topic Re: National anthem protest in Community Spirit

National anthem protest

davidc4430 — Wed, 12 Sep 2018 01:16:58 GMT

National anthem protest: 9yo refuses to stand because anthem is for 'white people of Australia'

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-12/national-anthem-kenmore-school-brisbane/10235792

Re: National anthem protest

davidc4430 — Wed, 12 Sep 2018 01:20:57 GMT

i wonder if either of her parents would publicly denounce university policy at the universitys they are employed at and think it was ok to not have any flak.

surely they couldnt believe hand on heart the universitys position on everything.

Re: National anthem protest

imastawka — Wed, 12 Sep 2018 01:44:33 GMT

What's a 9 yo know?

How is it possible that a 9 yo can interpret the meaning of a song's lyrics?

Spouting mum and dad's views more likely.

And I disagree with their interpretation.

The phrase 'we are young' I believe, refers to our becoming a nation, not how long anybody's been inhabiting the land.

And that covers all colours of people. Black, white, blue or yellow.

Re: National anthem protest

zanadoo_56 — Wed, 12 Sep 2018 07:18:14 GMT

@davidc4430 wrote:
National anthem protest: 9yo refuses to stand because anthem is for 'white people of Australia'

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-12/national-anthem-kenmore-school-brisbane/10235792

If you look at the original verses, it was for white people of Australia who came from Britain. ...and that's why we don't sing those. 🙂

The song has evolved....as hopefully Australia has.

Re: National anthem protest

imastawka — Wed, 12 Sep 2018 07:37:43 GMT

The official lyrics adopted in 1984 are -

Australians all let us rejoice,
For we are young and free;
We've golden soil and wealth for toil;
Our home is girt by sea;
Our land abounds in nature's gifts
Of beauty rich and rare;
In history's page, let every stage
Advance Australia Fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia Fair.

Beneath our radiant Southern Cross
We'll toil with hearts and hands;
To make this Commonwealth of ours
Renowned of all the lands;
For those who've come across the seas
We've boundless plains to share;
With courage let us all combine
To Advance Australia Fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia Fair.

Someone tell me how a 9yo took objection to any of that, without the aid of an adult.

Re: National anthem protest

grumpy*cat*rocks — Wed, 12 Sep 2018 08:27:58 GMT

She decided to rebel against the anthem last Friday.

So what about all the other times that the anthem has played?

She's been at school a while, and it seems strange that it's suddenly just last week (as opposed to previous weeks) that she's found the anthem offensive.

Re: National anthem protest

azureline** — Wed, 12 Sep 2018 10:37:45 GMT

I listened to her on the radio this morning, she was not very articulate when answering the questions put to her.

Her tv interview was obviously so much better, that I suggest she was coached.

In any case, the school didn't write the anthem and had no choice about it. Her job is to be educated and have respect for the rules imposed at her state school. Don't like the rules? change schools/follow the example of the JW kids, they stand but do not sing the anthem, or they are absent from assembly.

Didn't we have a poll when it was introduced?

Re: National anthem protest

ecar3483 — Wed, 12 Sep 2018 12:01:46 GMT

The National Anthem introduced a whole new word to my vocabulary...

Girt...

That evening I asked my parents what a girt was...

Dad said it's like a nanny, only younger, and made a bleating noise...

It took Mum about five minutes to get over her fit of giggles...

They were good value, my folks... ha ha.

🙂

Re: National anthem protest

shoppingbag* — Wed, 12 Sep 2018 21:08:36 GMT

You forgot "red". Do we have Smurfs?

Re: National anthem protest

shoppingbag* — Wed, 12 Sep 2018 21:14:18 GMT

When we travelled overseas, everywhere we went they played "Waltzing Matilda" for us, which apparently is what is thought to be our National Anthem. I personally would have preferred it to be.

Re: National anthem protest

shoppingbag* — Wed, 12 Sep 2018 21:25:35 GMT

This family are just a bunch of rabble rousers, intent on bringing up a troublemaker.

Re: National anthem protest

springyzone — Wed, 12 Sep 2018 23:02:28 GMT

I don't think a young child would think of this on his or her own, to be honest. It's part of what I see as the white apologist movement, where we dare not talk about the race or sex of anyone and anything instigated by white people is automatically bad.

