Article written by Eric Jonathan Brewer

Who the fuck knew?

I’ve been singing “The Star Spangled Banner” almost all my life and had no idea there were verses beyond the first, “O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.”

Then here comes Colin Kaepernick, a quarterback for the San Francisco 49’ers, who enlightened us all. I’ve always said that sometimes you just don’t know, what you don’t know, you don’t know.

Kaepernick refused to stand for the USA’s national anthem as a protest, in part, because of the following extremely offensive lyrics.

“And where is that band who so vauntingly swore, That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion A home and a Country should leave us no more?

Their blood has wash’d out their foul footstep’s pollution. No refuge could save the hireling and slave From 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.”

I had no idea attorney Francis Scott Key was a slave owner who’d written lyrics bragging about killing black men and women who’d been slaves , but who sided with the British and Canadians to fight against the USA in exchange for freedom during the War of 1812.

The U.S. had invaded Canada and the border nations along the north.

Brothers and sisters were motivated so much by the taste of freedom, they joined with the Brits and Canadians, had a real March on Washington, and burned down the mutha fuckin’ White House that black hands built.

It was the only time foreign invaders have fought this nation on U.S. soil.

When the two sides ended the war in 1815, the guys Key was writing about demanded back the 6000 black men and women who’d been their property.

The Brits told them to go fuck themselves and refused. The brothers and sisters remained free in Canada, Nova Scotia and Trinidad.

Key was not only a slave owner, he prosecuted abolitionists for helping free slaves.

Read his closing argument to the jury in the case against Dr. Reuben Crandall for distributing anti-slavery literature.

“Are you willing, gentlemen, to abandon your country, to permit it to be taken from you, and occupied by the abolitionist, according to whose taste it is to associate and amalgamate with the negro?”

“Or, gentlemen, on the other hand, are there laws in this community to defend you from the immediate abolitionist, who would open upon you the floodgates of such extensive wickedness and mischief?”

I know the more “learned” in the USA have been laughing about this shit for years.

Little Negro kids like me, and millions of others, growing up singing “The Star Spangled Banner” as young patriots in our Jim Crow schools not knowing we were singing about slaveholders killing our freedom loving black men and women ancestors.

We’d have gotten that shit out of the schools a long time ago if we’d known.

Ignorance is a bitch and this definitely puts President Barack Obama on the spot. Damn near 8 years in office and he didn’t know “THIS?”

Let’s be real. There’s a “militant” side to black history that white supremacists don’t want black folk to know.

It’s why the * Plain Dealer’s reporters write no words that empower black people. Whether we see it or not, America was built on white supremacy.

It’s everywhere in every facet of the American history “we’ve” been “allowed” to know.

The idea of freedom loving black men and women killing white men for freedom obviously doesn’t sit well with the white supremacist perspective Francis Scott Key believed in.

Key and other white supremacists believed slaves were so uncivilized they needed the white man to care for and discipline them.

It’s why John Brown, the white anti-slavery figure, is larger in American history than Denmark Vesey, the Maroons, Josiah Henson, the Black Refugees and the Black Loyalists.

It’s why Paul Robeson’s image has been twisted into something it’s not, and why Marcus Garvey had to be demonized.

Robeson was the most dangerous man in the world, according to President Harry Truman’s secretary of state, John Foster Dulles.

Did his danger have something to do with Robeson hooking up anti-colonial African leaders with Russian arms to kick the white supremacists out of their nations?

Imagine a black James Bond who’s tight with Russian dictator Josef Stalin, and who spoke 22 languages while hooking up secret arms deals by pretending to be a gospel singer.

He WOULD be the most dangerous man in the world, which is why Dulles snatched his passport.

From the beginning of American history, the free black man and woman fought against the ISIS leaders of their era.

Their names were George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Adams, John Adams and the other terrorists who would create a U.S. government that enslaved them.

All the slave owning laws that sprang forth from their evil-minded terrorism was opposed by freedom loving black men and women who Britain and the Canadians embraced as equals.

That would be the spin on history if the other side had won. Today we honor these terrorists as our nation’s “founders.”

Imagine. George Washington today would be dogged by Trump as the leader of ISIS.

President Obama would be sending drones to kill his ass and bragging about how he took out “high value targets” like Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson.

Just like he announced the death of Osama bin Laden, Obama would be announcing the death of John Adams.

The “Star Spangled Banner” was officially made the USA’s anthem in 1916 by another racist, President Woodrow Wilson, who did it through an executive order.

Con gress made it official in 1931 with the blessings of one of the most vicious Republican racists in the nation, President Herbert Hoover.

The same Congress and Hoover passed the Davis Bacon Act of 1931 to stop black men from taking construction jobs from white men.

