Most people who are criticizing professional athletes for not standing and putting their hands over their hearts when the national anthem Star Spangled Banner* is played are hypocritical. Why? Because they watch the sports games on TV and don't stand at home with their hand over their heart when the national anthem is played on TV. Why don't they get their butts off the chair and stand? What exempts them?
Though I would stand at a sports event when the national anthem is played if I went to one, I do wonder why it is played at all? And it is not done in all sports so far as I know. For example, is the national anthem played before the start of each day in all professional sports? I think not. Why is golf exempt? Or the Indianapolis 500 where God Bless America is used?
I used to go to the concerts of the Fairfax Symphony (Fairfax Co., VA) where the national anthem was played to begin the concerts. Of course, I stood and I guess I put my hand over my heart. Truth to tell, I would rather America the Beautiful** (God is mentioned in each stanza if that is important but only in the 4th stanza of the Star Spangled Banner.) was the anthem or God Bless America **(only one stanza though there is an intro stanza) that are less militarily focused. I used to go to a church hymn sing on Sunday nights in Highlands, NC, where we ended singing God Bless America facing an American flag with our hand over our heart. It is also sung before the Indianapolis 500 races.
In my memory, in St. Paul, MN, where I grew up, I think the national anthem was played before movies during WW-II and we stood, etc..
Incidentally, congress only adopted the national anthem on March 3, 1931 about 6 wks before I was born. Hail Columbia*** was the unofficial national anthem for most of the 19th century. I think we actually sang My Country 'Tis Of Thee**** at the beginning of the primary school day.
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_God_We_Trust
** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America_the_Beautiful
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_Bless_America
*** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hail,_Columbia
**** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Country,_%27Tis_of_Thee
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