Oh decid, ¿Pueden ver?

For not knowing what that means, those few words are causing a lot of hubbub.

For my non-Spanish speaking friends, those are the opening lines of the Star Spangled Banner en español. The very act of me typing them have been attributed to the same vitriol as if I sketched out a picture of Muhammad.

Pero ¿pórque? I know even among many native Spanish-speaking friends of mine, they've been nervous about the idea of recording the Star Spangled Banner in Spanish. After all, and I agree, that the song itself should be sung in it's original form. Ask Roseanne Barr what happens if you don't.

But is it wrong to translate it? Spanish teachers have been sharing translations of it for years. After all, if English isn't your first language, wouldn't you want to know what it meant? A friend asked me what the words "Einigheit und Recht und Freiheit" meant on the edge of the German Euro. (Unity and justice and freedom.) They're also the first words of the German national anthem ("Das Deutscheslied"). After all, if you didn't understand German, aren't you a bit curious the meaning of a song that a nation has chosen to represent itself? After all, those words may sounds great, but it were more like "Deutschland, Deutschland über alles/über alles in der Welt" sung to the same tune, that might not make you curious unless you knew it meant "Germany, Germany over everything, over everything in the World", which is exactly the lyrics they picked during the Third Reich. Are you curious now? (Yeah, I like the first version better too!)

One thing lost in the debate is the fact that the very tune of the Star Spangled Banner was "imported" from an old British drinking song. One could argue they're not singing the national anthem, but just created new lyrics on top of an old British drinking song.

But from another culture, one thing I found absolutely fascinating about learning Spanish, is the fact that I'm learning a ton about a culture that I had no idea I existed right next door to me. The only barrier had been one of language.

And that barrier colors this debate. For one thing, it's not a translation, it's just the same hymn. Even the name has been changed. "Nuestro himno" simply means "Our Anthem". Assumably, "our" just means Spanish speakers, since those who don't understand Spanish wouldn't understand the words. However, I understand that for those who don't understand Spanish, the effects of hearing the same hymn would have the same effect of watching a Japanese game show... you have no idea what they're saying, just what they're doing. Without knowing what they're saying, you think it's just sacrilege.

But the thing is, they aren't singing the national anthem. For a simple reason: They don't feel the Star Spangled Banner applies to them. At least not yet. They want to be here. They want to work. They want to contribute and take part in the American dream. They want to learn English. I have several friends who can't speak Spanish but both their parents are native speakers.... they wouldn't allow it in the home because they wanted their kids to do well in school and partake in the American dream. But we won't let them. It's not the American Anthem, it's Their Anthem. At least for now. That's what it means.

For full disclosure, I'm only a second generation American. My grandmother was born in Norway, and all of my great grandparents were born in the Europe. They all left their family. And at the time, not a damned one of them spoke English. They all came here to contribute to America. They might have even put out a Swedish or Norwegan flag... along side their American flag of course. After all, that's who made them. Honor your mother and father. But now they were Americans. They're just looking at where they came from and where they were going at the same time.

Why were they any more fortunate? Not long after they came over, laws were enacted to put tight restrictions on immigration. None of them ever had to apply for a green card. And do you know for sure that every single one of your anscesters came here legally? Worst yet, the "get in line" argument ignores the fact that we came over and said "Man this party's great. Too bad you're not invited."

And that seems the most un-American thing of all.