85 percent of the construction workers in the south were black men.

They were moving north, competing with white men and winning. So much for not being able to find “qualified” blacks in the construction industry.

Knowing they’d lose the construction industry like they lost the NBA if they didn’t cheat with laws, Hoover and the white supremacists in Congress enacted the Davis Bacon Act to stop black construction workers from sending more white men to the unemployment lines.

It’s still on the books today just like we still sing the Star Spangled Banner.

Today it’s the Democrats pushing to keep the racist Davis Bacon Act on the books.

The same president who signed the Star Spangled Banner into law enforced segregation in the military and got rid of the Tuskegee Airmen.

This “Donald Trump-like” mutha fuckin’ Hoover stripped blacks of all important positions inside the Republican Party and took property from Mexicans at the nation’s borders before deporting them to Mexico City.

Hoover was so bad as a Republican he turned black people to the Democratic Party and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

It’s fitting that the man who inspired the phrase “it’s time to turn Lincoln’s picture to the wall” would sign the Star Spangled Banner into law as this nation’s anthem.

Kaepernick ain’t wrong for sitting this shit out.

I remember when Olympians Tommy Smith and John Carlos raised their fists in a black power salute back in 1968. I was turning 15 that year.

The Glenville and Hough riots were over. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert Kennedy were assassinated that year.

I remember the fists and the controversy. I don’t remember the fists being anything about the “lyrics” of the “Star Spangled Banner.”

Kaepernick’s protest is “core shattering” because who the fuck knew all the lyrics Francis Scott Key wrote in his song?

It’s like learning that Jesus was just a man, not the son of God.

I know right now Obama’s kind of fucked up. First Lady Michelle Obama told us the White House was built by slaves. This one slapped everybody. What’s “HE” got to say about “THIS?”

Read about the Black Refugees. The old black man in the picture below, is one of them. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Refugee_(War_of_1812).

Read also about the Black Loyalists in the Book of Negroes who joined with the British against George Washington and his band of terrorists. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Loyalist

Below is all of the lyrics to the Star Spangled Banner. I’m with Kaepernick on this one. I ain’t ever singing this shit again.

O say can you see, by the dawn’s early light,

What so proudly we hail’d at the twilight’s last gleaming,

Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight

O’er the ramparts we watch’d were so gallantly streaming?

And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,

Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there,

O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep

Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,

What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,

As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?

Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,

In full glory reflected now shines in the stream,

’Tis the star-spangled banner – O long may it wave

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore,

That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion

A home and a Country should leave us no more?

Their blood has wash’d out their foul footstep’s pollution.

No refuge could save the hireling and slave

From 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.

O thus be it ever when freemen shall stand

Between their lov’d home and the war’s desolation!

Blest with vict’ry and peace may the heav’n rescued land

Praise the power that hath made and preserv’d us a nation!

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,

And this be our motto – “In God is our trust,”

And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

* The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio’s daily newspaper.

(End of Eric Jonathan Brewer’s article)

Below is an article by Chiniquy:

When did our National Anthem and the flag become all about the military?

Personally I have never liked The Star Spangled Banner (TSSB), as our National Anthem.

It is an anthem about war.

“Rockets’ red glare and bomb bursting in the air” all about death and destruction.

The TSSB is a constant reminder of war.

That is why our National Anthem, is now exclusively related to the military; and nothing else.

Initially I did not agree with Kaepernick sitting down during the playing/singing of the National anthem.

I had served in the US military for over 23 years; and I don’t care for people who disrespect the flag or the National Anthem.

However because of the Kaepernick controversy, I soon learned about the man Francis Scott Keys and also about the unknown verses of what became known as The Star Spangled Banner.

“The Star-Spangled Banner” was written by Francis Scott Key in 1814 about the American victory at the Battle of Fort McHenry.

We only sing the first verse, but Key penned three more. This is part of the third verse:

“Their blood has wash’d out their foul footstep’s pollution.

No refuge could save the hireling and slave

From 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.”

The mere mention of “slave” is not entirely remarkable; slavery was alive and well in the United States in 1814.

Key himself owned slaves, was an anti-abolitionist and once called his African brethren “a distinct and inferior race of people.”

(Above quote from CNN article)

It was only officially designated as our National Anthem by the US Congress during the 1930s.

Adopted from the first verse of Francis Scott Key’s poem.

Ignoring the other verses that he wrote about the killing of slaves; seeking freedom from slavery.

For this reason alone we should overwhemlingly stop using the Star Spangled banner as our National Anthem

I would much prefer My Country Tis of Thee or America The Beautiful as our National Anthem.

