[JPL] had to get my two cents in

[Paul Combs]

Well said, Eric.  As an artist, and what we might call a "skeptical 
patriot" my tendency is to side with Rene Marie.  I say tendency, 
because I was not at the event in question.  Given the history of this 
nation, and the all too human inclination of people to not really think 
about what is being done in their name, or really examine their own 
attitudes, I applaud Rene Marie for shaking folks up a bit.  Obviously 
we all need to handle these situations on a case by case  basis, but  I  
think that this song , which I have often though of as a poor choice for 
a "national anthem," for various reasons, is not as sacred a cow as we 
reflexively believe it to be.

Ciao,

Paul
>
>
>>
>>
>> Changing the words to a very important National song is not 
>> "improvising".  It's changing the song.  Improvising on the tune is 
>> different.  She was hired to sing the SSB, not LEVAS.  As Obama said, 
>> this is the NATIONAL anthem.
>> -Dr.
>
>
> There is a musical term called textual improvisation.
>
> This argument can go on forever because all we are discussing are our 
> opinions.
>
> I'm no constitutional scholar but as far as I know the Constitution 
> hasn't established a standard SSB nor has the Supreme Court. Neither 
> have said that this is our anthem and this is the way it must be 
> performed.
>
> Without that, we are left with our opinion as to whether or not we can 
> improvise on it. No matter how emphatically someone says that you 
> shouldn't improvise on it, since there is no law restricting it, it's 
> still just someone's opinion.
>
> If the law of the land has not established a standard then there is no 
> standard! There is custom but there is no standard. Customs, as we all 
> know, often change with time.
>
> Eric Jackson
> Mon - Thurs 8 pm - mid.
> 89.7 FM WGBH Boston
> www.wgbh.org/jazz
>
>
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