Last week we talked about tradition.
It appears we need to cross that bridge again.
Recently the Canadian National anthem was changed, slightly.
As we all know, the lyrics to the song used to state “in all they sons command” and will now state “in all of us command.”
Seems like a simple change.
But let me get this out of the way right now.
Most of Canada is not going to be using those new lyrics.
I will not be.
And for no reason other than you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.
Yes, I called myself old, but we will gloss over that.
I am 26 years old.
I have been singing the national anthem since I was no younger than four.
How can you expect someone who has been doing something, for a while everyday, for nearly their whole life to suddenly change their habits?
My habits are actually even further than just I can’t stop saying ‘sons.’
I can’t even sing the whole anthem in English.
Growing up near Ottawa I learned at an early age how to sing the anthem half in English, half in French.
When most people sing “With glowing hearts we see thee rise,” I sing “Car ton bras sait porter l’épée.”
Even though I’ve been living in Saskatchewan for more than two years I still cannot kick my old habit.
I still find myself singing half-and-half.
You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.
Same can be said for Olympic athletes, who fairly enough have been noting that the lyrics have officially changed.
But what does that really mean?
If you are standing on the top step of the podium having just won an Olympic gold medal are you really going to be thinking “remember, when the anthem is on it’s us not ‘sons.’”
I’m sorry, but I can’t see it.
Which is actually kind of sad.
I saw a story released by the Canadian Press, who quoted Canadian bobsledder, Jesse Lumsden:
“‘My goal, and I’m very open with saying this, is it’s not about winning the medal it’s about standing on the podium and singing the national anthem,’ bobsled brakeman JessLumsden said Tuesday.
‘I can promise you this, the lyrics of that national anthem have been ingrained in me for 36 years. I’m not going to remember that change. For anybody who I might offend, I’m sorry.’”
That to me is extremely sad.
It’s bad enough our athletes feel they need to apologize after a less then their best result but now athletes need to apologize for messing up a word on the anthem, before they even sing it?
Yikes.
So why are we changing it?
Well you could argue, it is for the children, who we could be teaching the proper lyrics to.
That is of course if we remember to teach it to them.
And when we do get to a point when everyone is singing ‘in all of us command’ then what?
We have forgotten a piece of our history.
Quit playing with our history.
