Hand Over Your Heart, Please!

[Steve J]

Maybe it's just me, but when I was growing up I was taught how to properly display the flag and how to properly render honors to our country. I've almost gotten used to professional athletes (baseball players in particular) leaving their hats on and chewing gum during the National Anthem. They're overpaid and out of control. But, Olympians??? Can't someone teach them to put their hand over their heart during the playing of the National Anthem?

[Hey QuicksDraw!]

Who was the offfender?

[tightloop]

+1 to that.....

[Bigbadaboom]

When I read the title of this thread I wondered why someone would tell you that you had to give them your heart . Guess you'ld have to be in my head .

I concur 100%

[Steve J]

Who was the offfender?

Every American at every awards ceremony I've seen so far. Sometimes hands hanging at side holding their bouquet. Sometimes hands clasped behind backs holding their bouquet. No one was irreverent. They just obviously don't know what to do.

A generation without the Pledge of Allegiance in schools perhaps?

[John Heiter]

Well, you learn something new every day. I was always taught that you put your hand over your heart when saying the Pledge, not during the anthem. It kind of made sense to me as I was making a commitment when I said the Pledge (akin to raising your hand when taking an oath in court) but the National Anthem was different. I would take my hat off and face the flag, but I thought that was the proper thing to do to show respect. Now I look up US Code Title 36, Subtitle I, Chapter 3, Sec. 301 and it doesn't get much plainer than that. Thanks for straightening me out.

[SiG Lady]

At the recent Lane Coumty Sheriff's Office annual awards banquet (about 500 people), we had a group from the Eugene Opera Company come in and sing the National Anthem. We all stood upright, hats (what few there were--this was indoors) were removed, and generally just clasped our hands over our front. I did actually peek around discreetly to see if anyone was doing the hand-over-heart thing, and I didn't see anyone doing that.

[Steve J]

Well, you learn something new every day. I was always taught that you put your hand over your heart when saying the Pledge, not during the anthem. It kind of made sense to me as I was making a commitment when I said the Pledge (akin to raising your hand when taking an oath in court) but the National Anthem was different. I would take my hat off and face the flag, but I thought that was the proper thing to do to show respect. Now I look up US Code Title 36, Subtitle I, Chapter 3, Sec. 301 and it doesn't get much plainer than that. Thanks for straightening me out.

Talk about learning something new everyday. I did not know it was codefied in law.

Thanks, John.

Maybe I'll send this to the US Olympic Committee.

-CITE-

36 USC Sec. 301 01/19/04

-EXPCITE-

TITLE 36 - PATRIOTIC AND NATIONAL OBSERVANCES, CEREMONIES, AND

ORGANIZATIONS

Subtitle I - Patriotic and National Observances and Ceremonies

Part A - Observances and Ceremonies

CHAPTER 3 - NATIONAL ANTHEM, MOTTO, FLORAL EMBLEM, AND MARCH

-HEAD-

Sec. 301. National anthem

-STATUTE-

(a) Designation. - The composition consisting of the words and

music known as the Star-Spangled Banner is the national anthem.

( Conduct During Playing. - During a rendition of the national

anthem -

(1) when the flag is displayed -

(A) all present except those in uniform should stand at

attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart;

( men not in uniform should remove their headdress with

their right hand and hold the headdress at the left shoulder,

the hand being over the heart; and

© individuals in uniform should give the military salute at

the first note of the anthem and maintain that position until

the last note; and

(2) when the flag is not displayed, all present should face

toward the music and act in the same manner they would if the

flag were displayed.

-SOURCE-

(Pub. L. 105-225, Aug. 12, 1998, 112 Stat. 1263.)

[dajarrel]

Thanks for the info guys.

I have noticed that at NASCAR events, the announcer will state something to the effect of:

"And now, rise and remove your hats as the Color Guard presents the Colors"

Sometimes it takes a little prodding but most everyone participates.

dj

[short_round]

When I read the title of this thread I wondered why someone would tell you that you had to give them your heart

... I was thinking the same thing. What a very strange request.

[Steve J]

When I read the title of this thread I wondered why someone would tell you that you had to give them your heart

... I was thinking the same thing. What a very strange request.

I guess I shouldn't have assumed the verb "(Place) hand over your heart, please."

You guys read "hand over" as the predicate of the sentence.

