Some people are all a-twitter because some Latino Americans had the unmitigated gall and audacity to record a version of the Star Spangled Banner in Spanish.

Seriously, listening to the Michelle Malkin types screaming and yelling about this insult to American honor is downright sickening. Get the fuck over yourselves. It’s the National Anthem. It’s not Jesus himself.

But aside from the fact that it’s not heresy to record the Star Spangled Banner in Spanish, I wonder if anyone who is spouting fire and brimstone about “Nuestro Himno” has heard it? Or read the lyrics?

(Incidentally, the practically unsingable Star Spangled Banner shouldn’t be the National Anthem at all. It should be “America the Beautiful”. Not “God Bless America.” I said “America the Beautiful”)

Read this:

By the light of the dawn, do you see arising,
what we proudly hailed at twilight’s last fall?
Its stars, its stripes
yesterday streamed
above fierce combat
a gleaming emblem of victory
and the struggle toward liberty.
Throughout the night, they proclaimed:
“We will defend it!”
Tell me! Does its starry beauty still wave
above the land of the free,
the sacred flag?
Its stars, its stripes,
liberty, we are the same.
We are brothers in our anthem.
In fierce combat, a gleaming emblem of victory
and the struggle toward liberty.
My people fight on.
The time has come to break the chains.
Throughout the night they proclaimed, “We will defend it!”
Tell me! Does its starry beauty still wave
above the land of the free,
the sacred flag?

*Gasp* Sacred flag?! Gleaming emblem of victory?! Its starry beauty?!

Again - if you think it’s bad for Spanish speaking Americans to rework the National Anthem into a Spanish equivalent that it completely respectful of the symbolism of the song, and the flag, then you really need to check yourself.

Here’s an mp3 of it. “Nuestro Himno”

I like how some jackass expressed the idea that the French would never stand for the Marseillaise to be sung in a language other than French. I guess the fact that it makes up the opening bars of “All You Need Is Love” is ok, though.

But here’s an example of how the language of the anthem doesn’t really fucking matter, not one whit:

O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.

With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!

From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

and

O Canada! Terre de nos aïeux,
Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux!

Car ton bras sait porter l’épée,
Il sait porter la croix!

Ton histoire est une épopée
Des plus brillants exploits.

Et ta valeur, de foi trempée,
Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.

Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.

Yet somehow Canada thrives. With two sets of lyrics in two official languages.

The USA doesn’t have an official language, by the way.

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