Nov 17, 2006 9:50 am US/Eastern
National Anthem...National Crisis?
by Sally Thorner
Baltimore, MD (WJZ) ―
Most Americans don't know the words to the National Anthem, a song written right here in Baltimore, and some feel it's becoming a national crisis.
A recent Harris poll found two-thirds of Americans don't know the Star Spangled Banner, and now, the National Anthem Project is working to preserve history.
Executive Director John Mahlman tells WJZ-13's Sally Thorner, "This is an American issue and that's what we our concerned about."
Iraq War Veteran John Borders is also concerned. He says, "this was written by Francis Scott Key during a time when he was going through the same stuff that our soldiers were going through all over the world now."
It was off Fort McHenry during the War of 1812 that Francis Scott Key watched the battle of Baltimore. There were so many bombs and rockets that night that he was sure the city would fall under British control. But when he awoke and saw a battered American flag still flying, inspiration struck and he wrote our National Anthem.
Mahlman says First Lady Laura Bush is working closely with the National Anthem Project to re-teach Americans the words to the song. Country music superstars, The Oak Ridge Boys, have also joined the effort.
Another critical part of the National Anthem Project is to support and revive music education programs. The group says most kids learn the Star Spangled Banner in school, but that's not happening because of budget cuts.
John Borders says the Star Spangled Banner symbolizes what he and fellow servicemen are fighting for. "I joined the military and it kind of made me proud to be an American and say, yup, im doing my part"
And now, Borders wants his fellow Americans to do their part and learn the words.
(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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