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WEBVTT THE ANSWER.♪DANA: THE COUNTRY'S MOSTPATRIOTIC SONG, THESTAR-SPANGLED BANNER, MOSTRECENTLY CAUGHT UP IN THECONTENTIOUS NFL KNEELING DEBATEIS ONCE AGAIN IN THE SPOTLIGHT,THIS TIME RECOMMENDED FORREMOVAL, AS OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM.>> WE'RE PROTESTING THIS RACISTSONG THAT HAS CAUSED SO MUCHCONTROVERSY IN AMERICA.DANA: CALIFORNIA AND HAWAIINAACP PRESIDENT AND NATIONALBOARD MEMBER ALICE HUFFMANBROUGHT UP THE IDEA AT A RECENTNAACP STATE CONVENTION.>> WE'RE NOT TRYING TO PROTESTTHE FLAG AT ALL.WE ARE JUST TRYING TO GET ITREMOVED, SO THAT WHATEVER COMESOUT IN THE FUTURE AS A NATIONALANTHEM, WE CAN ALL STAND PROUDLYAND SING IT.♪ DANA: SHE SAYS THE RARELY-SUNGTHIRD STANZA OF THESTAR-SPANGLED BANNER REFERENCESSLAVES.WITH THE LINES "THEIR BLOOD HASWASHED OUT THEIR FOUL FOOTSTEPS'POLLUTION.NO REFUGE COULD SAVE THEHIRELING AND SLAVEFROM THE TERROR OF FLIGHT, ORTHE GLOOM OF THE GRAVE.">> THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN THINKIT MEANT ANYTHING GREAT FORAFRICAN AMERICANS.>> I LOVE THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.IT GIVES ME CHILLS EVERY TIME IHEAR IT.DANA: 20-YEAR-RETIRED AIR FORCEVETERAN, MASTER SGT. RYANPETERSON DISAGREES.AND HE TEACHES HIS JROTCSTUDENTS AT HIRAM JOHNSON HIGHSCHOOL TO RESPECT THE FLAG ANDANTHEM WITH PRIDE.OTHERS ARE ON THE FENCE ABOUTTHE ISSUE.>> WE'VE COME TO REALLYAPPRECIATE IT, BUT IF IT'S GOINGTO OFFEND A LOT OF PEOPLE, BUTTHEN AGAIN, WE HAVE THINGS LIKETHE REDSKINS STILL, SO --

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The country's most patriotic song, "The Star-Spangled Banner," most recently caught up in the contentious NFL kneeling debate, is once again in the spotlight -- this time the California NAACP wants it removed as the national anthem.The group wants to introduce a resolution to state lawmakers that proposes removing “The Star-Spangled Banner” as the national anthem.California and Hawaii NAACP president and national board member Alice Huffman brought up the idea at a recent NAACP state convention -- along with two resolutions to support Colin Kaepernick and to censure President Donald Trump after he used profanity toward NFL players who knelt during the anthem.The proposal is not intended to disrespect the flag, Huffman said.“We’re not trying to protest the flag at all,” Huffman said. “We’re protesting this racist song that has caused so much controversy in America, and we’re just trying to get it removed. So, whatever comes out in the future as a national anthem, we can all stand proudly and sing it.”Huffman is referring to the rarely sung third stanza of “The Star-Spangled Banner”:“And where is that band who so vauntingly sworeThat the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,A home and a country, should leave us no more?Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.No refuge could save the hireling and slaveFrom the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave,O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.”“If you look at it, there's no way you can think it meant anything great for African-Americans," Huffman said.Air Force veteran, Master Sgt. Ryan Peterson, disagrees."I love the national anthem," Peterson said. "It gives me chills every time I hear it." Peterson said he’s never heard the third stanza of “The Star-Spangled Banner” played in public. He said he teaches his JROTC students at Hiram Johnson High School to respect the flag and anthem with pride."It's (a) significantly deeper meaning to an Air Force member, to a veteran, to a veteran in our community, than the perceived disrespect or the perceived racism of the third stanza," Peterson said.Huffman said she and the NAACP want the proposal to eventually reach Congress in hopes that a more inclusive song can replace the current anthem.