http://deadspin.com/sports/george-s...-or-the-yankees-will-have-you-shot-259313.php We want to make this absolutely clear: We love America. We love it. We love the freedom to speak our mind, we love we are allowed to wear American flag underpants, we love that we can super size any combo meal, regardless of which sandwich we choose. We love it here. That said, we kind of can't stand the song "God Bless America." Putting aside the church-vs.-state discussions, it's just a poorly written and constructed song, sugarly, stupidly sentimental, not Irving Berlin's happiest moment as a songwriter. (He even admitted this late in his life.) All told, "America The Beautiful" is a decidedly superior song. And we really can't stand how Yankee Stadium still plays the song every seventh inning stretch; the pomp reeks of "We Are More Patriotic Than You Are" self-congratulation. Oh, and also, you're not allowed to leave your seat while the song's on. Some people aren't happy about that either. Steinbrenner agreed to a plan to restrict movement. By mid-October 2001, he said, the Yankees' implemented a system using off-duty uniformed police officers, ushers, stadium security personnel and the aisle chains to restrict movement. The Yankees pay the city to use police officers as part of the security detail. Trost said the ushers were instructed to allow fans with emergencies to move through the stands. Because one end of each chain is held by a person, instead of secured in place, the system is not considered a fire hazard, a spokeswoman for the New York Fire Department said. We always stand at attention and take off our hat for "The Star Spangled Banner." We consider it an honor, and respectful. We do not feel the same way about "God Bless America" -- which is not our national anthem, after all -- and, sorry, George, we don't think the Yankees are more patriotic than any of the other teams in baseball for commanding that we do so. Well, OK, maybe the Blue Jays. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/10/s...ef=sports&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin The most patriotic moments at Yankee Stadium can also be the most confining. Seconds before ?The Star-Spangled Banner? and ?God Bless America? are played, police officers, security guards and ushers turn their backs to the American flag in center field, stare at fans moving through the stands and ask them to stop. Across the stadium?s lower section, ushers stand every 20 feet to block the main aisle with chains. As the songs are played or sung, the crowd appears motionless. The national anthem has long been a pregame staple at sporting events. But after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Major League Baseball directed teams to play ?God Bless America? before the bottom of the seventh inning at every game. Baseball scaled back the next season, telling teams they needed to play the song only on Sundays and holidays, which is still the case. Only the Yankees continue to play ?God Bless America? at every home game. They are also the only ones to use chains to prevent fans from moving during both songs, which concerns some civil liberties advocates. Howard J. Rubenstein, the spokesman for the Yankees? principal owner, George Steinbrenner, said the policy was an expression of patriotism. ?Mr. Steinbrenner wanted to do all games to remind the fans about how important it is to honor our nation, our service members, those that died on Sept. 11 and those fighting for our nation,? Rubenstein said in a telephone interview. In the month after the attacks, baseball and patriotism seemed to be intertwined, and the idea to restrict the movement of fans was born. Lonn A. Trost, the team?s chief operating officer, said fans sent the Yankees? front office hundreds of e-mail messages and letters and made phone calls to complain about how other fans were not paying respect. ?The fans were telling us it was a disgrace that when the song was being sung people were not observing it with a moment of silence,? Trost said. Trost said Steinbrenner was presented with the fan complaints and agreed to a plan to restrict movement. By mid-October 2001, he said, the Yankees? implemented a system using off-duty uniformed police officers, ushers, stadium security personnel and the aisle chains to restrict movement. The Yankees pay the city to use police officers as part of the security detail. Trost said the ushers were instructed to allow fans with emergencies to move through the stands. Because one end of each chain is held by a person, instead of secured in place, the system is not considered a fire hazard, a spokeswoman for the New York Fire Department said. Trost said the Yankees have not heard any complaints about either the continued playing of ?God Bless America? or the restrictions on movement. ?Before 9/11, we recognized the spirit and importance of the way of life we live in this country,? he said. ?We have always been a major supporter of everything that relates on a patriotic basis. Men