Young America's Foundation

Join Our Email List

Young America's Foundation
  • New Guard Inner

  • Follow up: Students Asked to 'Keep Quiet' at Lincoln Memorial

    8/10/2010 5:01:00 PM Posted by Evan Gassman
    Email  Print

    This morning, I was interviewed on Fox & Friends about the incident where students were asked to "keep quiet" at the Lincoln Memorial. The ruckus they were causing? They decided to sing the National Anthem :

     

    Right on cue, Media Matters for America threw up a blog post criticizing the National Park Police Service Fox News for bringing up the story. Yes, you read that correctly - the bad guys, according to Media Matters, is (of course) Fox News. How predictable.

    The liberal outrage doesn't end there. The lesser known News Hounds blog immediately responded as well . (There tag line is, "We watch Fox so you don't have to.") Their response was much more tongue-in-cheek, but it still painted Fox News as the bad guys. (More specifically, Steve Doocy and I were the bad guys.) News Hounds final word on the incident: "Boo, freaking, hoo." A fitting response for such a respected and upstanding blog. (A blog started by MoveOn.org, I might add.)

    So two prominent* liberal blogs are applauding efforts to silence high school students from singing the National Anthem. Wow. If Fox News told them not to jump off a bridge, would they jump - just to spite them?  Probably.

    * - indicates that term is used loosely 

     

     

    • Readers' Comments

    • You can't sing or demonstrate at the Lincoln Memorial. Do you think because it was the national anthem, that makes it OK? If you go into the library and start loudly reciting the Declaration of Independence, the staff will tell you to take it outside. Not because of the content, but because you don't yell in a library. Do you think if you said, "Hey, but it's the Declaration of Independence!" they would say, "Oh, well in that case, continue! In fact, throw in a rendition of the national anthem while you're at it!!" The content is unimportant. You don't get to break a rule because the content is extra-super-patriotic. Nice "leadership" lesson. You should be proud.
      Posted by doggod on 08/10/2010
    • I bet 'ole Abe was turning over in his grave, as one who helped free the slaves, to have freedom of speech, so innocently sung at the very place dedicated to him! Maybe someone should have asked Abe Lincoln what he would think about such a vile unconstitutional infringement on their right to free speech, or freedom of sightseeing/touring/singing, (so now their sightseeing was considered to be an "assembly"?!Most turistas are a lot louder than these kids, believe me! illegal and freedom squelching of the freedom of speech., and yet they were just singing what theymight have sais and you can sensd aaamy eye--let alone a patriotic song that is sung at every football, baseball game, etc. That is ridiculous! The statue is not living and our students and patriotism are! You mean to tell me if they had been at a ballgame and sung the anthem that would be okay, but not where Abe Lincoln, who is a symbol of having freed the slaves. Is that ironic or what? I know how inspiring it is to stand there at Abe's feet, but obviously their beautiful singing of OUR national anthem only added to the inspiration as others sang along according to this young woman. I've been inspired and while at the feet of Lincoln I burst out with gusto, God Bless America! and I got talking with a woman celebrating Earth Day and I asked her if it bugged her for me to have been singing so boisterously and she said, no, it's perfectly fine and then asked to borrow my cell phone. I hate to mention this, but hopefully, the security guard is informed of the constitutional implications. If he had told them to hush because they were out of tune, as I musician, I could understand that a bit more, but ultimately it's a constitutionality issue isnn'?
      Posted by Judy on 08/11/2010
    • Sorry for the typ-o's in my last post, but look at the hour I wrote it! I literally had fallen asleep several times at the computer with my fingers on the keys..but was determined to "press on" and finish the comment! I am so happy Fox covered this ignorant attempt to stifle these great young patriotic Americans! I say, carry on, and boldly so! God bless you and God bless Fox for covering it!
      Posted by Judy on 08/11/2010
    • Anyone who simply has a 'knee-jerk' reaction to something just because it's FOX News without checking out the facts is merely exposing themselves to major hypocrisy. They have no credibility and are only trying to propagate their own agenda. We should see these people for who they really are and simply feel sorry for them.
      Posted by Clay Boggess on 08/13/2010
    Leave a comment
    Name *
    Email *
    Homepage
    Comment

    Leave a comment
    Name
    Email
    Comment
About UsStudentsThe Reagan RanchThe National Journalism CenterSupportersAlumniMedia CenterContact Us
Job OpportunitiesSubscribeHelpSite MapPrivacy PolicyLegal NoticesFinancial Statements
Copyright 2012 Young America's Foundation | 110 Elden Street, Herndon, VA 20170 | Ph. 1.800.USA.1776 | Fax 703.318.9122
www.yaf.org | www.reaganranch.org | www.nationaljournalismcenter.org