OUR NATIONAL HERITAGE IS MUCH MORE THAN WARS

The flag of the United States of America (USA) represent a lot more than just fighting wars and the military.

The first thing that the average American say when the National Anthem or the flag of the USA is perceived as being disrespected, is that our military men and women have been disrespected.

Why?

Y es why?

When Colin Kaepernick refused to stand for the National Anthem; everyone who criticised him said he was disrespecting the military, and the men and women who have served.

WE HAVE BEEN PROGRAMMED TO SEE THE FLAG AND THE NATIONAL ANTHEM, AS AN EXTENSION OF THE US MILITARY

The people of the USA have been programmed over the last century, to only think of our anthem and flag as it relates to the military.

We have been conditioned for the past 65 years or so to associated our flag and anthem only with the military.

The corporate elites have told us that we are enjoying our freedom as Americans because our military has fought for our freedom.

Really!

Which recent war did the US military fight in, which guarantee our freedoms as citizens of the USA?

Was it the wars in Korea; Vietnam; Iraq; or the war in Afghanistan; the war on drugs; the war on poverty?

Or maybe the military invasions during the 20th century of Grenada; Panama; Haiti; Nicaragua; Dominican Republic; the Philippines; Lebanon?

Which one of these wars and military interventions in poor countries, guaranteed our freedom as American citizens?

When was the last time any other nation threatened to invade the USA?

The US military is not the only reason why we have remained a free nation.

We are a free nation, because of our Democratic principles.

And the Constitution of the USA is the foundation of those Democratic principles.

When was the last time the US military prevented a foreign government, from changing our Constitution?

Never.

ALL Americans are responsible for protecting those Democratic principles.

Not just the members of the US military.

Just because a person may be in the US military; doesn’t mean they know more about the US Constitution; than the average non military civilians.

I spent over 20 years in the US military, and I know that many military members, are just as ignorant about the Democratic principles that our national laws are based on.

I believe that the reason why The Star Spangled Banner was adopted as our National Anthem during the 1930S; was because the United States of America, was becoming a militaristic, imperialist nation.

The ‘Corporate Elites’ began been using the US military, vigorously, as their strong arm goons.

The military was being used to suppress the rebellion of the people in poor countries against corporate interests.

Corporations that were based inside the USA.

It was also during the 1930s that General Smedley D. Butler wrote his revealing book, “War is a Racket.”

After many years as a US Marine officer, he came to the realisation that the US military’s primary function, was to protect the financial interest of US corporations, in poor countries around the world.

These corporations with their paid flunkies, in the US Congress and Senate; use patriotic rhetoric to make the American citizens believe that these wars and military interventions, were for noble reasons.

The US military then and now, is being used to ensure that the American corporations will continue to rob the natural resources of weak nations around the world.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR MILITARY SERVICE

For the past 10 years or so the US corporations have instructed all their employees; to say to all active duty and retired military members they encounter: “Thank you for your military service.”

No interest free loans for purchasing homes or automobiles, for former military members; just a no-cost, six worded sentence.

Yes, thank you, military vets for the billions of dollars our corporations have made because of the USA’s recent, military interventions in foreign countries.

These corporation through the mass media that they own and control; have elevated and deified the military and military members.

If someone disrespects the flag or the anthem, then according to what they have told us; that is disrespecting the military, and the brave men and women who have served, to keep our nation free.

Serving in the military is a noble profession; but so is the profession of the garbage collector, the truck driver, farmers, teachers, postal workers, the police etc. etc.

The cessation of any of these noble professions would cause havoc in our country.

INFAMOUS EX-MILITARY MEMBERS

The media want us to forget that the majority of the worst serial killers and mass murderers in our history were former military members.

Just to name a few of the more prominent ones:

David Berkowitz (son of sam)

Gary Ridgway (the green river murders)

Dennis Rader (btk killer)

Danny Rollins (Gainsville, Florida murders)

Jeffrey Dahmer

Anthony Sowell

Robert Lee Yates

Israel Keyes

William Bonin

Randy Stevens Kraft

John Joubert

Donald Harvey

Robert James Acremant

Gary M. Heidnik

And there are many, many more besides these.

Do your own research.

And then there are the mass murders who were also former military members:

Charles Whitman

Timothy McVeigh

John Allen Muhammad

Micah Johnson

Yes, thank you serial killers and mass murderers for your military service.

I repeat my questions.

Why is it that every time an American citizen protest by not respecting the flag or the National Anthem, the first thing people say is; that they are disrespecting the military?

When did everything about the flag and anthem become exclusively about the military?

We have to stop believing that a military profession is greater, and more significant to our nation than any other profession.

It is because of the sly, hidden promotion of the corporations that are part of the Military Industrial Complex; why Americans have become so fascinated with the military and military members.

