Vanessa Williams singing "the Black National Anthem" on a PBS Fourth of July special sparked a controversy. Many felt one national anthem is enough, and we don't need one just for the Black people. Can't we all be one? Why does one race think they need their own "national anthem"? This will only divide America.
But, Williams fit it in, anyway, towards the end of the program, which was filled with all kinds of patriotic music.
I wonder if resistance to their singing a Black National Anthem is not what is devisive. Williams hosted the show. She showed no disfavor with the National Anthem, itself. It was not as if the Black National Anthem were there to replace it. No one was saying, Throw away the National Anthem. We don't like it. This should replace it.
It was simply, Hey, we came up with a Black National Anthem. Is that okay? Can we sing it? And, we answered, No, it is not alright. You can't have your own anthem. And, if you are going to sing it even against our wishes, then we do not want you to call it "the Black National Anthem." Do you understand us?
To which they might reply, It's our song. We came up with it. Can't we call it what we want?
Making a big deal of it, and refusing to let them sing it, or refusing to let them call it "the Black National Anthem" is divisive. If you just let them sing it, and let them call it what they want, it becomes no big deal. They love America. They aren't saying they don't. Why not let them have a song they want to sing? To oppose them is to create a division between them and you. Anytime you tell somebody they can't do something, it creates a division between you and them.
Simply say, Sure. You're welcome. Maybe even say, Hey, I like it. Sing it again.
Blessed are the peacemakers. We could be peacemakers, if we wanted to. We don't need to choose to make them our enemies when we can choose to make them our friends.
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