"Black national anthem" causes stir at Hick[Denver rayor] speech

The Denver Post ^ | 7-1-2008 | By Christopher N. Osher

[Jonah Johansen]

As Denver dignitaries gathered today for Mayor John Hickenlooper's State of the City address, City Council President Michael Hancock introduced singer Rene Marie to perform the national anthem.

But that's not what she did.

Instead, Marie performed the song "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing," which also is known as the "black national anthem."

When she finished, the proceedings moved forward, and the "Star-Spangled Banner" was never performed.

[Jonah Johansen]

I twas fun listening to the Mayor tap dance on the radio. His 'deer in the headlights' impression was spot on. I am looking forward to his statment tommorow clarifying, his earlier clarification of his 2nd explanation.

[wastedyears]

I would’ve raised Hell.

[Old Sarge]

They’ll get a pass.

They always do.

[max americana]

Instead, Marie performed the song “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing,” which also is known as the “black national anthem.”
****

Michelle Obama is now known as Rene Marie?

[Mr. Mojo]

She was probably auditioning for B-HO’s inauguration party.

[Notasoccermom]

This is only the tip of the iceberg of CHANGE.

[BunnySlippers]

Lift every voice and sing
Till earth and heaven ring,
Ring with the harmonies of Liberty;
Let our rejoicing rise
High as the listening skies,
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us,
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun
Let us march on till victory is won.

Stony the road we trod,
Bitter the chastening rod,
Felt in the days when hope unborn had died;
Yet with a steady beat,
Have not our weary feet
Come to the place for which our fathers sighed?
We have come over a way that with tears have been watered,
We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered,
Out from the gloomy past,
Till now we stand at last
Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.

God of our weary years,
God of our silent tears,
Thou who has brought us thus far on the way;
Thou who has by Thy might
Led us into the light,
Keep us forever in the path, we pray.
Lest our feet stray from the places, Our God, where we met Thee;
Lest, our hearts drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee;
Shadowed beneath Thy hand,
May we forever stand.
True to our GOD,
True to our native land James Weldon Johnson June 17, 1871 - June 26, 1938

[maine-iac7]

Testing the waters - and so it begins...

It's up to us to see it ends - Nov 4th

[doc1019]

All it would have taken was one person in the audience to stand up and say … what are you singing? Oh, to have been in that crowd, jail would have been my next destination. ;-)

[kc8ukw]

How did Denver turn so crazy?

[Blogger]

You know, I thought for a while that we were getting over our racial issues as a nation. As a caucasian, I don’t care what color another person is. I address them as fellow human beings on an equal plain. This election has shown in living color (no pun intended) that racial harmony will never be possible because some folks love the attention that controversy brings more than they do peace among the races.

[ChinaThreat]

Hippies.

[Ratblaster]

Oh beautiful for Whitey's wallet from whence the welfare comes.
With reparations on the way, soon as Obama’s in.

[Altura Ct.]

Black racism is rampant. Anybody who thinks otherwise is dumb as a box of rocks. Any white who would of sung a song with race connotations to it in place of the National Anthem would have been immediately fired. The mayor would be falling all over himself in apology, self loathing and taking a supine position. It would be worse then the whole Don Imus fiasco by an order of magnitude.

[not2worry]

Well, there goes the Latino vote.

[radiohead]

I’ve been to many black events where this song was sung. I’ve never heard it in the presence of white people. I’m surprised this occurred and am not quite sure what the point was supposed to be - once Obama becomes president we all start singing ‘Lift Every Voice’ instead of the National Anthem?

[Huntress]

All it would have taken was one person in the audience to stand up and say … what are you singing? Oh, to have been in that crowd, jail would have been my next destination. ;-)

The Mayor could have salvaged the situation simply by saying, "Thank you, Miss Marie. Now would the audience please stand and join me in singing our National Anthem--the Star Spangled Banner." And then started singing it.

[blam]

Black National Anthem
(YouTube)

[maine-iac7]

The last line: True to our native land

from the obamama's Trinity Church's Statement of Faith :

"We are an African people, and remain "true to our native land," the mother continent,..."

Wake up, Sheeple.

The Black Liberationists have been lying in wait and building steam for decades.

This brazen act was deliberate - a shot across the bow.

Reparations and Black Power in the goal...

[TheZMan]

Good Lord. I’d have definitely interrupted those proceedings.

[exit82]

I learn something new every day on FreeRepublic.

I never knew about the “black national anthem” and I think I’m a really well read fellow.

Regardless, what she sang was NOT the National Anthem, and it was inappropriate. The mayor was also wrong in not having the music stopped and the correct anthem sung.

A house divided against itself cannot stand.

[blam]

I am old enough to remember when all the racists lived only in Alabama.

I guess that was the good ole days, huh?

[TheZMan]

Heads up; there’s a poll on the link.