Through their propaganda with numerous television shows and movies glorifying the military; they have made it seem that the military and military member are a special class of Americans.

That propaganda is only for the average American.

The rich upper class don’t believe that.

That is why their children rarely join the military.

They want the lower classes to feel special about their loved ones who die during their military service.

They don’t want them to think that their family members’ lives were really sacrificed in order to enable these corporations to continue making billions of dollars.

Our present National Anthem, the Star Spangled Banner, serves corporate interests.

Corporations that have made billions of dollars because of military contracts.

An anthem about war and fighting had to be programmed into the minds of America’s children from an early age.

Now the glorification of the military is all the US flag and National Anthem represents.

Other Americans should join Colin Kaepernick’s peaceful protest.

Not necessarily for the same reasons as Colin’s; but to show our disagreement with the militaristic, imperialistic behaviour of our government for the past 65 years.

The Star Spangled Banner, is a National Anthem that promotes the aim of the Military Industrial Complex.

Donald Trump is a strong supporter of the Military Industrial Complex

Trump was supposed to be a president that was against military intervention in other countries.

But since he has become president; we now have American military members back in Somalia, Yemen, the Philippines and Syria.

And he is preparing to start wars in both North Korea, and Iran.

Billions of dollars will soon be flowing into the coffers of American corporations owners.

Yeah, make America great again.

It is time to dump The Star Spangled Banner, as our National Anthem; and replace it with America The Beautiful or My Country Tis of Thee.

AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL O beautiful for spacious skies,

For amber waves of grain,

For purple mountain majesties

Above the fruited plain!

America! America!

God shed His grace on thee

And crown thy good with brotherhood

From sea to shining sea! O beautiful for pilgrim feet,

Whose stern, impassioned stress

A thoroughfare for freedom beat

Across the wilderness!

America! America!

God mend thine every flaw,

Confirm thy soul in self-control,

Thy liberty in law! O beautiful for heroes proved

In liberating strife,

Who more than self their country loved

And mercy more than life!

America! America!

May God thy gold refine,

Till all success be nobleness,

And every gain divine! O beautiful for patriot dream

That sees beyond the years

Thine alabaster cities gleam

Undimmed by human tears!

America! America!

God shed His grace on thee

And crown thy good with brotherhood

From sea to shining sea! MY COUNTRY TIS OF THEE 1 My country, ’tis of thee, Sweet land of liberty, Of thee I sing; Land where my fathers died, Land of the pilgrims’ pride, From ev’ry mountainside Let freedom ring! 2 My native country, thee, Land of the noble free, Thy name I love; I love thy rocks and rills, Thy woods and templed hills; My heart with rapture thrills, Like that above. 3 Let music swell the breeze, And ring from all the trees Sweet freedom’s song; Let mortal tongues awake; Let all that breathe partake; Let rocks their silence break, The sound prolong. 4 Our fathers’ God to Thee, Author of liberty, To Thee we sing. Long may our land be bright, With freedom’s holy light, Protect us by Thy might, Great God our King.

Here is an excerpt from an article recently published by CNN

“The national anthem wasn’t always played before sporting events …

Here’s a fascinating fact: The national anthem was played at baseball games decades before it was actually the national anthem.

There are records of “The Star Spangled Banner” gracing the diamond going back as far as 1897, but the song wasn’t adopted as the national anthem until 1931.

Over time, a mix of technology, war, and keeping up appearances kept the song in the sports spotlight. Its first big moment reportedly came in 1918 during the 7th-inning stretch of the World Series. It’s no coincidence that its first surge in popularity came during wartime. Nationalism stoked by World War I meant that people were more affected by the song, and the fact that major league baseball players were being actively drafted meant those who weren’t drafted benefited from showing their patriotism Over time, other sports began adopting the practice.” (End of CNN article) READ THE AUTO-BIOGRAPHY OF MY FIRST 13 YEARS LIVING IN AMERICA This is the story of one man’s journey to self-discovery. Like so many others, Mujahid Abdullah learned behaviors and acquired beliefs of denigration about his culture, ethnicity, and physical appearance. These beliefs came from his local surroundings as well as the wider society and would have a major effect on his entire life. Within the pages of this book, not only do we see these effects, but we see how he was able to move beyond the messages that were so deeply ingrained from childhood. This is an eye-opening story of cultural practices and family beliefs that others may keep hidden. Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1659703654/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=mujahid+abdullah&qid=1585503456&s=books&sr=1-3 Kindle : https://www.amazon.com/Confessions-Self-Hating-Uncle-Tom-Negro-ebook/dp/B086MKYN51/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=mujahid+abdullah&qid=1585745967&s=books&sr=1-4