makers incredible opportunities to encumber the future for present political gain. Neither political party has the fiscal discipline to balance the budget. Our work is almost done. We can just sit back and wait for the inevitable to happen. We can destroy this up-start, arrogant nation. Victory waits in the wings.

PLEASE KEEP THIS PLAN CONFIDENTIAL. AMERICA COULD STILL WAKE UP IN TIME.

[Dirty Old Ski Bastard]

WOW I really feel the passion from you folks out there on this one.

"NO BIGGIE'

"NOTHING TO LOSE SLEEP OVER"

Whatever right? just give me some fresh tracks to ski and it s all good.

Okay so why do you lose sleep over it?

Given everything else going on in this country right now, this seems pretty trivial.

Are the folks onthis open forum living in some utopian pardise or some freak parallel world or something. No one is bothered by this?

I luv this country and am passionate about it. I am critical of it to when it is justified.

Yeah lets have a bunch of gringos bastardize our national anthem. OK fine with me. but do it in Tijuana, not here.

[shortski]

You come to our country because you want a better life for your self and your family. Fine. Then just adhere to a couple of very easy rules that immigrants like my parent had to adhere to.

BE HERE LEGALLY

LEARN TO SPEAK AND READ THE DAMN LANGUAGE

A spanish version of the US Anthem. R U FREAKING KIDDING!

A total insult to americans whose parents are immigrants.

THIS IS A BIGGIE DMC. Dont be blind to it. That fact that this doesnt bother you makes me wonder about your loyalties to this country.

How many of the illeagle's now in this country could qualify for naturalization, the first thing is they must be here legally. Changing the words and putting the in a foreign language sure doesn't seem like "support the Constitution and obey the laws of the U.S.;
renounce any foreign allegiance". It appears to me they don't want to belong or be assimilated into our culture, they want US citizens to learn their language and customs, sorry that's not the way it works. Don't even get me started on how much it cost taxpayers to provide services in language other than English. Case in point, some high school kid is now under arrest in Spain for a sexual assault while on his high schools annual outing, you think he's being provided a lawyer and interpreter at the expense of the Spanish taxpayers?

General Naturalization Requirements
Age

Applicants must be at least 18 years old.

Refer to the section, Naturalized Citizen's Children under Waivers, Exceptions, and Special Cases for information on applicants who are less than 18 years old.

See Also INA 334

Residency

An applicant must have been lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence. Lawfully admitted for permanent residence means having been legally accorded the privilege of residing permanently in the United States as an immigrant in accordance with the immigration laws. Individuals who have been lawfully admitted as permanent residents will be asked to produce an I-551, Alien Registration Receipt Card, as proof of their status.

See Also INA 316

Residence and Physical Presence

An applicant is eligible to file if, immediately preceding the filing of the application, he or she:

has been lawfully admitted for permanent residence (see preceding section);
has resided continuously as a lawful permanent resident in the U.S. for at least 5 years prior to filing with no single absence from the United States of more than one year;
has been physically present in the United States for at least 30 months out of the previous five years (absences of more than six months but less than one year shall disrupt the applicant's continuity of residence unless the applicant can establish that he or she did not abandon his or her residence during such period)
has resided within a state or district for at least three months
Good Moral Character

Generally, an applicant must show that he or she has been a person of good moral character for the statutory period (typically five years or three years if married to a U.S. citizen or one year for Armed Forces expedite) prior to filing for naturalization. The Service is not limited to the statutory period in determining whether an applicant has established good moral character. An applicant is permanently barred from naturalization if he or she has ever been convicted of murder. An applicant is also permanently barred from naturalization if he or she has been convicted of an aggravated felony as defined in section 101(a)(43) of the Act on or after November 29, 1990. A person also cannot be found to be a person of good moral character if during the last five years he or she:

has committed and been convicted of one or more crimes involving moral turpitude
has committed and been convicted of 2 or more offenses for which the total sentence imposed was 5 years or more
has committed and been convicted of any controlled substance law, except for a single offense of simple possession of 30 grams or less of marijuana
has been confined to a penal institution during the statutory period, as a result of a conviction, for an aggregate period of 180 days or more
has committed and been convicted of two or more gambling offenses
is or has earned his or her principal income from illegal gambling
is or has been involved in prostitution or commercialized vice
is or has been involved in smuggling illegal aliens into the United States
is or has been a habitual drunkard
is practicing or has practiced polygamy
has willfully failed or refused to support dependents
has given false testimony, under oath, in order to receive a benefit under the Immigration and Nationality Act.
An applicant must disclose all relevant facts to the Service, including his or her entire criminal history, regardless of whether the criminal history disqualifies the applicant under the enumerated provisions.
See Also INA 316

Attachment to the Constitution

An applicant must show that he or she is attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States.

