Do you believe that God Bless America was not chosen as the national anthem because it was written by a Jew?

Question

Irving Berlin

God Bless America, America the beautiful, and The Star Spangled Banner were all in the running to be the National Anthem.

The poem Star Spangled Banner was written as a poem not a song during the war of 1812.

Please do a little reading before sayingt someone is wrong.

Fort McHenry - National AnthemIn 1931 the Congress of The United States of America enacted legislation that made "The Star-Spangled Banner" the official national anthem. ...
www.bcpl.net/~etowner/anthem.html -

Anyone want to do some editing. Maybe a polite "sorry" for a change.

I'm partial to "America the Beautiful" myself.

Would, at least, one of you answer my actual question. I believe both copeland and Berlin were Jews. As well, the Star Spangled banner is almost impossible to sing well without training. That is Prima facie evidence enough for me to ask the question.

Answer 1

I think God Bless America would be a much nicer national anthem than the Star Spangled Banner.

Answer 2

No, the star spangled banner was written 104 years before god bless america, so i'll have to say thats the biggest reason why. The star spangled banner also the Navy and White house anthem before god bless was even written.

Answer 3

I think it far more likely that 'The Star Spangled Banner 'was chosen because it was written in 1814, during the War of 1812 which occured so soon after the Revolutionary War as the British tried again to take control of the U.S.

Woodrow Wilson declared 'The Star Spangled Banner' as the National Anthem in 1916 (or thereabouts); Berlin didn't write 'God Bless America' until 1918.

So, no, i don't think anyone went 2 years backward in time to not choose Berlin's song as our national anthem just because he was Jewish. (this paragraph was intended to be mildly humorous)

ADD ON:

Pardon me, please, but i **did** answer your question and I feel I did so rather well in that I provided what history I can remember.

Since my bit of humor seemingly flew past, I'll gladly, and sincerely, offer an apology for that.

To clarify: No, i do *not* think there was any bigotry exhibited toward Berlin because he was Jewish in the choosing of 'The Star Spangled Banner' as our National Anthem.

Again, Woodrow Wilson *declared* it to be the National Anthem in about 1916; Berlin wrote 'God Bless America' in 1918 and, if I recall correctly, the song was essentially "shelved" until the need for patriotic revivalism was needed, at which time it was pulled out, sung by Kate Smith, and became a huge hit.

Yes, you are correct that the National Anthem was *legislated* in 1931; however, at that point, 'The Star Spangled Banner' had already been accepted by the public for 15 years as the National Anthem; further, soon after the Key's poem was published in newspapers, people began to sing it using the tune of another song (cannot recall the name of that song).

Accordingly, I believe this to be the reason 'The Star Spangled Banner* was legislated as the National Anthem ~ likely, too, resultant of demands from constituents because the song brings out strong emotion in many and had been accepted so long as the National Anthem.

I actually thought it was common knowledge that 'The Star Spangled Banner' was not immediately put to music as it was scribbled. as a poem, on scrap paper during a moment of extreme inspiration as Key watched a battle from the (relative) safety of a British ship, where he was being held captive along with 2 others.

They could see our flag during the night because of the light provided by bombs, explosions, etc.; however, there was a period of darkness and, as they waited for dawn to break there was (going from memory here) either fog or smoke left from battle (or both?) and Key and company were waiting to see if it was the Stars & Stripes still flying ~ the indication of victory or if our defeat would be seen by the flying of the Union Jack . Key later finished his poem and, later again, it was set to music by the public as clarified above.

You asked a very thought provoking question (hard to find on here anymore) and I am shocked by some of the "answers" you've received and, worse, am dumbfounded that so many are ignorant of the history of our National Anthem, not to mention how many were unable to read your question, understand it and answer it intelligently!

Answer 4

Err umm, Star and Spangled Banner????

God Bless America is a slogan not a song, by the way; and we still use it, thank you.

And, pray do tell us who's this German Jew who lives in Berlin and what's the reason that he had to write this song?

I'd love to know!?

Simon Templar

Answer 5

I do not (first whats god bless america? and second the anthem is the Star-Bangled Banner right?)

Answer 6

No it is because the people in power have been satanic Freemasons since the days of the founding fathers up until today.

Answer 7

No. The anthem was chosen before he wrote it.

Answer 8

No! after all the author of the declaration of independance was a Buddhist, you see they where more tolerent then than we are today

Answer 9

They didn't choose it because the _only_ person who could sing it and make it sound really decent was Kate Smith and she is dead.

Silly.

Answer 10

And they didn't choose "The KKK took my baby away" because it was written by The Ramones.