You're not going to believe this! Students told "No singing without a permit!"
By ladyluna
@ladyluna (7004)
United States
July 13, 2008 9:13pm CST
Hello All,
It would seem that the California State Legislature has completely lost its mind!
[i]"School students attending a youth leadership conference have been scolded by armed security officers in the California Capitol in Sacramento for singing the "Star-Spangled Banner" and "God Bless America" in the rotunda, according to organizers of the conference....
The 45 students from all across California were in the statehouse as part of their participation in the City on the Hill Youth Leadership Conference. At the intensive study sessions they learn the legislative and political processes....
After spending the day meeting with lawmakers and their staff, the youth aged 14-18, engaged in a spontaneous expression of passion for their country by singing the national anthem and God Bless America," CRI reported. "Tourists walking through the capitol stopped to listen to the singing and clapped enthusiastically....
The patriotic expression was apparently so egregious that state troopers were called in to the rotunda to rebuke the students," a statement from The Capitol Resource Institute said today....
The City on the Hill students were absolutely shocked … Why would their elected officials send armed guards to stop them from expressing such love for their country? And why do citizens need a permit to sing patriotic songs in their public buildings?"[/i]
You can read the full story here:
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=69366
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[b]This is so unbelievable that it's actually unbelievable!!!
Does this make you want to laugh or scream?
What do you think about having to get a permit to sing "The Star Spangled Banner" and "God Bless America" in the rotunda of a state capitol?
What say you about this absurdity!
Thanks! I look forward to reading all of your responses![/b]
3 people like this
7 responses
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
14 Jul 08
I don't think just because the public owns a building that anyone should go there thinking it is OK to do whatever they want.
A no singing ordinance would be ok if the officials also enforced the no radios, no cell phones, no yelling, and other "noise" prohibitions. I think though that if they have rules like that they should be made clear to whoever was in charge of the students, as an ounce of prevention is certainly worth a pound of cure.
You ask for an opinion and I'll give you mine. Their leader should have gotten the permit ahead of time. They knew they were going to do this. I'm not at all convinced it was impromptu. I am glad, though, that they did finally seek the permit and that it was granted and that they will perform again...PROPERLY.
2 people like this
@ladyluna (7004)
• United States
14 Jul 08
Hello Drannhh,
I respect your respect for the rules. And yet, I cannot help but question this application. The Youth Conference is an approved annual event. The legislators were meeting with the students throughout the day -- so it's not like they were caught off-guard. What's more, the article points out that the singing has also become an annual tradition.
I find it not only intollerant, but absolutely fascist that those students who were there to learn about, and garner respect for our political traditions would be told by armed police that they needed a permit to sing two of the songs which traditionally embody our political roots and struggles.
Quite typically, there are functions, gatherings, and events held in my state capitol's rotunda. I am no stranger to my capitol. Yet, at 44 years of age, I cannot say, with any certainty, if I would be required to obtain a permit to lead an impromptu rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" (which happens to be our National Anthem) in those hallowed halls.
Suffice it to say; I do not foresee this as going down in the history books as other than absolute intollerance for nationalism, patriotism, and freedom of speech.
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
15 Jul 08
Isn't it nice how we can disagree and still be friends? But again, I want to make it very clear that I think it is wonderful that they express their love of country through patriotic song. The spontaneous part is what troubles me. I'm all for civil disobedience, but one has to expect consequences, and sometimes there is a fine line between enthusiasm and attention seeking.
2 people like this
@ladyluna (7004)
• United States
16 Jul 08
Hello Drannhh,
Yes, it is nice -- thank you! That happens to be one of the qualities that I seek in those who I accept on to my friends list. I'm much more interested in the sharing of reasoned perspective, than in regurgitation.
You make a fine point about the razor thin line between enthusiasm & attention seeking. Though, I have to think that if the student's motives were not pure, and that their intention was civil disobedience, that they probably would have selected a track from the 'Ramones, 'Slayer' or 'Speedcore' instead of the "Star Spangled Banner'. For me, it seems beyond reason that anyone would construe the National Anthem as being anti-establishment.
I sincerely believe that the reaction was based in the often radical, anti-establishment leanings of the many in CA. As if love of our country is an affront to their sensibilities. And yes, I believe that I am being generous in attributing the reaction to any genuine sensibility. (chuckle, chuckle)
1 person likes this
@arkaf61 (10881)
• Canada
14 Jul 08
Ok. Now we have proof that the world is led by idiots!I"m sorry, no special insult to the US intended but ... I'm sorry can't even substitute the word idiots by any softer one.