I can't see how anyone could claim it is a song only for 'white people'.
It says 'Australians all'.

The word young, as someone else explained, is referring to the age of the nation, not the age of individuals. The land has been here for eons, but that's pretty much the same for land anywhere in the world.

It's the actions of one child.

I'm not sure why the news is giving this so much publicity. I would be extremely surprised if the school staff contacted the papers.So how did they get to know? This reeks of opportunism to me and I don't think it was the 9 year old behind it.

Re: National anthem protest

tasfleur — Thu, 13 Sep 2018 00:08:38 GMT

I have to say that I've met a few "girts" in my life. It's like the "snoof", meaning anything one wants it to, including being surrounded by ...

In all seriousness though, national anthems don't mean much to me no matter where they originate. For me, it's only about where a person lives, moves to, comes from , and wants to be, so I respect that.

The national flags say a lot more (to me) as recognition of a culture/nationhood (good or bad). I don't fervently salute them either, but in terms of geography and planet earth in general, that's where I live, flags, anthems or anything else, and all I need to do is respect the place I reside and my friends from all over the world.

I do stand for the National Anthem though, but don't 'sing' it.

Racism is taught not inherent, and always by adults.

Re: National anthem protest

zanadoo_56 — Thu, 13 Sep 2018 02:15:30 GMT

@ecar3483 wrote:
The National Anthem introduced a whole new word to my vocabulary...
Girt...
That evening I asked my parents what a girt was...
Dad said it's like a nanny, only younger, and made a bleating noise...
It took Mum about five minutes to get over her fit of giggles...

They were good value, my folks... ha ha.

🙂

My favourite Adam Hills quote:

(On the Australian National Anthem): It's just not the most inspiring anthem in the world is it?

I mean, the words are alright: 'Australians all let us rejoice, for we are young and free', except for that last line 'our home is girt by sea.' 'Cos 'girt' means surrounded.

How many of you have ever used the word 'girt' in a sentence in your life? Seriously, you never see a policeman and 4 police cars outside your house saying : 'Come out of there with your hands up, we have you girt.'

Re: National anthem protest

springyzone — Thu, 13 Sep 2018 05:12:16 GMT

Now I notice the media are complaining the girl is being harrassed by online trolls.

I'm not supporting bullying but really, could her parents have not predicted there would be a backlash? Why put your 9 year old in the firing line?

Re: National anthem protest

lyhargr_0 — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 03:16:29 GMT

So she choose not to stand and sing the National anthem, no biggie .....

Re: National anthem protest

twyngwyn — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 03:28:23 GMT

I remember having to participate in this:

Schoolyard assembly

Once a week, we would all stand lined up and to attention, on the signal the flag would be "run up". The boys would salute and the girls stand to attention. Then we would place our right hand on our heart and recite "I love God and my country, I honour the flag, I will serve the Queen, and cheerfully obey my parents, teachers and the law".

Re: National anthem protest

lyhargr_0 — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 05:48:22 GMT

Whn theu sed to plat God Save The Queen" at the flicks, I refused to stand up and pay homeage to some bird I had never met

Re: National anthem protest

lyhargr_0 — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 05:54:53 GMT

oops must learn to re read before I post lol

Re: National anthem protest

springyzone — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 07:20:52 GMT

@lyhargr_0 wrote:
So she choose not to stand and sing the National anthem, no biggie .....

I'm not suggesting it was.

What i am suggesting though is that one kid in a school of what-300? 400? 700? is hardly going to be seen except by her classmates & teacher & I'd be willing to wager the teacher didn't rush out to inform the media.

So who did? Any parents watching would have been around the perimeter, not able to hear what the teacher or child said.

I've been to hundreds of school assemblies in my day & i promise you, one child standing up would be more noticeable than one sitting when all others are standing.

And why would the media think it was such a big deal what one little 9 year old did or did not do at assembly that they felt fit to publish it and rush the child in for radio interviews?

There's a hidden agenda here and I think it is being pushed by adults. I think adults sought the publicity & the bottom line with that is-if you play for media time by pushing a social issues topic, and you expect adults to take notice of it, you also have to expect adult comment and disagreement.