Sing it Loud, Sing it Proud:
Sing It America, Sing to Preserve the Star Spangled Banner!
By Selena Owens, Contributing Writer
Some things come our way in life that cannot be repeated. Ever.
On September 14, 2015, one such opportunity exists that strongly encourages Americans to show up to sing the Star Spangled Banner with a profound new awareness during a once-in-a-lifetime-event: “From Dawn’s Early Light to Dawn’s Early Light” at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Last year, the Star Spangled Banner celebrated its 200th birthday. Baltimore celebrated with a beautiful display, and other groups as well as churches participated in a national televised event “Star Spangled Sunday.” Beyond that, the celebration went unnoticed by most Americans. Washington certainly didn’t recognize or celebrate it, but for a handful of patriotic Americans on the US Capitol Lawn with an NBC film crew and a closed reception at the Smithsonian American History Museum.
Three days later, on September 17, 2014, a remarkable thing happened. Congress unanimously passed Senate resolution S-550, issuing an entire Year of Thanksgiving for the Bicentennial of the National Anthem, following proclamations issued by then Gov. Martin O’Malley (D-MD) , Gov. Bill Haslam (R-TN), and Gov. Mary Fallin (R-OK), declaring September 14, 2014 and 2015, as “Sing It America Day.”
Why and how did this historic measure evolve?
Dr. Shelli Jones Manuel, historian, educator, artist and Executive Director of “Sing It America” ran with a vision entrusted to her by her late husband, David Manuel, who was co-author of THE LIGHT AND THE GLORY that launched the Christian American Heritage Movement in the 1970’s, which turned this nation forward to faith in the 1980s.
In 2012, David and Shelli began working on a project concerning the Bicentennial of the war of 1812-14. After his death, Shelli kept the vision alive and began filming with a former Night Line Co-Producer on a documentary about the Star Spangled Banner. Sadly after interviewing in the Baltimore Harbor, on Flag Day, her footage was unusable. It revealed that more than 90% of children in all age groups and racial backgrounds, could not even say what a National Anthem was, let alone sing it. Not even one ‘stage mom’ pushed her child to the cameras to shine! When asked if they knew the ‘football game song’ only a few little eyes lit up.
Moreover, the adults? More than 80% couldn’t sing more than 3 lines, never mind the high note! Then, Shelli’s team discovered the Rasmussen Report, Washington Post, Parade Magazine and others, which proclaimed their polls showed that as high as 27% of the Millennials do not know the Star Spangled Banner, do not want it as our National Anthem, and would gladly replace it with a more ‘one-world friendly’ tune that is less militarily offensive to our one-world neighbors!
Realizing that Americans were in trouble, Shelli pulled together Commemorative Historical Resolution #S-550 that did two things:
1: Expanded the celebration to a full year.
2: Guaranteed that all four verses would remain our National Anthem perpetually.
That included the last verse, the “Forgotten Prayer Verse” that Francis Scott Key wrote. After penning 3 verses from a British ship that held him captive during the bombardment of Ft. McHenry, he was released in our victory and fell to his knees upon the shores of Baltimore, where he wrote the last verse calling us, “Heaven’s Rescued Land; in God Is Our Trust.”
The preservation and bold declaration of the Star Spangled Banner is essential to the longevity of America. Gen. Jerry Boykin, a 3-Star General, declared that The National Anthem is our patriotic anchor to our National Defense. If our children lose that, they will be marching to the tune of tyrants once again! Pop sensation, Miley Cyrus, pushed a bid to replace the Anthem with her song, “Party in the USA” on WE THE PEOPLE website, the official main vein into the White House and Congress to get legislative action recognized and seriously considered. In order to do so, you must have 100,000 petition signatures and she got 90,000, too close for comfort.
But, Shelli stopped that error-ridden effort, which would have erupted an old fight in congress concerning the anthem, after the VFW pushed Congress to vote for the Star Spangled Banner. At this time, when we face ISIS, our nation needs unity not division. A nation divided against itself will not stand. Her enemies would rend her.
May we instead echo the brave actions of the merchants of Baltimore, Maryland on September 14th 1814, who upon seeing the ominous orange glow of Washington and the White House, on fire at the south end of the Chesapeake River, acted quickly, not with months to decide, but only minutes! Most never regaining their livelihoods or fortunes, sacrificially united to sink their merchant ships and block the British from entering their harbor, thereby saving Ft. McHenry! ‘Ol’ Glory’ flag only took a few bullet holes, from that distance, not a close up canon ball’s rip! Had those patriots not done that, we’d be singing ‘God Bless The Queen’ instead of the Star-Spangled Banner!
How much does it mean to you? Do you love your country that much and the future for your children and grandchildren?
Let us call on every American to take swift courageous unselfish action this fall. Spend the money and the time to join thousands of Americans for this joyous rally! Since both conservative and secular members of Congress have agreed, we need to sing it and educate our children not to lose it, let’s do it! Show America you care! Show the world we love our Star Spangled Banner and all it represents. The last verse calls us “Heaven’s Rescued Land”! It declares, “In God Is Our Trust”! On the Lincoln Memorial platform, we will sing the anthem’s first and last verse every hour on the hour Sept 14, 2015 all day long from 5 am to 5 am!
Sing It America Day happens to follow a Repentance March down Pennsylvania Ave the day before on the Feast of Trumpets, (the traditional biblical holiday of national repentance), organized by yet another group, and this is to be joined by 400 Shofar players from Israel, and there will be the raising of a Tent for Worship, by yet another organization, at the Washington Monument at the opposite end of the reflection pool on the Washington Mall, from our Sing It America event at the Lincoln Memorial, on what turns out to be Rosh Shashanna of the Smitah Year and the day that Congress makes its final vote on the Iranian Nuclear Arms deal! None of these organizers knew that each other were planning these coinciding events until just a few weeks ago. A congressman’s widow connected them all, as she met them one by one in Washington organizing all of this!
It’s a goose-chill time! Evidently, God Almighty is stirring the pot, to draw whosoever will, to the nation’s capital to join their voices in repentance and celebration, so that he may stay the hand of judgment once again.
Your voice is needed too! Your voice is the vote to save the national anthem and ensure the next generation can sing it, knowing what it represents!
Visit our web site of www.singitamerica.org and register today! Become a proud sponsor.
Join the Contests and win a prize or scholarship.
Enter your children in the David B Manuel Literary Contest or the History Bee! Join the 200 voice choir for the 200 years Bicentennial! If you are a veteran with a story, come tell it! Apply to sing or play a solo rendition of the anthem, or bring your choir or worship team, or military bugle drill. Host our Reality TV show in your church or civic meeting this next year! Submit a drama or historical reenactment for the Sing It America Day rally. Professional and amateur musicians will perform that day with crowd sing-a-longs. Congressional members will address us, Israel will salute our Flag too, films will be shown, and Presidential Candidates may debate that evening, ending with a beautiful fireworks display over the Potomac River!
SING IT AMERICA!
Your voice is needed there Sept 14th 2015
Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC!
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
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