I wonder what Freud would have said about that?

[short_round]

You guys read "hand over" as the predicate of the sentence.

I wonder what Freud would have said about that?

Nothing good I bet ... I was envisioning something from the Aztec/Montezuma era or Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, but in a nice way. You did say "Please!" afterall. Still it would be messy.

Edited February 21, 2006 by short_round

[HercPilot]

Those of us in the military used to be taught to stand at attention when not in uniform....I just found out that that may have changed in 1989..Now we put our hands over our hearts when not in uniform...

http://www.okinawa.usmc.mil/public%20affai...0218-heart.html

Air Force...http://www.vt.ang.af.mil/ncodisk/07/a/Customs.htm

Edited February 22, 2006 by HercPilot

[kimel]

I was screaming at one of the US Olympians the other night during the medal ceremony. He never once looked up at the flag. Just stared at his feet the whole time.

Then there was the dimwit US Olympian that didn't win gold so during the other nation's anthem was busily looking around and waving at people. What ever happened to courtesy?

My wife no longer lets me watch the medal ceremonies. Something about how I might hit the TV with the beer glass next time.

[SA Friday]

Herc is correct. Sometimes you will see an old timer military man stand at attention while in civilian clothes, because that is what we were taught to do. That changed in 89/90, and the military is now teaching the hand over the heart while in civilian clothes (but not on a military instillation for revelery or retreat). Don't ask me why... I was too scared in basic to ask why, and now it's engrained.

As for how I know this, I am an old timer military man, and have 3 to go till retirement. Ahhh, for the good ole days, the Regan era... bodies everywhere in the military.

Doubt this applies to the olympians though... They are just ignorant of the facts. They don't teach this stuff in the schools anymore. Too much political correctness... wouldn't want to offend the earth muffin's kid.

[Bigbadaboom]

When I read the title of this thread I wondered why someone would tell you that you had to give them your heart

... I was thinking the same thing. What a very strange request.

I guess I shouldn't have assumed the verb "(Place) hand over your heart, please."

You guys read "hand over" as the predicate of the sentence.

I wonder what Freud would have said about that?

I'm just so used to others demanding so much from me (Mainly at work) that it was a natural observation.

[AlamoShooter]

When I read the title of this thread I wondered why someone would tell you that you had to give them your heart . Guess you'ld have to be in my head .

I concur 100%

Me too

Had a girl do that once...thin she stomped on it ....

[NewRacer]

My wife no longer lets me watch the medal ceremonies. Something about how I might hit the TV with the beer glass next time.

People dont like being with me at sporting events.....I am not shy about telling people what they should be doing during the National Anthem. (ie. no talking, take off hat, etc...)

[mmcnx2]

I was at my daughters band concert and they always open with the national anthem. A few kids sitting a row or two behind me were goofing off, had their hats on, generally being disrespectful. I wispered my disgust to my wife and the older gentleman standing beside us, who must of overheard me, looks back to check them out and bascially tells them to get their hats off and behave or he'll get them thrown out.

After the concert the guy stands up and explains to these kids that people such as he had fought in wars all over the world so we had the privalge to be standing where we were and if they could not grasp the significance of that, they should spend some time learning about it.

After the kids left he turned to me and said that the education system had gone to heck since a school paid for with government tax dollars did not require the kids to say the pledge. I do think the guy was right, our schools tell these kids they don't have to do anything they do not want to and then expect they have respect for anything. And let's not forget the wonderful parenting skills void in the this process. My children pulled a stunt like this I'd have them singing the anthem before grace at every meal.

[Steve J]

FINALLY A GREAT AMERICAN

Today Gold Medalist Apollo Anton Ohno held his right hand over his heart during the playing of the National Anthem during his awards ceremony. He may not have been the only one, but in all the evenings I've watched the Olympics on NBC, he's the only one I've seen.

Congratulations!

[glock17w]

I concur. It pisses me off to see people without their hands over their hearts, not standing in a manner that shows complete respect, talking, chewing gum, etc when the National Anthem plays. I was taught at an early age to stand at attention while the song is playing. My dad always reminded me that he had a lot of Marine Corps buddies that died for that American Flag and I nor anyone was going to disrespect them. Whenever I see someone messing around during the National Anthem, I always correct them afterwards.

glock17w