Via WSFA: Montgomery choir chastised for singing national anthem in U.S. Capitol
Most Americans would agree that singing the national anthem is a symbol of patriotism, but what could possibly be the problem with singing it in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol?
A Montgomery, Ala. church choir found out the hard way during a trip to the nation’s capital.
The youth choir at Frazer United Methodist Church was on its way to a mission trip in New York when students and their chaperons decided to take a quick stop in Washington, D.C. for a tour.
While in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol building, the students broke out in song and shared the national anthem with other tourists viewing the historic building.
Security, then told the the students it was against the law to sing without a permit in the building, and that if they sang again they would be asked to leave.
Here’s the deal: while the emphasis here is on the “Oh my gosh! How can anyone object to singing the national anthem at the US Capitol?!” the real emphasis should be on “it [is] against the law to sing without a permit in the building.”
The purpose of said law is, at a minimum, to allow visitors and workers in the building to enjoy their visit/work in relative peace. What would it be like if anyone could decide to sing in the building whenever they wanted? This would hardly be conducive to the general public being able to enjoy visiting the Capitol. For goodness sake, what if Roseanne Barr decided she wanted to since the national anthem in the rotunda?
James Joyner noted a similar story last year at the Lincoln Memorial: Singing National Anthem Illegal?! and had a similar reaction:
If the Park Police allowed YAF kids to sing the Star Spangled Banner, they’d pretty much have to allow anyone to sing or say anything. And the Memorial would be a cacophony of protesters rather than a national treasure.
Indeed.
