According to Babelfish, the above is the translation for “The Star Spangled Banner”. Apparently this is causing a whole lot of folks on the Right to go apeshit nuts. Hell, even the President is upset about it (CNN). My only question is why? What’s the big deal?

Until this country passes some form of legislation declaring the National Language to be English (which I hope to God doesn’t happen), I don’t see a problem with a group of Latino Pop Stars recording our Nation’s Anthem in Spanish. Officially, the title of the new recording is ‘Nuestro Himno’ which means Our Anthem.

To me, this is nothing more than the continued nationalist thinking since 9/11. The same folks that are outraged over the National Anthem being recorded in Spanish are the same ones who want to see every last immigrant, both legal and illegal, deported from this country and a nice large fence put up that effectively shuts us off from the rest of the world.

I say there shouldn’t be a problem for those who want to make patriotism more personal, nor should we pass judgment on them. Because, in reality, that’s what this “new” song means to the many Spanish speakers in this country, legal or not. I think we could all do with making our patriotism a bit more personal and that doesn’t just mean putting a few yellow ribbons on your cars or trees or planting some “Support the Troops” placards in your yard.