See Also INA 316

Language

Applicants for naturalization must be able to read, write, speak, and understand words in ordinary usage in the English language. Applicants exempt from this requirement are those who on the date of filing:

have been residing in the United States subsequent to a lawful admission for permanent residence for periods totaling 15 years or more and are over 55 years of age;
have been residing in the United States subsequent to a lawful admission for permanent residence for periods totaling 20 years or more and are over 50 years of age; or
have a medically determinable physical or mental impairment, where the impairment affects the applicant’s ability to learn English.
See Also INA 312

United States Government and History Knowledge

An applicant for naturalization must demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of the history and of the principles and form of government of the United States. Applicants exempt from this requirement are those who, on the date of filing, have a medically determinable physical or mental impairment, where the impairment affects the applicant’s ability to learn U.S. History and Government

Applicants who have been residing in the U.S. subsequent to a lawful admission for permanent residence for at least 20 years and are over the age of 65 will be afforded special condsideration in satisfying this requirement.

See Also INA 312

Naturalization Test Questions for Applicants Meeting 65/20 Exception
Test Yourself on U.S. History
Sample U.S. History Questions with Answers
Oath of Allegiance

To become a citizen, one must take the oath of allegiance. By doing so, an applicant swears to:

support the Constitution and obey the laws of the U.S.;
renounce any foreign allegiance and/or foreign title; and
bear arms for the Armed Forces of the U.S. or perform services for the government of the U.S. when required.
In certain instances, where the applicant establishes that he or she is opposed to any type of service in armed forces based on religious teaching or belief, INS will permit these applicants to take a modified oath.

[St. Jerry]

Yea, it seems pretty trivial. At the end of the day, it's not going to change the "official" lyrics, it will only make some people pissedd-off. And that's what they really want.

No go back to making my burrito or mowing my lawn. If you want real equality or respect, respect yourself and your children by getting an education and strongly encouraging your children to get an education and to assimilate into society.


zzzzzzzz.......

[BigKahuna13]

WOW I really feel the passion from you folks out there on this one.

"NO BIGGIE'

"NOTHING TO LOSE SLEEP OVER"

Whatever right? just give me some fresh tracks to ski and it s all good.

Okay so why do you lose sleep over it?

Given everything else going on in this country right now, this seems pretty trivial.

Are the folks onthis open forum living in some utopian pardise or some freak parallel world or something. No one is bothered by this?

I luv this country and am passionate about it. I am critical of it to when it is justified.

Yeah lets have a bunch of gringos bastardize our national anthem. OK fine with me. but do it in Tijuana, not here.

Okay so translating a song, who's lyrics many Americans don't know anyway, into a different language is a bastardization? Gimme a break.
(And don't even get me started on how many Americans I see who can't even render proper respect to the flag).

Want to know what a bastardization is? It's an executive branch that continually and willfully tramples the Constitution. That's a bastardization.

[RJSVermont]

It's difficult to give this subject matter full attention when there are so many other pressing issues to be dealt with in this country.

[Dirty Old Ski Bastard]

WOW I really feel the passion from you folks out there on this one.

"NO BIGGIE'

"NOTHING TO LOSE SLEEP OVER"

Whatever right? just give me some fresh tracks to ski and it s all good.

Okay so why do you lose sleep over it?

Given everything else going on in this country right now, this seems pretty trivial.

Are the folks onthis open forum living in some utopian pardise or some freak parallel world or something. No one is bothered by this?

I luv this country and am passionate about it. I am critical of it to when it is justified.

Yeah lets have a bunch of gringos bastardize our national anthem. OK fine with me. but do it in Tijuana, not here.

Okay so translating a song, who's lyrics many Americans don't know anyway, into a different language is a bastardization? Gimme a break.
(And don't even get me started on how many Americans I see who can't even render proper respect to the flag).

Want to know what a bastardization is? It's an executive branch that continually and willfully tramples the Constitution. That's a bastardization.

SURE GO BACK TO BASHING the prez, the citizens of this country etc. whatever. I still think this is just seriously wrong.

[DMC Freeride]

WOW I really feel the passion from you folks out there on this one.

"NO BIGGIE'

"NOTHING TO LOSE SLEEP OVER"

Whatever right? just give me some fresh tracks to ski and it s all good.

Okay so why do you lose sleep over it?

Given everything else going on in this country right now, this seems pretty trivial.

Are the folks onthis open forum living in some utopian pardise or some freak parallel world or something. No one is bothered by this?

I luv this country and am passionate about it. I am critical of it to when it is justified.

Yeah lets have a bunch of gringos bastardize our national anthem. OK fine with me. but do it in Tijuana, not here.

Okay so translating a song, who's lyrics many Americans don't know anyway, into a different language is a bastardization? Gimme a break.
(And don't even get me started on how many Americans I see who can't even render proper respect to the flag).

Want to know what a bastardization is? It's an executive branch that continually and willfully tramples the Constitution. That's a bastardization.

SURE GO BACK TO BASHING the prez, the citizens of this country etc. whatever. I still think this is just seriously wrong.

How will your life change because of this? Seriosuly...