[doc1019]

I believe that if one person would have made a scene, the audience might have followed … Mayor be dammed. Sheeple we have become … to our everlasting shame.

[Dr.Zoidberg]

You know, I thought for a while that we were getting over our racial issues as a nation.

As long as whites exist, there will be racism. Not because whites are pining for the good old days of Jim Crow, no, but for the simple reason we are the excuse many need for failure.

Decades of failure to embrace the chances their parents and grandparents won for them with blood and sweat, decades of blaming whitey when they refused to accept that they have a place beside every other man and woman who chooses to stand on their own two feet.

Whites are scapegoats for nearly every social and economic ill, it's easier than taking a look in the mirror and accepting responsibility for your own shortcomings then doing something about it.

[maine-iac7]

Heads up; there’s a poll on the link.

67% hated it

There is hope...

The Black Anthem - dedicated to their Mother Land, Africa.

This must not be repeated...,

We stop it - Nov 4th

[BunnySlippers]

There are other lines in there as well ...

[tomkat]

[TLI]

"I was surprised," said Hancock, who said he thought Marie should

Rene Marie sang alternate lyrics to the tune of "The Star-Spangled Banner." (Denver's Channel 8)have cleared her plans with the mayor's office in advance. By Tuesday afternoon he had received several telephone calls from citizens and the media. "But you go on with the show." Hickenlooper said in a statement: "We were as surprised as anyone that jazz singer René Marie did not sing our national anthem at today's State of the City ceremony, as our staff had requested.

As I listened to her sing, I assumed she would eventually move into the traditional Star Spangled Banner. I called her personally this afternoon to understand what happened. She explained her song was an artistic expression of her love for her country. She said she meant no disrespect of any kind and that her song was in no way intended to be a political statement. She apologized for any problems she may have created.

What a load of BULL. She knew exactly what she was doing. Lying b***h.

[zacharycole]

From the article: She said she meant no disrespect of any kind and that her song was in no way intended to be a political statement.

Typical racist: she's a liar.

[Coffee200am]

I'd like to know what she's doing with a "Black National Anthem"..
1. Excluding Whites, Latinos, Native Americans, Asians.
2 I didn't know Blacks had their own nation and are not Americans.

[zacharycole]

This does make a nice sound bite for the next “American” to run for mayor of Denver.

[yankeedame]

Rick & Midge Holme,
Rhodesia, c. 1966

[yankeedame]

You know, I thought for a while that we were getting over our racial issues as a nation...This election has shown in living color (no pun intended) that racial harmony will never be possible because some folks love the attention that controversy brings more than they do peace among the races. follow the money.

[JennysCool]

I thought for a while that we were getting over our racial issues as a nation.

We were. But there's no money to be made in racial harmony, so things had to get stirred up again for a new generation.

[dljordan]

“They’ll get a pass.

They always do.”

They already have. I was just listening to this story on the Gunny Bob show out of Denver.

[beaversmom]

Here is a link to see the video of her singing at the State of the City:

http://cbs4denver.com/politics/Black.National.Anthem.2.761769.html

[2ndDivisionVet]

ROTFLMAO!!

[beaversmom]

Ha, ha—was that Jesse with a fro?

[LiteKeeper]

INTREP

[rawhide]

She explained her song was an artistic expression of her love for her country.

Words of gibberish. Just like Obama's excuse for not where a flag lapel pin.

[beaversmom]

Listening to Gunny Bob right now. Boy is he fired up. He said this woman has a website and she’s a militant.

[beaversmom]

Here’s the singer’s website:

http://www.renemarie.com/

[sinanju]

From her website:
_______________________________________________________________

“To Contact Rene Marie
email rene@renemarie.com
or

call 303.520.6705”

[goldstategop]

Democrats always complain about people questioning their patriotism. Then they go and do things that confirm their critics are right about their not holding America in high regard. So shut up, John Hickenlooper!

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[beaversmom]

Singer supports Jena 6 thugs:

http://www.renemarie.com/news.htm

[Ratblaster]

The good ole days of Jim Crow and segregation. When blacks knew their place, and Democrats ruled the roost.

[Katarina]

She made it clear how she feels, she hates America.

[beaversmom]

You know, I thought for a while that we were getting over our racial issues as a nation...

I definitely didn't think that blacks were "getting over" it with how they vote en masse (90+ for the Dems), but I did think things were getting a little better--a slight glimmer of hope. But then I see many blacks give other blacks a pass when the crime is against a white. I see the anoited one go to a hateful, racist church for 20+ years and he gets a pass and goes on to become the nominee. I see some so called black Republicans say they are struggling on how to vote in the upcoming Presidential election. I now believe things are worse than I thought and I thought they were fairly bad to begin with.

[goldstategop]

And now we're told the SSB is "too controversial" to sing in Denver. Gevalt!

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus