Last week we talked about tradition.
It appears we need to cross that bridge again.
Recently the Canadian National anthem was changed, slightly.
As we all know, the lyrics to the song used to state 鈥渋n all they sons command鈥� and will now state 鈥渋n all of us command.鈥�
Seems like a simple change.
But let me get this out of the way right now.
Most of Canada is not going to be using those new lyrics.
I will not be.
And for no reason other than you can鈥檛 teach an old dog new tricks.
Yes, I called myself old, but we will gloss over that.
I am 26 years old.
I have been singing the national anthem since I was no younger than four.
How can you expect someone who has been doing something, for a while everyday, for nearly their whole life to suddenly change their habits?
My habits are actually even further than just I can鈥檛 stop saying 鈥榮ons.鈥�
I can鈥檛 even sing the whole anthem in English.
Growing up near Ottawa I learned at an early age how to sing the anthem half in English, half in French.
When most people sing 鈥淲ith glowing hearts we see thee rise,鈥� I sing 鈥淐ar ton bras sait porter l鈥櫭﹑茅e.鈥�
Even though I鈥檝e been living in Saskatchewan for more than two years I still cannot kick my old habit.
I still find myself singing half-and-half.
You can鈥檛 teach an old dog new tricks.
Same can be said for Olympic athletes, who fairly enough have been noting that the lyrics have officially changed.
But what does that really mean?
If you are standing on the top step of the podium having just won an Olympic gold medal are you really going to be thinking 鈥渞emember, when the anthem is on it鈥檚 us not 鈥榮ons.鈥欌��
I鈥檓 sorry, but I can鈥檛 see it.
Which is actually kind of sad.
I saw a story released by the Canadian Press, who quoted Canadian bobsledder, Jesse Lumsden:
鈥溾�楳y goal, and I鈥檓 very open with saying this, is it鈥檚 not about winning the medal it鈥檚 about standing on the podium and singing the national anthem,鈥� bobsled brakeman JessLumsden said Tuesday.
鈥業 can promise you this, the lyrics of that national anthem have been ingrained in me for 36 years. I鈥檓 not going to remember that change. For anybody who I might offend, I鈥檓 sorry.鈥欌��
That to me is extremely sad.
It鈥檚 bad enough our athletes feel they need to apologize after a less then their best result but now athletes need to apologize for messing up a word on the anthem, before they even sing it?
Yikes.
So why are we changing it?
Well you could argue, it is for the children, who we could be teaching the proper lyrics to.
That is of course if we remember to teach it to them.
And when we do get to a point when everyone is singing 鈥榠n all of us command鈥� then what?
We have forgotten a piece of our history.
Quit playing with our history.