and women are serving, and we believe as an organization we should remember them and how they are out there on the forefront.? The Mets, meanwhile, have not heard complaints from fans about behavior during the songs and have not implemented similar restrictions, a team spokesman said. Patrick Courtney, a spokesman for Major League Baseball, said teams determine what is appropriate at their stadiums. The Yankees are the only major league team to use chains, according to a survey of teams. But at least eight others ? the Marlins, the Phillies, the Padres, the Rangers, the Twins, the Astros, the Athletics and the Red Sox ? instruct ushers to prevent fans from moving through the aisles when the songs are played. Some civil liberties advocates worry that the Yankees may be restricting freedom in the name of freedom. ?Yankee management is free to promote its brand of musical patriotism,? Arthur Eisenberg, the legal director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, said in a written statement. ?But we need to be wary of enforced cultural conformity and the use of a ballgame to impose political correctness on a captive audience.? The organization said it would consider legal action only if a fan were arrested for disobeying the measure. Michael C. Dorf, a constitutional law professor at Columbia Law School, said the Yankees had the right to restrict movement. ?It doesn?t violate the Constitution, because the Yankees are not the government,? Dorf said. ?If they were a municipally owned team, you could have an issue because the team would be a state actor.? Dorf said that he would be at today?s game and that the use of chains did not bother him and probably would not upset most fans. ?But at the same time, it could for people who have a different view of their patriotism,? he said. ?It will be compelled speech or compelled silence.? Guess if you have to go pee, you have to do it with 2 outs in the top of the inning or else they'll make you pee yourself.
I always thought that "oceans white with foam" was an odd and awkward lyric. I had this on my mind today as I listened to it actually.
I'm a pretty patriotic guy, and I don't mind the song God Bless America, despite the fact that I question the existence of God and all religious correlations. Moreover, I despise the fact that it is sung during Yankees games. It is rare that you can escape the complications of the world, and going to a baseball game can help do that...I don't need Mr. Steinbrenner trying to remind me how much we should love our country, and how we should go about doing that.
if other teams in baseball were as classy and professional as the Yankees then they'd do the same thing. However, since no other team can achieve the levels of class and professionalism that the Yankees organization posesses, the Yankees stand alone with the daily singing of God Bless America.
I don't understand the people who yell at me to take my hat off during G.B.A. it makes no sense to me. I have no problem with the singing of the song if that's what a ckub chooses to do, that's their right. But to place restrictions on movement is stupid IMO. One thing that really stands out to me is that the servicemen at the stadium actually turn their backs on the flag during the singing and try to control the crowd... seems like the ultimate contradiction to me.
umm, how about no? How is pushing religion classy and professional? I prefer to enjoy baseball and if I want to take a dump in the 7th inning stretch, I'm going to walk to the restroom no matter what song is being played.
The Yankees are discriminating against atheists, agnostics, and anyone of other religions, besides Christianity. George Steinbrenner is a fucking moron, in case anyone hasn't noticed. I'd be embarrassed to be a fan of the Yankees, for more reasons than one, but this one in particular. Anyway, I hope Steinbrenner dies soon. It's time. Actually, most of that entire generation is a burden on our knowledgeable youth. Hopefully, by 2040, we'll have wiped the scum of America off our plates. Ill-informed, religious, old, brainwashed, Steinbrenner, old, grumpy, stingy, old, narrow-minded dickheads and dickheadettes. Steinbrenner, get raped, anally.
You don't have to stand or remove you hat for God Bless America. I do for a moment of silence for the Troops.
Please leave you sarcastic and edgy comments out of here. It does no good to the legitimate Yankee threads I want to participate in.
This will mark the first time I have ever - or WILL ever - say this: I support George Steinbrenner and Shrek.
They actually do this? When I first read it I thought the whole chains and asking people not to move thing was part of the deadspin article. also looks like a deadspin commenter beat shade to the punch on this one
Deadspin should be the name of the first pitch Oliver Perez throws after a walk. The guy has pitched well, but after he walks someone and the announcers start talking arm angle and release point, the next pitch always goes over the wall.