Funny thing, back home, before the revolution everything was censored, books, movies, songs.... but anything that exalted the patriotism - like singing the national anthe, would never be stopped, and the more people joining, the more people stopped to listen the more people who clapped the better. It would be good enough to even get government tv crew out there to show the world how much we enjoyed living there ( cough cough cough) Heck they would pay students to show such a patriotic display "impromptu" - darn those fascist were stupid I guess, at least according to the very intelligent people in your story. Or were they really smart? I tend to think that they were smart - at least in this specific example, I reserve my opinion in the rest of what was happening in my country before the revolution.
What I have to say to this? THe first thing that came to my mind as I read your discussions: Are you kidding me???????????? LOL
@gewcew23 (8007)
• United States
18 Jul 08
To say that the California State Legislature has lost its brain would be saying that they had a brain. One cannot lose something if one never had it to begin with. If this non-sense had happen in a real America state yes I would be wondering what has happen to their mind, but we are talking about California here. Let us remember during the 2000 Democrat national convention the California delegation bood the Boy's Scout color guard. The Bear Republic has no love or rescpet for the rest of the country so this would explain why State trooper would be sent into stop the singing of "Star-Spangled Banner". If the students have sung God darn America the state trooper would not have been called out. Stories like this make blood shoot out of my eyes. I do not know about you but I have a permit to sing "The Star Spangled Banner" and "God Bless America" it is called the First Amendment.
1 person likes this
@ladyluna (7004)
• United States
22 Jul 08
Hello Gewcew,
Geesh, it's pretty difficult to rationalize booing the Boy Scouts. It's not like they're some criminal element or a radicalized gang organization. The same is true of youth leadership candidates. I simply do not understand how California got itself so turned around.
Anyway, thanks for sharing your thoughts on this ridiculous example of 'bass ackward-ness'.
1 person likes this
@Destiny007 (5805)
• United States
14 Jul 08
Yeah, I read that one too.
Apparently it is becoming common for authority figures to want to curtail our freedom of speech...with such things as "Free Speech Zones" and what you can say on certain types of property.
That isn't how it works, and we as individuals should not tolerate it for an instant... we tolerate far too much insanity as it is.
2 people like this
@ladyluna (7004)
• United States
14 Jul 08
Hey there, Destiny,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts about this. Geesh, just seeing the words: authority figures and curtail freedom of speech in the same sentence; especially as it relates to students getting a first-hand glimpse at our government in action, is somehow really warped!
I do hope that the media gets to the bottom of who the intolerant cuss is who decided to send CHP scampering after those anarchist, singing students. I'd really like to know that person or persons name(s).
@Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
15 Jul 08
ladyluna what is this world coming to when students in the Cal. capitol in Ca. are rebuked by armed guards for singing our
national anthem and God bless America, this sounds more like something that would happen in Iraq or other countries that are not free. armed guards and students attending a youth leadership,
this is not just unbelieveable but anti American and permits to sing patriotic songs that is all hogwash.This whole thing needs to be straightened out,. this is supposed to be the land of the free.
1 person likes this
@MntlWard (878)
• United States
14 Jul 08
Is anyone besides the right-wing press reporting that this happened at all? Well, I'll argue this as if it happened.
I don't exactly know why some cops would bug these kids for singing in a public building, but if there is a rule against spontaneous singing, should they have gotten a pass because they were singing something patriotic? A courthouse is a public building, but if you're in a courtroom observing a trial, you can't just break out into song in the middle of it, and the judge won't care about the patriotism level of the song.
I would assume a rule against spontaneous singing would exist to prevent disruptive protests in the state's capitol building. Even if the kids were there for an already-approved purpose, it may have been considered "possibly disruptive" by those cops.
However, I acknowledge that the cops may have been following the letter of the law as opposed to the spirit of the law.
@ladyluna (7004)
• United States
14 Jul 08
Hello MntlWard,
That's a great question: Is the mainstream media reporting on this? And/or will they?
To the rest of your point: I can't disagree -- on merit. However, as I pointed out in my reply to Drannhh, this youth function is an annual event, the legislators spent the day with the kids, and the singing has also become an annual tradition. So, it would seem that the legislature should have expected the serenade. After all, these are 14-18 year old high school students, who I'm sure were pretty excited about having been given the opportunity to participate in the youth leadership program.
@MntlWard (878)
• United States
15 Jul 08
The point behind my question was that I'm not entirely sure this happened at all. 
Anyway, the kids were bothered for singing during a "practice run" or whatever. It wasn't during the actual event. They likely had the proper permits to sing for the real conference/assembly/thing.
Anyway, the kids were bothered for singing during a "practice run" or whatever. It wasn't during the actual event. They likely had the proper permits to sing for the real conference/assembly/thing.